Call of the Wild Essay Questions,switching buttons
Web1. What does London mean by the title The Call of the Wild? Also discuss how the title of each chapter applies both to 2. Discuss London's use of anthropomorphism — that Web1. Discuss Mercedes, Hal, and Charles. What role do they play in the novel? How do they function as embodiments of the worst side of civilization? 2. What is “atavism”? What role WebEssay Questions One theme of the novel is transformation, or changing from one thing into another. For example, Buck changes and adapts Buck is from the civilized land of WebThe Call of the Wild Essay Topics 1. Compare and contrast Buck and Spitz. How are they alike? How are they different? Through their character arcs, what message is London WebThe Call of the Wild Questions and Answers Who is/are the main character (s) in Jack London's Call of the Wild? In what order did the characters own Buck in The Call of the ... read more
Their ignorance is what leads to their death together with the other dogs. Unfortunately john is killed by a group of Yeehat Indians. Buck avenges by killing some of them after which he develops friendship with a wolf. He in turn goes to live in the forest answering the call to the wild. Knowledge and wisdom is one among other themes which is brought out through the story. A theme refers to the main subject in a piece of work. Buck clearly brings out this theme of knowledge and wisdom in certain instances throughout the story. He was taken from the comfort of his owner Judge Miller who had him as a hunting dog. He was thrown into another life with a different environment. He had to establish how to go about with his new job as a sled dog and how to coexist with the other dogs.
He had to adapt to the harsh conditions as many dogs died due to it. Just like Buck, we should be able to apply knowledge and wisdom in these instances. The story is set in the harsh conditions of Alaska. These are what forced Buck to adapt to his new life. He suffers the hardships of cold, hunger and starvation all brought out by the setting. Buck transforms both physically and spiritually. The setting has succeeded to bring out the intended flow of the story. In life, we are sometimes thrown into situations which are harsh and unfavorable. We should try and adapt to these conditions as a survival tactic. John London uses an omniscient narrator or rather the third person point of view.
We get familiarize ourselves with the protagonists reasoning, feelings, desires and dreams. At another instance the narrator pulls away from Buck. For example during the beginning of the story, we are informed of the nature of the environment as well as the gold rush. The narration is most effective in that it sheds light on everything that happens in the story since it is from an omniscient view. John London has definitely proved his proficiency in this piece of work. It is quite interesting as the reader would want to know the character of the dog, his thinking as well as his feelings. The setting has proved to support the emergence of the theme of knowledge and wisdom. The literary techniques used in this story have contributed to its flow as well making the reader be consistent in reading it.
Generally the story is a captivating as well as an interesting one. Note: this sample is kindly provided by a student like you, use it only as a guidance. ID Password recovery email has been sent to email email. Don't waste time. I agree. HIRE A WRITER Sign in. World of Writing Hub Blog Free Essay Writing Tools Quizzes and Tests Essay Topics Types of Essays Free Essay Examples. Who We Are Contact Us Our Writers Our Guarantees FAQ Honor Code WowEssays Reviews Our Services. ORDER PAPER LIKE THIS. Introduction The Call of the Wild is a novel written by an American writer John London. Conclusion John London has definitely proved his proficiency in this piece of work. Cite this page Choose cite format: APA MLA Harvard Vancouver Chicago ASA IEEE AMA. Accessed 07 February Essay On The Call of the Wild.
January Accessed February 07, Retrieved February 07, com, Jan Free Essay Examples - WowEssays. Published Jan 26, Share with friends using:. Removal Request. When the dogs are in John Thornton's camp, why do the dogs besides Buck give in to Hal's whipping and pull the sled? Why does Dave beg to remain at the traces, even though it will kill him? Would Buck have made the same decision? The Question and Answer section for Call of the Wild is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel. How do Buck's actions throughout Chapter 4 provoke decisions and reveal insight into his new character? Though Francois recognizes and respects the hierarchical structure of the dog society, his struggle with Buck reveals a barrier between the dogs and the humans.
Francois does not understand the extent to which the dogs must be allowed to master Which of the following passages from the text best explains what type of masters Perrault or Francois are to the dogs? Buck fears the man in the red sweater mainly because of..? Call of the Wild study guide contains a biography of Jack London, a complete e-text, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Call of the Wild literature essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Call of the Wild. Remember me. Forgot your password? Buy Study Guide. Buck fears his club. Study Guide for Call of the Wild Call of the Wild study guide contains a biography of Jack London, a complete e-text, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.
About Call of the Wild Call of the Wild Summary Character List Glossary Themes Read the Study Guide for Call of the Wild…. Essays for Call of the Wild Call of the Wild literature essays are academic essays for citation.
