Can dogs become wolves and act wolf-like? In the novel “The Call of the Wild”, by Jack London, there's a dog named Buck and he retrogressed tremendously. He was a pet that lived with a rich owner who gave him anything he wanted and he was able to do whatever he wanted. Then, Buck was stolen and was sold to be a sled dog in the Yukon. Buck has to learn how to hold his own with these dogs and learn how to survive. He went through many different owners and experienced many different things. Buck acted almost like he was a wolf and answered the Call of the Wild by joining a wolf pack. This shows that the book displayed a strong power of primitive instincts in Buck.
When Buck gets to the Yukon he does not know how to act. All of the other dogs know how to fight and hold their own. Buck however always lived like a king and was never around other dogs. He had to learn how to fight. He learned vicariously and watched other dogs. “He had never seen dogs fight as these wolfish creatures fought, and his first experience taught him an unforgettable lesson” (London 16). This shows that Buck learned he needed to be smart in a fight. This shows his primitive characteristics coming out because of the way he fights. He knew that he would encounter a fight sooner or later
…show more content…
His name was John Thornton. Buck followed Thornton around everywhere. He would never leave him. Although one day there was a call from the wild and Buck answered it. “But in spite of this great love he bore John Thornton, which seemed to bespeak the soft, civilizing influences; the strain of the primitive, which the Northland had aroused in him, remained alive and active” (London 76). Buck went off and discovered a wolf pack that would take him in. This quote proves that Buck became wild. When John Thornton died, Buck was his own owner and he no longer had to follow Thornton around. He joined a wolf pack and was happy and
At the beginning, Buck has to hold his own because if he shows that he is weak he will die. Buck is learning about the “Law of Fang”. For example, Buck witnesses Curly’s death because of this law. Buck learns not to get into fights so he is not killed by the smarter dogs. Second, Buck wants to fight other dogs so he is not killed. For instance, Buck has to protect himself from Dolly, who has gone mad from rabies. Since Buck does not want to be killed and eventually work his way to lead dog, he runs away from Dolly. Last, Buck is being harassed by Spitz to see who will be “alpha” dog. For example, Buck is tempted by Spitz to fight but
The Call of the Wild, on the surface, is a story about Buck, a four- year old dog that is part Shepherd and part St. Bernard. More importantly, it is a naturalistic tale about the survival of the fittest in nature. Throughout the novel, Buck proves that he is fit and can endure the law of the club, the law of the fang, and the laws of nature.
After John Thornton dies and Buck’s only tie to humanity and civilization is severed, Buck proceeds to live out his days in a local wolf pack where he becomes the alpha. Here he becomes a legend to the locals and is forevermore known as the Ghost Dog because of ferocious actions presiding Thornton’s death. Throughout the novel, “The Call of the Wild” it is proven that adaptability is key to one’s survival in any harsh environment. Over the many years in Buck’s time after being kidnapped by Manuel, Buck demonstrated time and time again that being able to adapt to one’s surroundings is and essential to life. In the novel, it is conveyed through many different events and lessons that being able to become accustomed to a setting is key to
Buck learned quickly what was expected of him. He knew that he would be beaten. Not only did he have to worry about his owners beating him but the other dogs. They kept each other in line and moving while in the traces. His first to owners ran him over 2500 miles. Then the third owner ran him more. The next owners had no idea what they were doing. The dogs would not work for them inspite of severe beatings.
“ From far away drifted a faint, sharp yelp, followed by a chorus of a similar sharp yelps (London 105).” In the book, Call of the Wild by Jack London the main character Buck faces a retrogression. Buck goes from being king like to a wild rebellious dog. Buck goes through this change because men found gold. The men needed dogs like Buck. Buck was half saint Bernard and half scotch-shephard, so he was a gigantic dog and had a thick coat to survive in harsh weather like in the Klondike. So Buck is sold and beat he learns to obey the law of club and fang to be formed into a sled dog, but ends up forming a bond with a man his name was John Thornton . Thornton died and Buck answers the call and runs in the wild becoming alpha of the wolf pack. As Buck was
Buck took the primordial beast from within him and let it be free. He knew that if he didn’t keep up with the like he now knew he would fall behind and be lost forever. He had taught himself to survive on the little food that they had. He, Buck had transformed himself. He once was the protector of the family (Judge Miller’s family and farm workers). He would chaperone the kids on their walks through the woods and made sure that they got to their destination safely. Buck trusted everyone on the ranch, so much that when Manuel ; one of Judge Miller’s workers went to sell Buck, all he had to do was call him so that he could bring him to the trading destination.
Beaten, neglected, and loved Buck dealt with all those things. In the story ‘’ The Call of the Wild ‘’, the central theme is how one treats animals can reflect on what kind of person they are.
