# John Cunningham — The Iron Heel character guide

> John Cunningham in The Iron Heel by Jack London.

**Role:** minor

**First appearance:** 0007-v-the-philomaths

## Who they are

A socialist comrade and associate of Ernest.

## In the story

### [My Eagle](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_iron_heel_se/chapters/i-my-eagle)

Avis's father, who hosts the dinner and encourages Ernest to speak, amused by the effect of his 'human bombshell'.

### [VI: Adumbrations](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_iron_heel_se/chapters/vi-adumbrations)

Reprimanded by President Wilcox; refuses the offered vacation; decides to continue his book.

### [The Machine Breakers](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_iron_heel_se/chapters/viii-the-machine-breakers)

Professor Cunningham hosts the dinner, which he privately calls his 'Profit and Loss' dinner.

### [X: The Vortex](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_iron_heel_se/chapters/x-the-vortex)

Avis's father, forced to resign from the university; his book is suppressed and he is vilified by the capitalist press.

### [XI: The Great Adventure](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_iron_heel_se/chapters/xi-the-great-adventure)

Avis's father, a scientist of Mayflower stock, who is systematically ruined by the Oligarchy after Wickson warns him. He loses his stock, home, and is threatened with an asylum, yet faces his downfall philosophically as an adventure.

### [XVI: The End](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_iron_heel_se/chapters/xvi-the-end)

Avis's father, who embraces proletarian life, works odd jobs, and encounters Mr. Wickson while closing a cab.

### [Endnotes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_iron_heel_se/chapters/endnotes)

Mentioned indirectly through the reference to 'Professor Cunningham' in the context of the capitalistic bias of universities.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_iron_heel_se/characters/john_cunningham
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_iron_heel_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_iron_heel_se/characters