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Call of the Wild
(1903)
If you are not a fan of the brutality of dogs... beware. Buck is beaten mercilisly, and has to suffer for everyone else's mistakes.
Submitted by Anonymous.
Jack London’s Call of the Wild is the story of a dog’s journey from living a cocooned life in sunny California, to the unforgiving frozen dunes of the arctic. A man’s greed stole Buck’s comfortable life. He was sold by his master’s trusted servant to men heading south in search of that precious yellow metal — gold. Buck’s journey through the harsh landscapes as a sledge dog, passing from one master to another, teaches him to survive in the ways of the wild. In the process, his natural killer instincts, made dormant by his brush with civilisation, awaken. Buck becomes the best sledge dog ever that walked the frozen trails to the land of gold. But that’s not the end of his journey. In fact, it had just begun…will he answer the call of the wild?
It’s more than just a children’s story or merely a dog’s story, it’s our story. Buck could have been the name of one of those gold hunters who had left their comfortable lives to venture into the frozen wild in search of gold. There’s a difference though, Buck was forced. But aren’t we humans forced too? Forced by the compulsion of greed, of having more, and yet more? Buck fought for supremacy among other dogs, Buck fought to be the leader, Buck killed, Buck protected those who needed protection, and Buck saved, even his master, from death. Among all the lessons that he learned, one of the first and the most important was never to fall. For, that meant being torn apart by other dogs of the pack.Doesn’t this hold true for us as well? The novel has a universal appeal — it is deeper than what meets the eyes in the first read.
Submitted by Anonymous.
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Call of the Wild/ related readings-----HELP!!
hi ppl,, ive got a project on "With Age, How Do Animals Fare?" but i really dont understand it,, i need someone 2 explain it,, or 2 tell me wut should i do,, and i will be thankfull,... chawz,,,,,,,,
Posted By MeeMoo at Fri 8 Feb 2008, 9:57 AM in Call of the Wild || 1 Reply
Just a littler whimsy...
October 29th 2006, the 20th anniversary of my University, where I've whiled away, up to now, almost four years.Four years!How many four years do we get in average life span expectation?Maybe it's just like the size of the dog on the turf I saw this morning against the bulk of Buck. Anyway, that size is full of flesh and bones, save that drooped ears and loosely hanging grey hairs with some "tessels" adhering to each other by whatever liquid, yet he's alive, not alive as Buck, not a bit, I should say, yet his jogging demonstrates his eagerness for food; though it may be the only desire or fuel of his days,even the rest of his life, and yet he's not even aware of it. For him, it's a matter of fact. So he jogs, eats, and jogs. However, we human being jog, eat as well, yet we're designed to well aware of everything, the worst of all, we are well aware of our deepest recesses. It seems that Jack incarnated the same magic on Buck. On the one hand, this inbred magic is an inexorable revolver, keener numerous times that of Hal's. Thus no fancy Buck, the very crystal of mixed conception, almost a man under a beast's golden cover, having conquered one after another, Spitz, thousands miles of toil and ordeal, the seemingly unsurmountable wager, the moose, the wolves and ultimately, the call of his primordial, which to me, is the desire of Buck's inner heart, or simply one part of his flesh and bones, because he didn't need to force it out, it was just out there. One the other hand, however, that awareness requires a more invincible hand to tap, otherwise, the tragedy of Dolly is the tragedy of ourselves. Jack's wizard, again I found him vested this invincible hand upon Buck--the love for John. It is salient the quirk death of John a bit mechanical or not genuine, too sudden to be true, of course, the haste here is understandable, the perfect denouement of the "Call of the Wild" does request a little quirk to precipitate, but we're still able to trace out the lurking line:as long as John lives, so does the loving company of Buck, so does the never ending call of the wild. As I was rewarmed by the might of Nature the other day, this time the love.
