Preview

Call of the Wild Essay Example

Better Essays
Open Document
Open Document
2733 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Call of the Wild Essay Example
The Call of the Wild

Suffering has been a part of human life since the dawn of time. It is part of our journey in this life. Some suffer less and some suffer more; however, in the end we are destined to suffer no matter what. The Call of the Wild by Jack London emphasizes suffering and gives meaning to such suffering. The novel is about a dog that gets captured and taken into the wild during the time of the Gold Rush. He is faced with unstable conditions where he must either adapt or die. Buck overcomes his suffering because he adapts to his new conditions and because of this he reaches his full potential.
Buck’s life was very effortless and comfortable before he was kidnapped. In the beginning of the book, the author gives us a sense that Buck lived a very good life. London describes how wealthy the land where he lived was and then he affirms that: “Over this great demesne Buck ruled… The whole realm was his.” (London 3) This quote shows how much prestige Buck had as a dog living with the Judge. Buck also escorted the Judge’s daughter’s and at night he rested by the fireplace where he was kept warm. Buck’s luxurious lifestyle before the kidnapping is what makes his story so great.
Buck lived a comfortable life and he was never challenged to build his potential, however because of his primitive instincts that lived inside of him he was never fully domesticated. The author points out in the beginning of the story that Buck: “Had saved himself by not becoming a mere pampered house dog. Hunting and kindred outdoor delights had kept down the fat and hardened his muscles; and to him, as to the cold-tubbing races, the love of water had been a tonic and a health preserver.” (London 4) This shows the primitive side of Buck, his strength, and cunning. Although he had the life of a domesticated pet he never fully became domestic, because of his deep instincts that raged inside of him is a foreshadowing to what he was to become in the future. Even though he was never

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    He goes and finds a small timberwolf. Buck attempts to make a friendly advance, however, the wolf is scared. Eventually, the two show each other their friendship by sniffing, however, Buck comes to remember John Thornton. Eventually, he ends up developing two personalities, an affectionate sled dog, and as a hunter in the wild forest. One day, after returning from the forest, he finds his camp, including his master dead. He avenges Thornton by killing the Yeehat Indians. Buck joins the wolf pack, where he becomes a legendary figure Yeehat Indians tell of, a Ghost Dog, inspiring fear into the…

    • 706 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    David Fallon’s film, Call of the Wild, is movie surrounding the adventures of a young man and his dog. I watched the film on my computer on July 1st, 2015. The movie begins with a kidnapped dog, named Buck, being auctioned off. Buck immediately steals the attention of young Miles, the other protagonist in the movie. Buck initially works as a sled dog for a Yukon mail carrier. On his first job, Buck faces severe weather, wolf attacks, and a fight with Spitz, the team’s lead dog. The harsh conditions kill every dog except for Buck and leaves the mail carrier in a near-death condition. Buck saves the mail carrier, but is sold again to two travelers, Hal and Mercedes. Miles is hired as a travel guide for the duo. Hal mistreats the dogs, refuses to listen to Miles, and eventually causes his own death. Mercedes and Miles are able to survive the journey with Buck’s aid.…

    • 495 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Buck, the courageously bold and energetic dog in Jack London’s classic novel, Call of the Wild, had many owners in his lifetime. However, none of them quite like John Thornton. Astonishingly, John rescued Buck from a beating and nourished him back to health. Till the end they loved each other. They shared an unbreakable bond, which could withstand anything life threw at them.…

    • 367 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    At the beginning, Buck has to quickly adapt to his changing environments and stay safe on this quest he calls life. First, Buck has to learn to survive after he is abducted. For example, Buck has to go 2 days and 2 nights without any source of food or drink, and to not to fight for the little amount of food he was given. Since Buck realizes to preserve himself,…

    • 682 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    “…he may be seen running at the head of the pack through the pale moonlight or glimmering borealis, leaping gigantic above his fellows, his great throat a-bellow as he sings a song of the younger world, which is the song of the pack.” How did Buck, an ordinary domestic dog living in the sun-kissed Santa Clara valley in California, go from being the favored of a wealthy judge, to the head of the wolf pack in eastern Alaska? Buck makes many enemies along the way, but he also makes friend that will always have an impact on him. Learns lessons he would need to know to survive this treacherous land. Even finds out what it’s like to live in the foot-steps of his ancestors, and Buck loves every minute of it. He loves the feel of being an un-domestic wolf in the wild. All he has to do; is heed the Call of the Wild.…

    • 1368 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    What does it take to survive in the wild? In the book, Call of the Wild by Jack London is about a dog named, Buck, that was stolen from his home and traveled up to the great north of Alaska. Buck then had a new reality to get use too. Bucks learns about the Law and Fang, which is an important thing to know to survive. In the novel Call of the Wild, it is clear that in order to survive the harsh wilderness of the north, one must develop strength, knowledge, and determination.…

