Call Of The Wild Spitz Quotes

Amanda Tian

Ms. Foley

English 9H/6th Period

12 October 2017

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introduction

blah blah blah In the fictional novel, The Call of the Wild, Jack London manifests a competition between physical and mental strengths through Buck’s adaption to his deranged adventure.

As Buck starts to understand his place in the North, he strives for a leading position but discovers an obstacle: Spitz. When Buck arrives to Dyea Beach, his companion, Curly, was attacked by Spitz. Disgust fell upon Buck when “Spitz ran out his tongue and laughed again, and from that moment Buck hated him with a bitter and deathless hatred.” (London 16). The shocking actions of Spitz showed Buck that he was powerful. Buck despised his actions, implying that Spitz makes unnecessary decisions due to his lack of intelligence. A rivalry rose upon Buck and Spitz as they try to rid another. Buck and Spitz find themselves in a fight of life and death. Buck began greatly wounded, while Spitz was in perfect condition. However, “Buck possessed a quality that made for greatness―imagination. He fought by instinct, but he could fight by head as well.” (35) Although the beginning of the fight was harsh on Buck, he managed to think out a plan for defeating Spitz. Using his physical and mental strength, he killed Spitz and earned lead of the

pack. Buck uses physical and mental strength together to create superior powerfulness. With this, he is able to lead the other dogs.
As Buck becomes comfortable in his new home in the North, he learns to hunt in which he uses intelligence and his physical abilities.

Buck, who lived on an estate, grew up being provided with food from his owners, but as he adapts to his new life, he has a thirst for hunting. “His cunning was wolf cunning, and wild cunning…[which] made him as formidable a creature as any that roamed the wild.” (77) Buck was able to use his intellect to hunt; he did not rely heavily on his strength. He was able to hunt very large animals with skill. Leading up to his ability to hunt on his own, Buck was able to develop patience, determination, and confidence to aid in his

survival.
Throughout Buck’s journey, he was reminded of the law of club and fang in which man with weapons should be feared. After Buck is kidnapped, he was disciplined to obey man. “[Buck] stood no chance against a man with a club” (12). No matter how Buck fought against the man in the red sweater, he was beaten down. Buck was never introduced to such weapons so he did not know how to defend himself. After becoming used to the idea of the law of club and fang, Buck encountered Yeehats who were equipped with arrows, spears, and clubs. He attacked them realizing that “he had killed man, the noblest game of all, and he had killed in the face of the law of club and fang...They were no match at all, were it not for their arrows and spears and clubs.” (83). Buck noticed that the reason he had fallen under the rule of ban was due to their mental intelligence in which they used weapons Buck was able to strengthen his mind, which helped him fight the Yeehats. When he went against the man in the red sweater, he was not able to fight him because he had not developed his mental strength much. Through time, he became more intelligent, allowing him to survive.
The impact of mental and physical strength together allows one to survive and succeed. Buck demonstrates a great increase in strength, and is therefore able to survive even from a quick change of civilized life to harsh, primitive life. Buck adapts very well to his surroundings, which helps him understand the strengths of others. The learned man is strongest when they use their intelligence.