Posted By babyno1 at Sun 29 Oct 2006, 12:17 AM in Call of the Wild || 0 Replies
Buck's Journey
My opinion on the book is quite a strong one. We are first introduced to Buck as the great dog - loyal, strong, and protective - as seen domesticated in everyday life. But he is more than that, as is every dog, as we see him not transform - but revert back to natural instincts as he truly responds to his call to the wild. We watch as he overcomes obstacles of both physical and mental exertion to his farthest limits and beyond, as he first learns the law of club and fang and as he finally conquers Spitz. Through rough but skilled hands of his first owners, to the incompetence of a group of three, and then finally, into the care of the loving John Thornton. John seems to be, metaphorically, the link between man and wolf, back to the first man taming a wild wolf all those hundreds of years ago. These ancient ties are revived in them both, as the story tells of Buck's internal struggle of fierce loyalty and love for John and his returning and natural desire for the wild conflicting with each other. Although in the end these ties are broken as John dies a tragic death, the readers get a sense of closure and understanding as Buck finally resides where he was always meant to be: in the heart, and call of the wild.
Posted By Kitiny at Sat 21 Oct 2006, 1:41 AM in Call of the Wild || 1 Reply
Read It Out Loud With Someone
My daughter and her class had this assignment this school year. She brought a friend home and I read a chapter out loud to them. We read the rest of the story out loud taking turns after that. They both did very well on their tests because of this. They retained more information about the book and they enjoyed it a lot more. There is a lot to learn in this book.
Posted By valvaljean at Fri 19 May 2006, 2:44 AM in Call of the Wild || 1 Reply
My opinion
I really think that the call f the wild book is rally boaring because we were reading it for my english class and the only thing that I remmember from this book is the fight that Buck had with Spitz and the only reason that I remmember that is because I saw the movie, all my jobs are about that fight because everything else was either boaring or I didin't read it, I have to do an esay about this book and I don't think that my teacher wants to read the reasons that I have for saying that this book is boaring, because it really is. I just don't get how people like to read books, I haven't find one that really makes me think that is interesting by looking at it, they all look boaring to me, but well everyone likes to do something different. Adios se cuidan, que les valla bien leyendo libros que muchas veces son mas aburridos de lo que parecen.
Posted By gladis at Thu 30 Mar 2006, 1:53 PM in Call of the Wild || 1 Reply
The Call of the Wild
A fantastic book of triumph over adversity. This strong dog who has had no experience in sledding, becomes a sled dog, learns the trade, and is able to survive in it due to his adaptation. Whitefang also shows this, but I believe that this the dog in this book truly required massive amounts of courage to overcome the problems he faced.
Posted By Anonymus k3t at Sat 21 Feb 2004, 1:00 AM in Call of the Wild || 2 Replies
Superb Book!
Jack Londons, The Call Of the Wild, was a great piece of literature. London used theme and numerous literary devices to draw the reader into a world of suspence and adventure. This thrill seeking novel rates a perfect 10 on my scale!
Posted By Brittany at Tue 24 May 2005, 6:07 PM in Call of the Wild || 0 Replies
No Subject
Admirable Sir:
I wish to say thanks for giving the most depeest, simbolic and emotional experience of my life.
The reading of "The call of the wild" made me see the things from a different point of view.
I´ll always have this in my mind.
Sincerely
miguelangel
Posted By miguelangel toriz at Tue 24 May 2005, 6:07 PM in Call of the Wild || 0 Replies
No Subject
Well. I think, the book is really great.
Jack London tried to describe the life in its real way. Of course, we can' find in this book the thoughts of the dog (i'm speaking about it, because smb tried to do it), but the book teachs us the real life, not in a big comfortable flat, but life, which consists of fighting with nature. We don't know what is it, because we got used to comfort, tv and nice food. But what's there? out of the city?
"The call of the wild" demonstrates it to us.
Posted By Elizabeth at Tue 24 May 2005, 6:07 PM in Call of the Wild || 0 Replies
No Subject
This book was incredibly wonderful. Superbly written, intriuging plot, and exccelently captivating. Yes, I know I have bad spelling, but heck, I'm only 14.^^ I read this book so many times, and it just never gets boring. This book takes us into the heart of trials, and one figures will and drive to overcome them.
Posted By London's #1 Fan at Tue 24 May 2005, 6:07 PM in Call of the Wild || 0 Replies