How is Buck different at the end of the novel than he was at the beginning? The short answer is that at the end of the novel Buck is a wild animal, whereas at the beginning he was a tame pet. But as a pet, Buck had considerable status on Judge Miller's ranch. He occupied a privileged position. The ranch was almost like a paradise for him, and he had the run of the entire estate. He was born there and he ruled over the other dogs. He is described as an aristocrat and compared to a country gentleman, so comfortable was his life. Even more than that, he was a "king over all creeping, crawling, flying things of Judge Miller's place, humans included" chapter 1. At the end of the novel, Buck is also a king of sorts. He runs at the head of the pack, and he has achieved a mythic status amongst the Indians.
But the difference is that he has now earned his status. Before, at Judge Miller's ranch, he was born to the life he lived. It was an inherited position; he did not have to do anything to win it or to preserve it. But after he was tossed headlong into the harsh world of the north, where the "law of club and fang" prevailed, he had to fight to establish himself. First he had to learn how to survive, and then how to establish mastery. His battle with Spitz was a major turning point, since it established his right to be the lead-dog. Then, as the call of the wild grew stronger in him, he had to learn how to survive as a wild animal, hunting for his food and using all his strength and cunning.
Finally, he had to make contact with the wolf pack and establish mastery over them, which he first did by killing one of the wolves, injuring others and then fighting off the entire pack until they acknowledged his status. By the end of the novel, Buck is a king, just as he was in his former life in California, but this time he has earned his crown. He is a king not by privilege but by right. What is atavism, and why is the term relevant for the novel? Atavism is defined in Webster's dictionary as "resemblance to a remote ancestor in some characteristic which nearer ancestors to not have. Atavism is the key to Buck's transformation from pet to leader of the wolf pack. Some of the things Buck learns when he goes north are by observation and experience, such as when he realizes he has to submit to the man with the red sweater because he is no match for a man with a club.
Likewise, he learns some survival strategies by observation, such as when he discovers that Billee has dug a hole in the snow for warmth. But the more primitive, savage qualities Buck displays result from atavism. He could not learn all that he does if he did not have the qualities of his wild ancestors latent within him. These qualities are gradually called awake by circumstances and environment. This is such a key point that London emphasizes it again and again. Buck is able to tap into the collective memory and instincts of his ancestral breed. He does not have to learn everything for himself. He just activates the knowledge that is deep inside him. He first experiences this in chapter 3, when he runs at the head of the dog-pack that hunts the rabbit: "He was sounding the deeps of his nature, and of the parts of his nature that were deeper than he, going back into the womb of Time.
He does not have to learn how to fight. In the moments before the battle begins, to Buck "it is nothing new or strange, this scene of old time. It was as though it had always been, the wonted way of things. He linked the past with the present, and the eternity behind him throbbed through him in a mighty rhythm to which he swayed as the tides and seasons swayed. Discuss the role played by Charles, Hal and Mercedes. Charles, Hal and Mercedes are Americans who have recently traveled north in search of gold. They appear only in chapter 5, when they buy Buck and his mates at Skagway.
The trio are introduced as a contrast to Buck's previous owners, Perrault and Francois, who were rugged, practical, hardened but fair men. In contrast, Charles, Hal and Mercedes are examples of people from the so-called civilized world who fail to adapt to the harsh realities of the north. When they try to get their trip underway, it turns out that they do not know what they are doing. Hal may have opinions about art and drama, but these do not help anyone when what is needed are a few sticks to make a fire. When the trio stupidly overload the sled because they want to take all the creature comforts they have been used to, the dogs are unable to move it.
Hal does not understand the situation and thinks the dogs are lazy. He tries to whip them into action. Then the out-of-their-depth southerners make a crucial mistake by simply adding more dogs to pull, failing to realize that one sled cannot carry enough food for fourteen dogs. They have all their calculations neatly worked out on pencil and paper, but they lack the necessary experience to make it work in practice. When they make a complete mess of things, and the dogs starve, they are so busy quarreling amongst themselves and complaining about their own misery, that they are callous to the sufferings of the dogs. London's story is historically accurate in this respect. During the gold rush of , there was great cruelty to animals, both dogs and horses. A passage from a book by Arthur Treadwell Walden, who joined the gold rush in that year, can be applied to the characters Hal, Charles and Mercedes: "The cruelty to animals was something terrible, and strange to say it was not practiced on by the so-called rougher element who knew something about handling animals.
The worst men were those who in former life were supposed to be of the better class. These men lost their heads completely. In including these three pitiful characters in the story, London suggests that in some respects the civilized world, which appears to breed vanity and stupidity, is less to be respected than the primitive world. The fact that Mercedes is simply a nuisance throughout, behaving childishly when she is told she cannot take all her belongings with her, may be London's way of saying that women were not suited to travel in these regions, under these harsh conditions. The dire end that Charles, Hal and Mercedes meet is a warning to others that the north is no place for the unprepared. How does the novel deal with the theme of slavery and freedom?
