White Fang
by Jack London
Table of Contents
Part 4: Chapter 1 to Chapter 6
Part Four: Chapter One
Having killed Lip-lip, White Fang becomes the leader of the dog sled team. However, he is not the alpha dog. For example, if he starts without being told to do so by the men, the other dogs can attack him. This exacerbates the existing rivalries between White Fang and the other dogs. They firmly form a pack united against him, and he hates all of them. When Grey Beaver takes him to Fort Yukon, he encounters white people for the first time. He discovers that they have different concepts of proper animal behavior, and that they get angry when he attacks and kills one of their dogs. He uses this to his advantage; attacking one of their dogs and then leaving it for members in his pack to finish off, it leads to a white man killing six of the dogs in the pack. This chapter helps highlight White Fang’s cunning, but it also demonstrates his total alienation as a member of the Indian community.
Part Four: Chapter Two
Until this point, White Fang’s existence has been a difficult one and he has been subjected to cruelty, but few humans he has encountered have made it their goal to intentionally harm the dogs for pleasure. This changes when White Fang gets to the Yukon. A group of white men living at Fort Yukon, who call themselves Sour-doughs because they eat bread made from sourdough starter, enjoy watching the budding dog fights. Beauty Smith is clearly the most vicious of these men, and when he sees what an accomplished fighter White Fang is, he tries to buy him from Grey Beaver. Grey Beaver is unwilling to sell White Fang; however, Beauty Smith is a cunning man who is determined to accomplish his goals. He plies Grey Beaver with liquor, using it until he is addicted. Then, when Grey Beaver is so addicted that he is willing to trade White Fang for whiskey, Beauty Smith gains ownership of White Fang.
While White Fang does not have any affection for Grey Beaver, he does have tremendous loyalty, and he does not go willingly with Beauty Smith. He escapes, but Grey Beaver wants to...
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