Analysis Of The Call Of The Wild, By Jack London

Life can be difficult. All Throughout life one goes through many changes, but as a wise man once said “...who we are comes from how we react to those changes”. In Jack London’s The Call of the Wild, he uses this model to develop his theme of “to become successful in a situation, one must be adaptable”. London then develops this on multiple occasions including when he writes about Buck changes to survive his time with the sled dog team, shortly after Buck defies Francois and Perrault’s orders to officially take control of the team, lastly when Buck becomes more tame again to fit his calmer life with John Thornton.

London writes that until Buck’s kidnapping he had lived a life fit for a king. He was a loyal pet treated with respect and love. When Buck was kidnapped and sold into a sled dog team it was clear he was far out of his element. “He was beaten (he knew that); but he was not broken. He saw, once for all, that he stood no chance against a man with a club” (12). In this quote from the book, London depicts Buck learning that if he was to be

treated with respect, he would need to change in order to earn it. Buck then started to become more primal; He stole food to grow stronger and gained a liking for the wild. London threw Buck into this new environment to show that change was needed if he wanted to survive.
As London wrote on and developed the book, so did Buck. London had Buck not only channel his primordial self, but delve into it. He used this device to create conflict that would turn Buck from a primordial Dog to a free wolf. Although Buck was strong within the pack, Spitz was top dog and “... Never lost an opportunity to show his teeth” (24). Spitz was ferocious, angry, and downright nasty; A cut your throat to get ahead type of dog. As Buck was growing more wild he did not appreciate the hostility and when he had his chance removed Spitz from his alpha dog position by killing him. Buck was already becoming more of a primal being as he climbed the sled team’s ladder but this solidified his commitment to his inner beast. London later revealed that Buck became willing to defy his own code of the law of club and fang to reach the top. When Francois and Perrault refused to give Buck the “lead-dog” position he protested by attacking Sol Leks, running wild, and just trying to delay their mission in any way possible. Buck adapted to become the top of the pack showing that in order “to become successful in a situation, one must be adaptable”.
After Buck was freed from his previous owners he traveled home with a man named John Thornton.

The characteristics given to Thornton by London were old, wise, loving, and caring. At the beginning of their time together Buck was still mostly beast trying to detox. He saw the simple life that John lived with his two other dogs and was surprised by what he saw; That “these dogs showed no jealousy towards him” (59). London knew Buck would never quite be the same and that Thornton was not the same owner that Judge Miller was. Thornton, whilst living a quiet life was still a rugged man of the wild. London showed how Buck’s primordial side could come in handy, like when Buck saved his life. However it was not always good and Buck knew that. He knew if he was still savage, John would not be able to keep him. So, London wrote Buck’s changes. Buck could never be the same pet he was but he needed to be a good one in order to

survive.
Jack London was creative in showing the theme of “to become successful in a situation, one must be adaptable”. He showed Bucks early transition, how he solidified his success in a new world, and how in order to succeed in another new situation he would have to revert to his previous adaptations.