Call of the Wild - a Review, Kalai Selvi Arivalagan [books to read for teens TXT] 📗

Author

John Griffith “Jack” London was born on January 12, 1876, in San Francisco. Jack London as a boy did menial jobs to support his family financially. The hardships he faced during his boyhood did not deter him from reading and writing.  While he lived at Oakland, he spent maximum time in the public library and enriched his knowledge by reading more literature. 

Jack London's decision to lead a better life helped him continue his studies. But he could not complete his studies for he left college in 1897 to seek his fortune in the Klondike gold rush.  The gold rush did not win him a fortune but gave him the opportunity to write down his experiences as a gold prospector in the wilderness of Canada.

Introducing Call of the Wild

“The Call of the Wild” was first published in 1903 in the Saturday Evening Post.  Macmillan Publishers published it in the same year.  The “Call of the Wild” is set during the Klondike Gold Rush in Canada elaborately shows the readers the painful, powerful, experiences of Buck.  The story takes place in the extreme climatic conditions at Yukon.  The events in the life of Buck that transforms him into a powerful leader are told interestingly.

Plot

Buck, half St. Bernard and half sheepdog, lives a comfortable life at Judge Miller's estate, California. One day, life changes drastically for him. Away from the life of comforts, he is exposed to the cruelties of life. After initial struggles, Buck learns to act smart during extreme circumstances.   Fortunately, Buck  reaches the safe hands of John Thornton who nurses him back to normal health. When Buck gets the chance to taste the life in the wild, he could not resist hunting. Yet, he had some reason to avenge the death of his master John Thornton and be a leader in the wild.

Characters

The story portrays the transformation of Buck, both mentally and physically, with his struggle for survival in the freezing environment.

Initially Buck lives a life devoid of pain and suffering.  He is pampered and showered with love and care.  But once he is forced to live as a sled dog, he has to lead a tough life.  After going through  hunger, thirst, and pain, Buck understands there is only one law in the outer world “the survival of the fittest.” 

Buck experiences primordial visions after he understands the life in the wild. He responds to the howl of the wolves and wanders into the forest. There is a gradual transformation in the character of Buck.  He learns to burrow the snow to stay warm and to sleep.  He learns how to cope up with hardships and become the master of his team.      

John Thornton rescuse Buck from the explorers and nurses him back to normal health.  He shows Buck the real meaning of love. Buck shows his loyalty to his new master by helping him to win the bet.  Finally, Buck kills the Yeehats Indians to avenge the death of John Thornton. 

Spitz, Curly, Sol-leks, Bille, Joe, Pike, Dub and Dolly are other dogs on the dog sled team.

Themes

Adaptability is the main theme in the “Call of the Wild.”  Buck withstands the pain and strain inflicted upon him. He travels thousands of miles in the snow.  He learns to master his adversaries and adversities and enjoys his work. 

Buck shows perseverance towards difficult situations in many places. It also helps him to fight against dangers of the wild. Finally, he was able to live in the wild.

“Survival of the fittest” is the first lesson that Buck learns in the world. The new environment teaches him to find out what is right and what is wrong and helps him to change his emotional outlook. 

Setting

The story happens in the beginning of 1897, the year of “Klondike Gold Rush” in the cold Yukon Valley in Northwestern Canada and Alaska.

Publication Date: 04-22-2020

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Dedication:
Review of Call of the Wild