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Call Of The Wild Identity Essay

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Identity is something that is very important to who we are and how we interact with others. Much of this is influenced by our surroundings and the conditions that we are presented with. Buck in The Call of the Wild begins his transformation into a beast when he is thrown into the grim terrain of the north. Along with this, the American people during the Frontier were shaped by the open land in the west that they were forced to adapt to. In the Call of the Wild and Turner’s Frontier Thesis, both Buck and the American people’s identity were shaped because of the surrounding geography.
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 …show more content…

This transition completely transformed the life of Buck forever. While being transported from place to place, his pride suffered an utter blow. He was no longer in this domain where he could freely live. Instead, he was constantly conformed, handled, and controlled by the power of others. One major strike at Buck’s pride occurred when he was beaten by the man with the club. After he is hit, it is clear that, “the club was a revelation. It was his introduction to the reign of primitive law, and he met the introduction halfway” (London 6). This shows that as Buck moves further and further from home, he begins to stray away from his previous way of life. His domestic nature fades away and the inner beast inside of him is revealed.
As Buck enters an unfamiliar world as a wild sled dog, he undergoes many physical changes. The grim geography of the rigid north had many adverse effects on Buck’s once pristine build. One example of Buck suffering physically is when he experiences extreme pain in his feet caused by the rugged terrain of the journey north. “Buck’s feet were not so compact and hard as the feet of the huskies. His had softened during the many generations since the day his last wild ancestor was tamed by a cave-dweller or river man” (London 18). This shows that as Buck treks across the ice and snow with the rest of the pack, his feet become weathered and wounded. His feet are not as tough as the other dogs due to his upbringing and his ancestral history. Along

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