2. Some of his adventures in real life included the following:
The Call of the Wild
Author
Jack London
Jack London
Born 1876, Died 1916
Left school after 8th grade, but later returned to graduate from high school
Only briefly attended Cal, Berkley before beginning a life of adventure
Some of his adventures in real life included the following:
Pirate
Tramp
Gold prospector
Journalist for Various Wars

3. The Call of the Wild is his most famous work
Jack London, Con’t:
The Call of the Wild is his most famous work
These experiences, especially his time looking for gold in Canada, are seen in The Call of the Wild
Wrote over 50 books and was at one time the most popular writer in America
His works focused on the exploration of new frontiers, including the American West
They celebrated violence, power and strength

4. Adventure; Beast Fable The Late 1890s Canada; Alaska Literary Focus
1903
Adventure; Beast Fable
The Late 1890s
Canada; Alaska
two regions that are diametrically opposed—the Southland and the Northland. The former represents civilization and the latter the wild. In the South, Buck lived a domesticated and perfectly stable life. When Buck arrives in the North, he realizes that survival is the only concern.
Literary Focus
Date of Publication
Genre
Setting (TIME)
Setting (PLACE)

6. Nature; Selfish, Irresponsible Owners
Literary Focus
Point of View
Protagonist
Antagonist
Third-Person
The Call of the Wild is told from a very unusual point of view—that of a dog. Yet a human narrator stands outside of Buck's consciousness and makes sense of the dog's universe to human readers.
Buck
Nature; Selfish, Irresponsible Owners

7. Characters
Buck
A powerful dog, who feels the call of the wild
Buck is stolen from the California estate and sold as a sled dog in the Arctic
Buck evolves from a pampered pet into a fierce, masterful animal, a survivor in the cruel Northern wilderness

8. A fierce “devil-dog” used to winning fight with other dogs
Spitz
Buck’s archrival
A fierce “devil-dog” used to winning fight with other dogs
Spitz is defeated and killed by Buck
Amoral and ruthless

9. An American gold seeker
Hal buys Buck’s dog team
Terrible masters to the dog team
Hal

10. Mercedes
Hal’s sister and Charles’s wife
Spoiled and pampered
Slows down the journey
Does show some sympathy for the dogs

11. Charles
Mercedes’ husband and Hal’s brother-in-law
Inexperienced and foolish

12. John Thornton
Buck’s final master
Experienced gold hunter and knows the ways of the Klondike
Thornton and Buck’s relationship is the ideal for human and animal—they protect each other and are devoted to each other

13. Literary Focus
Allegory
An allegory tells two stories at once—one set in the reality of the story and one with more symbolic significance
On one level the story is simply about a dog answering the “call of the wild.”
On a deeper level, however, the novel may be voicing London’s opinion that man is inherently savage and, like Buck, must learn to survive by any means necessary

14. Literary Focus
Symbolism
Hal and his companions represent the weakness of civilized people and embody the worst kind of man to human relationship
Mercedes is symbolic of how civilized women are babied by their men and unsuited for life in the wild

15. Survival of the Fittest Quest for Alpha Dog Status Primitive Instincts
Literary Focus, Con’t
Themes and Conflicts
Survival
Cruelty of Nature
Survival of the Fittest
Quest for Alpha Dog Status
Primitive Instincts
Rugged Individualism
Freedom and Solitary Life
Civilization vs. Nature

16. A German philosopher Influences
Two Types of Human Beings: “Masters,” who have a will to be powerful and “slaves” who do not have that same desire
Envisioned a natural world defined by fierce competition for scarce resources
Darwin’s theory can be simplified into the idea of “survival of the fittest”
Influences
Friedrich Nietzsche
Charles Darwin

17. Overview
Buck is a powerful dog, who is a mix of St. Bernard and sheepdog
Gold is discovered in the Klondike region of Canada and Buck is sold to dog traders
Buck, who had grown used to the sunny weather of California, is shocked by the harsh conditions of the north
Buck however becomes adept and learns to trust his animalistic nature
He soon becomes the lead dog for his team

18. Overview, Con’t
On one of Buck’s journeys his inexperienced masters ignore the dangers of the wilderness
With the help of the gold hunter John Thornton Buck is freed from his irresponsible owners and becomes completely devoted to Thornton
He saves Thornton’s life on more than one occasion
Buck’s affection for Thornton is tempered, however, because he is increasingly drawn to the call of the wild
Once a dog of leisure, Buck has developed into an animal that is one with nature.