Buck, the lead character in the novel is already a enormous dog as he is a cross between a sheep dog and a saint bernard. He starts off at looking like a thick animal ready for anything due to his already muscular physic, and some how transforms himself into an even more threatening machine. Buck gains experience through his times in the arctic which help him with this transformation both physically and mentally. Eventually He is striped of his companions and finally alone in the wild as the fiercest animal in the Alaskan woods.
He lived a life of luxury in Santa Clara Valley as the pet of a Judge. But unfortunately this life doesn't last long as he is "flung into all things primordial" (19). Buck begins his transformation as a sled dog when he is sold of because of the gold rush in Alaska. He delivered the post by sled each day which took a toile on Buck. He was use to meals that he didn't have to fight for and that were much larger than the regular ration in his new life. Buck was given a daily ration of one pound of fish per day which was often stolen by the other dogs. Buck learned to eat fast and eventually tame his body to correspond with the small meals. He watched and learned how to steal, to remedy the constant hunger pains experienced everyday. The next difficulty that Buck needed to over come was the consent thrashing of mother nature in the form of unpacked snow and devastating storms, which hardened bucks muscles and thickened his paws. Buck was sold from owner to owner experiencing life threatening events which lead to the completion of his transformation.Buck's last and final owner was John Thornton who cherished the presence of Buck and gained his respect rather quickly. Buck is allowed to roam in the woods by him self where he gains the instinct and determination of his wild ancestors. No prey was ever to big for Buck as he never gave up until he tasted the flesh of the opposing beast. It is here that Buck becomes the fiercest animal in the woods.
The book started with the pains of the harsh nature and of his fellow primates, and ended with the wilderness engraving the ways off his ancestors into his mind. Buck is beaten into shape by his experiences which in turn mad him a beast of the wild.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Animal vs. Wild
This conflict is a thorn in the paw of Buck throughout the book. The first obstacle in the way of Buck's survival is the constant whipping of the nature around him. The ice takes a tole on Buck as well as the dark and freezing nights. Buck learns the ways of the wilderness and finds techniques to keep the unforgiving powers of nature on his side.
Buck like every dog on his sled team, feels the pain of running on ice of hours on end, which in comparison is like running on glass. It stops Buck in his tracks, making it impossible for him to even move after weeks of running. But surely enough Buck struggles through running with the help of some boots that his owner fashioned for him. By learning from the other dogs how to escape the freezing cold nights by burying himself in the snow to keep warm. Unfourtuntly its not just the weather that Buck had to deal with, but the scaring of other animals which made is journey even more difficult and rewarding. Buck is attacked in the night by a pack of starving wolves ready to feed on anything. The wolves got away with a full stomach eating the majority of the rations and even the leather lashings off the sled, but at the cost of many severe injuries caused by Buck and the rest of the team.
The conflict of Animal vs. Wild hurts Buck mainly physical but at the same time his wounds grow back stronger making this conflict very beneficial. Buck after taking his turn experiencing the wild for what it really is, he grows accustom to it many surprises and hard ships allowing him to live comfortably in the wild.
Buck like every dog on his sled team, feels the pain of running on ice of hours on end, which in comparison is like running on glass. It stops Buck in his tracks, making it impossible for him to even move after weeks of running. But surely enough Buck struggles through running with the help of some boots that his owner fashioned for him. By learning from the other dogs how to escape the freezing cold nights by burying himself in the snow to keep warm. Unfourtuntly its not just the weather that Buck had to deal with, but the scaring of other animals which made is journey even more difficult and rewarding. Buck is attacked in the night by a pack of starving wolves ready to feed on anything. The wolves got away with a full stomach eating the majority of the rations and even the leather lashings off the sled, but at the cost of many severe injuries caused by Buck and the rest of the team.
The conflict of Animal vs. Wild hurts Buck mainly physical but at the same time his wounds grow back stronger making this conflict very beneficial. Buck after taking his turn experiencing the wild for what it really is, he grows accustom to it many surprises and hard ships allowing him to live comfortably in the wild.
Events and Themes
Events throughout the book contain the similar theme of triumph. Buck has a rival named Spitz who is a constant bother to him as a sled dog. There comes a time where Buck has no choice but to fight Spitz to gain the respect he disserves. Buck ends Spitz's life breaking both his front legs leaving him for the rest of the pack to finish him off. Buck saves the Life of John Thornton multiple times.Without any thought he jumps into raging rapids after John has fallen in by accident. The strength of the dog prevails overcoming the rapids and pulling John to safety. These examples are proof of the triumph experienced throughout the book.
The common theme of triumph also keeps the reader interested as I found myself saying "how is he going to get out of this one" quite often. This book kept me bighting my nails and relieving me with a happy ending making it the classic that it is.
The common theme of triumph also keeps the reader interested as I found myself saying "how is he going to get out of this one" quite often. This book kept me bighting my nails and relieving me with a happy ending making it the classic that it is.
The Grasp on Life
The call of the wild contains a very fruitful view on life. Although it is filled with traumatic events containing tragedy it still has a very uplifting tone. Buck looses his close friends and is often subdued to physical and emotional pain but buck deals with these experiences which gives the novel an uplifting feeling.
Being thrown into a world that is unfamiliar to him, he triumphs over all because he takes life for what it is in the present. There are times were he is left to die and some how whether it be luck or skill he finds away out of the problem. For example John Thornton is murdered by a local native tribe called the Yeehats and Buck unleashes a furry of blows upon the natives to avenge his owner. Although upset for John, Buck moves on finding his future with the wolves of the woods. Buck in this case is recognized for his power by the Yeehats, as well as finding a new home rather quickly makes the death of john less painful to the reader. Buck always comes out on top giving producing a positive theme throughout the book.
Being thrown into a world that is unfamiliar to him, he triumphs over all because he takes life for what it is in the present. There are times were he is left to die and some how whether it be luck or skill he finds away out of the problem. For example John Thornton is murdered by a local native tribe called the Yeehats and Buck unleashes a furry of blows upon the natives to avenge his owner. Although upset for John, Buck moves on finding his future with the wolves of the woods. Buck in this case is recognized for his power by the Yeehats, as well as finding a new home rather quickly makes the death of john less painful to the reader. Buck always comes out on top giving producing a positive theme throughout the book.
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