Book Summary: Into The Wild

“Buck stood and looked on, the successful primordial beast who had made his kill and found it good” (London, 43). The novel The Call of the Wild by Jack London starts with a dog named Buck that lives at an estate in California. However, Buck got stolen and shipped to the Yukon, during the gold rush, where he was sold to multiple different owners. In order to survive, he has to fight and steal food, and obey his owners to do whatever they say. Buck wants to be the master of the pack no matter who is in it, and who owns him.

In the 1890’s during the Klondike Gold Rush, strong sled dogs were needed. Buck was stolen from his house, Judge Miller’s place in Santa Clara Valley, and was given to a man. Next, he was sold to two men named Francois and Perrault to be a sled dog. As Buck saw other dogs fighting with other dogs, he learned the law of club and fang and started fighting with other dogs. Buck

Throughout the story of The Call of the Wild, Buck had many relationships with many different individuals. Some were loving owners while others were terrible. The four most important that had the most influence of Buck were his original owner, Judge Miller, François and Perrault, and John Thornton. Eventually Buck took control of his own life and became his own master. In this essay, I am going to describe the relationships of Buck and his owners and what each of them taught him.

He struggles against the want to run wild and hunt things for not wanting to abandon others who depend on him. The closer to the end of the book, the more he has to fight himself. While with every creature he kills he wishes to run off more, he loves Thornton and wants to protect him and therefore refuses to leave him. The quote “He had a way of taking Buck's head roughly between his hands, and resting his own head upon Buck's, of shaking him back and forth, the while calling him ill names that to Buck were love names. Buck knew no greater joy than that rough embrace and the sound of murmured oaths,” from chapter six describes the love Buck and Thornton had for each other and therefore the loyalty to each other. Buck resists his own feelings for the benefit of others around him.

John Thornton, "who is unafraid of the wild," is the last thing Buck has that protects him from the hostile environment where only the strong survive (London 86). After Thornton nurses Buck back to life from his brush with starvation, Buck slowly realizes that he is ready to face the wild, where he would find his true self, not as a pet or a sled dog, and most importantly as an animal without a master. It becomes apparent that,

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.

The Gold Rush in the Yukon and Alaska has the need for big strong dogs who will be able to pull sleds. Buck a large dog living at the home of Judge Miller in Santa Clara, California he is exactly what the people want. He is an animal with human like things like intelligence, and strength. So far he has enjoyed his life with the nature stroll or a hunting trip. Manuel a gardener's helper with a thing for gambling and a need for money. He is given to a saloon keeper and transported by a train north. Throughout the whole ordeal Buck is kept in a cage and becomes super angry. He manages to bite one of the kidnappers. By the time he arrives at his destination he worked himself into a rage.

First, Buck has to prove not only himself but also his strength. For example, Buck has to pull a 1,000 pound sled for 100 yards, in result of this he wins John and his new companions $1,600, which they take with them to look for gold. Since, Buck learns that he can do anything he puts his mind to, and he has the strength to carry on. Next, Buck has to adapt to being in the wild. For instance, Buck comes face to face with a black bear, moose, and wolverines. Since, Buck kills anything that is in way and adapts to all of the deadly situations. Last, Buck has to take care of himself after losing his master. For example, John after dies from getting attacked by the Yeehats Buck goes to where he died and howls once each year on the anniversary of his death. Since, Buck lives on with his life in the wild and is the leader of a wolf

Initially in the story, Buck had it easy. He was born a domesticated St. Bernard/Scotch shepherd who lived with Judge Miller in the “sun kissed Santa Clara

Buck used to be a civilized dog that lived with Judge Miller, but the was sold and had the civilized side of him literally beaten down as low as it can go by the man in the red sweater. Buck keep fighting to keep the civilized side of him alive, but is not doing well against the call of the wild. His primitive side shows after he kills people and wolves.

In the middle of the story, Buck develops a strong emotional feeling for John Thornton because he viewed Thornton as a hero for saving him from the blows he was getting and the rest of the torture he had experienced or was about to experience. This shows how Buck is

From living in a California estate to being sold as a sled dog in the Arctic, he realized that the wilderness is a cruel, uncaring world where only the strong live and thrive. Buck endured the hard conditions and the freezing cold of the wilderness and the harsh treatment of his owners who disciplined the dogs with whips and clubs. The complete loss of his civilization was evident in his ability to flee from any moral consideration to save his life from hunger by stealing his master’s food. His determination not to give up was again demonstrated when another team of human masters forced him to continue their journey. Buck refused to move even under the rain of heavy blows, he had made up his mind not to give up. His instinct told him that there was danger ahead of them, and he was right.

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

They ship him to Seattle, where he is sold to a pair of French-Canadian men. They purchase him and several others dogs throughout their time of owning Buck. Buck and some of the dogs don't get along, sometimes causing fights between them. Buck is victorious in these fights and becomes the team leader. The conditions are also poor; it is very cold and treacherous. The dogs are sold again to a Scottish man. They carry large loads of things that were mined, for instance, gold. They also carry items such as, tents, wood, water, etc. that are There are more fights and some of the dogs are very worn out and in poor health. They are then sold to Hal, Mercedes, and Charles who don't know what they are doing and beat the dogs for being tired (keep in mind how long these dogs have traveled; they are weak and don't have much energy). A man named John Thornton rescues Buck from being beaten and warned against crossing the frozen lake. The owners don't listen and they and all the dogs except Buck go to cross the lake, but the ice cracks and all that crossed the river fell to their death. John takes Buck with him and nurses the dog back to health. They travel, and along the way, Buck pays back John’s kindness by saving him from drowning in a river and by killing a man that threatens to harm John. One day he comes to find that the Yeehat Indians have killed everyone at the campsite, including John. Buck kills several Indians, driving the rest away. After killing the Indians, Buck has no connection to civilization and decides to go join the wild

Buck is first introduced as living in an affluent and easy lifestyle in the first chapter, and the story concludes with Buck as a valued competitor in the wild. In between, Buck goes through experiences that provide him with greater view about the world. In the beginning as an entitled animal he walked proudly over his large domain, but abruptly everything taken away from him when he is sold to dog traders. He is reduced to nothing, beaten, kicked, and