Adaptation Quotes From The Call Of The Wild

The scientist Charles Darwin once said, ¨It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.” In the novel The Call of the Wild by Jack London, the main character Buck and other sled dogs must adapt constantly to the new harsh life they were put into to survive. Buck adapts physically and mentally in many ways. Through all the adaptations Buck becomes a successful, independent leader. One of most import themes is that one must adapt to new surroundings in order to survive.

Buck adapts physically to his new surroundings to survive. One way he physically adapts to his new harsh environment is his feet hardening to the trail. When Buck starts his new life,

“his feet were not so compact and hard as the feet of the huskies.- all day long he limped in agony- later his feet grew hard to the trail, and the worn out footgear was thrown away”(London 44). Buck’s feet are soft from his old lavish life as a house pet so when he is put in this new harsh environment his soft feet get hurt. His sore feet prevent him to walk over to get his food making Francois have to bring it to him. His feet eventually adapted to this new environment and lifestyle. If they did not he could have had to be left behind because he couldn’t pull the sled. Another way Buck physically adapts to his new surroundings is his muscles and stomach. When Buck settles his new life,”His muscles became hard as iron-he could eat anything”(London 38). Buck used to get fed well in his old house dog life and he did not do much exercise beside running around the land and house. Buck is now doing tremendous amounts of grueling exercise every day and not eating much. He is forced to eat anything and everything he could. Bucks stomach adapted so that he could eat anything no matter how indigestible. His muscles also adapted to his new environment becoming hard and strong so that he could pull the sled all day long. Without his hard muscles and strong stomach he would not have been able to survive in the sleddog life. Buck’s physical, his muscles, stomach and feet, adaptations to the new environment help him survive.
Buck also adapts mentally to his new surroundings in order to survive.Buck’s first night on Dyea beach where he met snow for the first time he learns how to survive the cold harsh nights. While wandering around the first night trying to find the rest of the pack he falls through the snow into Billee’s snow den, “so that was the way they did it eh? Buck confidently selected a spot- the heat from his body filled the confined space and he was asleep”(London 35).Buck is wandering the camp look for his other pack members, he was confused on where they went as Buck is freezing in the cold arctic air. He then learns that they make snow dens to keep warm during the night. Buck adapts to this new setting and makes his snow den and falls fast asleep with his warm space. If Buck did not learn and adapt he would not have been able to survive that night. Another way Buck mentally adapts is his hunting abilities. While hunting for the rabbit Buck started leading the pack. He felt, “all that stirring of old instincts-to kill with his own teeth and wash his muzzle to the eyes in warm blood”(London 50). Buck learning and harnessing his old instincts to hunt helps with leadership, hunting abilities and his everyday life. Before as a domesticated dog in sunny california but he adapted to the cold harsh way of life and went back to his ancestors primordial beasts way. Buck’s mental adaptations to the new environment and life help him survive.
Buck mentally and physically adapting help him in becoming a successful, independent, leader.

When Buck comes back to camp he finds the Yeehats have attacked and killed everyone and all the dogs. Buck then rages and kills the Yeehats with the realization afterwards that, “He had killed man the noblest game of all, and he had killed in the face of the law of club and fang”(London 102). Buck has mentally adapted to the way of life and to the laws he learned. Such as the law of club and fang, once a dog is down that is the end of him and that dogs and men are savages. Buck transforms from a pampered house dog with a lavish life to a wolf with a mind of a leader and a mind of a hunter. His physical adaptations help him survive in this life he has been given and help satisfy his new self.Buck becomes a leader and a true wolf through his adaptations. In the end of the novel Buck finds a wolf pack and shows dominance he then sits down and joins the pack howling. And Buck “ran with them, side by side with the wild brother, yelping as he ran”(London ).Buck becomes one with the wild and changes from a pampered house pet in the beginning of the story to this wolf leader in the end. Buck becomes a legend. When he first met the wolf pack some tried to fight him but Buck won and they ended up accepting them as one of their own, as a wolf. Without all of the mental and physical adaptations Buck had he would not have gained their respect and been accepted as wolf, as a great leader and become this great

legend.
Buck proves that someone needs to adapt to new environments to survive or thrive. Buck turns into a strong leader and a legend through all the mental and physical adaptations he goes through. How have you adapted, mentally or physically? It doesn’t have to be as severe as Buck’s situation. Maybe you adapted to a new school, town, or workplace. How did your adaptation help you survive?