1. ack London Jack London1876-1916

2. Mother was unmarried; wealthy She married the year Jack was born; working class, but not impoverished Jack was raised by an ex-slave; his mom was ill Worked at various hard labor jobs….pirated for oysters, captured poachers, worked on a sealing ship Boy Socialist of Oakland

3. Read constantly Decided to write so he could escape factory work Spent the winter of 1897 in the Yukon so he could begin to write seriously Best known for Call of the Wild written in 1903

4. Naturalist – Scientific view of life No supernatural Evolutionary view Pessimistic Socialist - Advocates public or common ownership however, he believed in individual achievement and success London used his popularity to endorse socialism, women’s suffrage, and prohibition. Personally – Married twice 2 daughters Died at 40 of kidney disease Rumors say he was an alcoholic

5. Chapter One Notes: Setting – 1800s Klondike Gold Rush Gilded Age Characters: Protagonist – Buck His first lesson – law of the club, man is to be obeyed if not conciliated Man in the red sweater – undeveloped, but important Red represents savagery Point of View – 3 rd person Knowledge – limited Attitude – none? Novel characteristics: Narration; not much dialog Alliteration Anthropomorphism v. personification A. = attaching human characteristics to an animal P. = attaching human characteristics to a inanimate object

6. Add ons….. Vocab: Veranda (1) Aresian well (2) Demesne (2) Paddocks (3) Imperiously (3) Progeny (4) Hydrophoby (6) Unkempt (7) Waxed (7) Cayuses (10) Soliloquized (10) Conciliated (11) Characters: ManuelPerrault Judge MillerFrancois TootsCurly YsabelSpitzbergen dog BuckDave Man in red sweater

7. Chapter Two Notes: Conflict between Buck and Spitz begins Lessons learned: Buck now learns the law of club and fang Man with club is lawgiver and to be obeyed Wolf manner of fighting No fair play Circle First one down is dead

8. Buck begins retrogression: Physical – Eating habits change Body toughens and becomes fit Lives on little food Begins to adapt to living conditions Moral – Will steal Learns to be sly and cunning Blames others Avoids all fights he knows he cannot win Instincts revive – Survival is all important

9. Chapter Two Vocabulary and Characters: Vocab: Primordial Vicarious Wheeler Traces Malignant Consternation Ignominiously Harking Malingerer Characters: Billee Joe Sol-leks Pike Dub

10. Chapter 3 Notes…. London creates suspense by Foreshadowing fight Delaying fight Dolly goes mad/hydrophobia (rabies) BUCK becomes an idealistic character Survives attack Survives environment Survives change in his life Is stronger, more cunning, and smarter

11. Chapter 3 notes, cont. Explanation of blood lust – the joy of the kill Author ties it to both civilized and primitive – where? “most alive when next to death” (paradox) Buck wins fight with Spitz for one reason: imagination becomes dominate primordial beast first conflict in novel to reach climax and denouement Vocab:Characters: score (20)Dolly slavered (drooling) wont (usual) weazened (wrinkled, thin) inexorable (relentless)

12. Chapter 4 Notes Buck assumes leadership of the team - forces Francois and Perrault to acknowledge superiority Interlude chapter: -between conflicts -between owners of dog team Theme of atavism introduced -the hairy man -reversion to primordial time

13. Devotion of dogs to their work; shown in Dave’s ordeal 19 th century controversy is highlighted -evolutionism v. creationism -London’s belief is evident thru atavism Vocab: Atavism – the reappearance in an individual of characteristics of some remote ancestor that have been absent in intervening generations

14. Chapter 5 Notes…. Introduces Buck’s new owners 2 nd new conflict in novel Concepts of good v. evil clearly presented EvilGood Hal, Charles, MercedeesJohn Thornton civilizedsimple corruptedpure weakprimitive won’t adaptadaptable London continues to manipulate readers H, C, and M seem cruel, ridiculous Undeveloped characters, but some characteristics show personality Ex: Charles – weak – watery eyes – limply, drooping lips

15. Chapter 6 Notes… This chapter is the weak section of the book ---another interlude --- between conflicts in C. 5 and C. 7 Buck is ‘super dog’ Feats are more incredible Idealistic quality presented again and again Buck’s total love and devotion to John Thornton presented Rounds out his character --- he is brutal, savage, cunning, strong, primitive, and also capable of love and devotion Perfect living being