In his novel, The Call of the Wild, Jack London wants us to see the step beyond the survival of the fittest to the complete adaptation to and domination of a once unfamiliar and unforgiving environment. Using a third-person, limited omniscient narrator, the cold, icy Yukon wilderness, and a journey from lazy farm life to the deadly work of a sled dog, we see Buck, a Saint Bernard/Scotch Shepherd mix slowly return to his ancestral roots. As Jacqueline Tavernier-Courbin states in her book The Call of the Wild: A Naturalistic Romance, “The book deals less with the concept of evolution than with that of devolution” (Courbin pg 57). London asks us to believe that happily domesticated farm dog, Buck, can not only survive life as a sled dog in the Yukon, but can become completely in tune with his primitive inner self, and ultimately thrive as a leader of a wolf pack.
One example which supports the thesis was when he stole food from the other dogs. In the story the owners did not give enough food to the dogs “He didn’t rob openly, but stole secretly and cunningly, out of respect for club and fang.”(23). The quote states Buck was learning to steal, in his happy days he just had to beg for food but now Buck was becoming more wild. This was the first time he was going to his predatory instincts of the ancient wolf and he was adapting to the problems he faces.
In the beginning of the book, Buck must adapt to the cold and cruelness of his new life in order to survive with very little food and recognition. First, Buck has to adapt to being transported to the North and learn to be a sled dog. For example, when he lived with the judge he slept wherever and whenever he wanted, but now that he is in the North he can only sleep under the snow and for few hours. Since, Buck learns that to live and carry on through his journey he has to make some changes from his old lifestyle. Second, Buck finds food for himself in order to survive and pull the sled longer. For instance, Buck steals food off of the man‘s plate because he is starving. Since, Buck can put his instincts into action, adapt and can be a good sled dog and stay alive. Last, Buck gets little recognition and learns to use his instincts and care for himself. For example, Buck gains confidence in himself to
In The Call of the Wild, Jack London utilizes the uprising of a dog’s primitive nature to communicate the influence of ancestry present within all beings. When Buck is ripped out of domestication, he immediately channels his hidden defensive qualities whenever a sense of danger is present. He discovers traits within himself that he was unaware to have possessed, sometimes even becoming shocked by his own reactions. The instincts of Buck’s ancestors awaken once he arrives in the Yukon Territory which allows him to fend for himself and survive while undergoing the dangerous conditions of the climate. Buck not only fits the criteria necessary to survive, but he goes above and beyond and finds himself successful and thriving as the leader of the
Manuel kidnaps Buck and sells him to pay off a debt. Buck’s trustworthy nature changes as soon as he is beaten and is not fed or allowed to drink water. When Buck arrives in Seattle he is almost beaten to death by the man in the red sweater. "He saw, once for all, that he stood no chance against a man with a club." (Call of the Wild, page 19). Buck learns from this horrible incident the ‘law of the club.’ The law of the club states that a dog is no match for a man with a weapon. Buck witnesses as his newly-made friend named Curly is torn to pieces by thirty or forty huskies after she falls to the ground from fighting. Buck is taught the ‘law of the fang’ from Curly’s death scene. The law of the fang recognizes the fact that once a dog falls to the ground he is dead. In the north, Buck learns many traits that will help him journey through the north in order to survive. Buck learns that he has to eat his food quickly in order to not have it stolen; he learns to steal food to survive, because the daily ration cannot fill his stomach; he learns to break the ice out from his toes; and finally Buck learns that in order to stay warm during the harsh, freezing nights, he has to make a ‘nest’ to sleep in. Because Buck learns these new secrets of the sled dogs, he is able to survive in the north and to maintain his
In The Call of the Wild Buck overcomes many tough challenges that make him a better dog. When Buck got sold to the man in the red sweater he got beaten many times. Buck got beaten because he wasn’t obeying
First, to get there Buck needs to be an amazing sled dog which he already is which ends up making him leader.For example, learns common extra food rubs, etc,. Since Buck earns francis and perruls respect can equal recognition. Second, other dogs follow Buck’s lead. For instance, Buck protects other dogs from Spitz in a revolt. Since Buck commands other dogs to disobey Spitz. Last, Buck finds love with John Thornton. For Example, Thornton shaking his head, Buck play Bites. Since Buck and Thornton are inseparable. In conclusion, Buck fathers his quest by gaming his master recognition status among his peers, and the love John Thornton
Buck came to mastery of his will to survive he new how to fight he had that in him There were fierce that brought buck to mastery so when he bristled and showed his teeth”. (london 49) This prove that buck was fit to live in the wild. He could hunt and kill when he need to. Also he was a leader he wanted to be a model for the other dogs but if he needed to he would kill them. Lastly, Buck learned through his time in the wild that he needed to be strong and the master. At one point in the novel, Buck mastered Spitz, all the sled dogs to prove that he was the master of everything. Each one of these tasks were not easy for Buck. “Mercy did not exist in the primordial life it was misunderstood for fear and such misunderstanding for fear and such made for death kill or killed eat or be eaten was the law” ( London 77). Buck showed the theme struggle for mastery when he realized he needed to fight to survive and be the leader. He is able to change and accept the hard conditions in the Northland and overcome the obstacles because he is more smarter and has many much more imagination than any of the other