Setting in The Call of the Wild

Setting is a very important element of literature. The setting an author chooses for a novel can have a huge impact on several aspects of the story. For example, in Jack London’s The Call of the Wild, the setting greatly affects Buck, the novel’s protagonist. Buck is a big, proud St. Bernard who undergoes a dramatic change throughout the book. Buck is taken from his comfortable and luxurious home in Santa Clara, California and is thrust into the harsh environment of Alaska during the Klondike gold rush. He is forced to adapt and learn the ways of this new land just to survive in a situation that seems to grow worse every day. As the story progresses, Buck grows further and further away from the pet he once was and eventually becomes a half-wolf beast. His environment hardens him and forces this change. The setting of Jack London’s The Call of the Wild transforms Buck from a domesticated pet to a wild animal.

Buck is a product of his environment. He has lived a comfortable life as the pet of a wealthy judge in Santa Clara, California since his birth. He believes himself to be the ruler of this vast estate, as London implies when he writes “…he was king-- king over all creeping, crawling, flying things of Judge Miller’s place, humans included (2).” The respect Buck receives from everyone at the judge’s home leads him to be a very proud and dignified animal. London says that “He had a fine pride in himself, was ever a trifle egotistical, as country gentlemen sometimes become because of their insular situation (3).” Judge Miller’s land is also ideal for Buck to keep himself in good shape, which is the main reason for his pride. London says “But he had saved himself by not becoming a mere pampered house-dog. Hunting and...

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...kingdom is a very different place from Judge Miller’s warm Santa Clara spread (“Sparknote on The Call of the Wild”).” As the novel comes to a close, Buck’s transformation is complete. The forest has turned him from a simple pet in California into a fierce half-wolf beast who rules over all of the wild.

Buck’s transformation is a magnificent one. Throughout the novel, he undergoes many trials and has his strength and determination tested. However, he comes out of his situation even stronger than before and, because of his setting, he is able to fulfill his destiny as a king. Although he is comfortable at the beginning of the story, Buck’s ultimate situation suits him much better. The setting London chooses for his novel helps Buck to complete his transformation smoothly and places him in a great kingdom that he earns after having everything taken from him.