The novel suggests that the values of Western civilization ensure that men are enslaved either by their own materialism, or because of their exploitation by others. It also suggests that freedom can be found by reverting to nature, in contrast to civilization. In the beginning, the assistant gardener Manuel betrays Buck because he needs money to support his gambling habit. He is enslaved to the love of, and the need for, money. This in a sense can be seen as the primal "sin" that thrusts Buck out of his paradise on Judge Miller's ranch. And it is the lust for money that sends hordes of men to the Klondike seeking gold. In the very first paragraph of the novel, London suggests the absurdity of this quest for wealth which arose simply "because men had found a yellow metal.
Although he develops as much independence as he can, his welfare depends entirely on the whims of his human masters. The symbols of his slavery are the harness and the traces that bind him to the sled. He can never be his own master as long as such conditions endure. A significant moment comes at the end of chapter 5, when Buck first encounters John Thornton. After Thornton beats Hal in a fight, he takes his knife and "with two strokes cut Buck's traces. This symbolizes Buck's transition to a new state of freedom. He stays with Thornton out of love, even though he is free to go. They are more like friends and equals than master and slave. Eventually, when Buck finally departs for the wild, it is an act of freedom on his part.
When Thornton is dead, there is nothing to hold Buck back. He is free to act entirely according to his own nature. London was a socialist who opposed private ownership of land and property. Perhaps part of his intention in writing the novel was to demonstrate that materialism, the desire for wealth, is incompatible with freedom. Western civilization, in this view, depends on one group, the strong, exploiting another group, the weak. Buck is only free when he steps back from civilization and becomes part of nature, in a community of wolves that moves together as a pack. What did psychologist Carl Jung mean by the terms "persona," "shadow," and "self," and why are they relevant for The Call of the Wild? In Jungian psychology, the persona is the face that people present to the world, the socially acceptable aspect of the personality.
The term literally means "mask," which suggests that something quite different may lie behind it. This is the shadow, which is the more primitive, instinctual side of the psyche. Jung described it as "the uncivilized desires and emotions that are incompatible with social standards or our ideal personality, all that we are ashamed of, all that we do not want to know about ourselves" Frieda Fordham, An Introduction to Jung's Psychology, Penguin, , p. The self is the sum of all the qualities of the psyche, working together in an integrated fashion. It can be thought of as psychic wholeness. The Call of the Wild can be understood in these Jungian terms, if we remember that although Buck is a dog he has human qualities and can be allegorically understood as a human.
At first, Buck is not psychically whole. He is not aware of it, but he is living out only the persona side of his psyche. He is a "good dog" who behaves in a way that a pet is supposed to behave. He fulfills the social role that is allotted to him. But when he is kidnapped, he enters a new realm of the psyche, the shadow. He behaves in a more instinctual, primitive and brutal fashion. This should not be understood in a negative fashion. Buck is simply accessing another, deeper aspect of his being, which is also part of the collective unconscious of his breed. As a "civilized" dog, he was only half-alive. He needed to get in touch with the other side of his being and to integrate it with his conscious persona.
63 Call of the Wild Essay Topic Ideas & Examples,Introduction
WebEssay Questions One theme of the novel is transformation, or changing from one thing into another. For example, Buck changes and adapts Buck is from the civilized land of WebWhat do we learn about Buck when he and Spitz fight to the death? What does Buck find when he returns to camp after killing the moose? Natural Instincts What does Buck learn WebThe Call of the Wild Questions and Answers Who is/are the main character (s) in Jack London's Call of the Wild? In what order did the characters own Buck in The Call of the Web13 rows · Sep 2, · Call of the Wild Analysis and Connection to Western Frontier Charachteristics. Human Morality in WebThe Call of the Wild Essay Topics 1. Compare and contrast Buck and Spitz. How are they alike? How are they different? Through their character arcs, what message is London WebThe Call of the Wild: Essay Q&A Essay Q&A 1. How is Buck different at the end of the novel than he was at the beginning? The short answer is that at the end of the novel ... read more
When the dogs are in John Thornton's camp, why do the dogs besides Buck give in to Hal's whipping and pull the sled? Henry Ford: A Life In Brief. Your subscription will continue automatically once the free trial period is over. In including these three pitiful characters in the story, London suggests that in some respects the civilized world, which appears to breed vanity and stupidity, is less to be respected than the primitive world. How is Buck different at the end of the novel than he was at the beginning? The Lives of Oprah Winfery and Malcolm X. Then, as the call of the wild grew stronger in him, he had to learn how to survive as a wild animal, hunting for his food and using all his strength and cunning.
He is not aware of it, but he is living out only the persona side of his psyche. Timon of Athens Character Profiles Top 10 Quotes. Macbeth Character Profiles Top 10 Quotes. Leonardo De Vinci. Share with friends using:. Twelfth Night Character Profiles Top 10 Quotes. Something went wrong If you don't see it, please check your spam folder.
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