    • 1301 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Buck As A Sled Dog

    • 155 Words
    • 1 Page

    Buck is a sled dog, because he is so strong. He can pull the sled very quickly. People thought he would be great has a sled dog. He protects everyone at Judge Miller’s Place too. He goes hunting with the boys, and on walks with the girls to keep them safe. He loves to protect the family, but he doesn’t…

    • 155 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the book Call of the Wild, Buck lost loved ones and had to learn to move on from his previous life and live differently. After Buck was stolen from his comfortable home, he was plunged into harsh…

    • 986 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In The Call Of The Wild, Jack London, the author, focuses on the extreme changes that need to be made to survive in the wild. Buck, a St. Bernard and Scotch half-breed dog, is used to show the changes made and is removed from his home and placed in the wild. After living in the wild for quite awhile, Buck learns how to survive by watching other dogs, learning from his own experiences, and by being forced to learn. Even though Buck connects with his instincts, his ability to survive in the wild is learned.…

    • 915 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Call of the Wild

    • 281 Words
    • 2 Pages

    When Buck was in the wild he felt very at home and like he was one of the leaders. “He followed, with wild leapings, in a frenzy to overtake.”Pg. 70 It talks about him overtaking the wolf when he first meets it. When he first meets up with the wolf the wolf runs but Buck follows wanting to overtake. With Buck wanting to overtake this is what makes me feel like he is too far gone now to come back and be able to be a dog again.…

    • 281 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Into The Wild Essay

    • 886 Words
    • 4 Pages

    In the book Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer we get a first person view of Christopher Johnson McCandless life and this allows us to see what may have influenced him to take the actions he took. McCandless was an intelligent, educated and prideful individual. The book often stated that he would often get A’s with little effort. So was his adventure to Alaska a sheer act of stupidity and ignorance? I believe not, McCandless didn’t go Into the Wild due to a lackluster relationship with his parents nor was it due to the the recklessness of the teenage brain it was due to the the influences by literary heroes such as Leo Tolstoy, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau and Jack London.…

    • 886 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Buck In The Yearling

    • 360 Words
    • 2 Pages

    In The Yearling by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, the reader learns that Buck has a helpful nature despite his upbringing as a Forrester. After Penny is attacked by the rattlesnake, Buck begins to exemplify his helpful demeanor by volunteering to provide the Baxters with help in the time it takes for Penny to recover. He quickly volunteered to “stay and work the corn and sich”(162). This offer to work at the Baxter’s property and the acknowledgement of what a family in need requires is just a hint at his helpful personality. Another representations of Buck’s personality is seen when he catches the Baxters up on work, and even goes above and beyond: “In the week he had been at the clearing, he had worked out the corn, the cowpeas and the sweet potatoes.…

    • 360 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Call Of The Wild Analysis

    • 690 Words
    • 3 Pages

    First, Buck begins hunting wild game. For example, he kills and also eats a bull moose and black bear alone. Since Buck can kill and eat on his own, he is on his way to becoming wild. Second, Buck kills the Yeehats after they attack and kill Thorton and his friends at camp. For instance, Buck rips the throats of the people of the tribe who have done wrong to him and his former family. Since buck kills humans, he is very close to becoming completely wild. Last, Buck answers the call by joining a wolf pack. For example, the pack surrounds Buck and tries to attack Buck, but stops and accept him as a part of the pack. Since the wolf pack accepts Buck he takes lead of the pack and becomes the famous “Ghost Dog”. In conclusion, Buck becomes wild and fulfills his quest to find his true…

    • 690 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Into the Wild Essay

    • 654 Words
    • 3 Pages

    “I have had a happy life and thank the lord. Goodbye and may god bless everyone” (qted Krakauer 199), Chris McCandless wrote before he went inside his sleeping bag and slipped into unconsciousness. American Romantic writers of the 1800’s shared their ideals of leaving the corrupt city for an answer in nature. Chris McCandless went into the wild in April of 1992 leaving all his possessions behind, giving his money away to charity, and changing his name. He sacrificed everything to go on an adventure or a life time. Chris McCandless’s journey to the wild reflects the ideas American Romantic writers of the 1800’s wrote and only dreamed of doing.…

    • 654 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Growing up can have its challenges that require much adaptation and perseverance. One of Buck’s challenges growing up was being kidnapped and taken from his home where he grew up. Buck also had to learn the Law of Club and Fang, he learned to obey and respect those who are more powerful than him. He also had to adapt to working with other dogs and using a lot of teamwork to get through the harsh winters of the Klondike Gold Rush.…

    • 886 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays