The Book the call of the wild by Jack London is an adventurous novel that talks about a dog named Buck that goes from civilization to the wilderness over the course of the book. The dog is living with his human owners at the start but one the gardener needed to pay off gambling debts so he kidnapped the dog and sold him. The dog once shipped in a box and when he got to his new owners, he tried attacking them but the man had a club and beat him down every time. After, he joined a group of sled dogs that went over the mountain and into the snow. Finally, he is traded to some ignorant people who don't have enough dog food. After they fail, John Thornton, a good man, buys Buck and takes good care of him. John is Buck's best friend and only tie to civilization so when he dies, Buck joins a wolf pack and becomes a legendary figure. This book explores the contrast from civilization to wilderness, adaptation with growth, and how complex humans are.
Transitioning from civilization to wilderness reveals big contrasts and unique benefits in each setting. Civilization offers comfort and security for those who conform, while the wilderness may lack these guarantees but awakens deep ancestral instincts. At the start of the story while Buck is living with Judge Miller, he gets comfort, security, and he trusts his owners. These are the benefits of living in civilization, guaranteed luxury and housing. Buck didn’t have to be obedient but if he wanted food and to stay, he needed too. After he is betrayed and kidnapped, he ends up with new owners that mistreat him but with the other dogs, he is the leader and strongest. He breaks free of civilizational constraints and embraces the wildness at the end. The contrast between these two scenarios is civilization enforces rules while in the wilderness you can be yourself and survive. Civilization and wilderness both have its benefits and disadvantages but both sides can thrive depending on individual values and circumstances.
Adaptation and growth help turn struggles into strengths and can help you achieve self discovery. In new environments, it might be hard to fit in or get used to it but over time, you will learn how to survive since the harsh conditions compel you to change. For Buck, after getting kidnapped and sent to a new place and owner, he is abused and is introduced to the harsh realities of the outside world. This is the struggle of the new environment and at first, he is just very confused. Over time, his instincts kick in and he learns to fight for dominance while adapting to life as a sled dog. He is adapting to the wilderness over time as a sled dog. After beating Spitz, he becomes leader and does it efficiently while also refusing to be broken. He grows through leadership and overcomes adversity. When John dies, Buck rises to alpha in the wolf pack. This is how he embraces the wild and his new freedom that comes with it. These adaptations and struggles play a crucial role in shaping individuals and their personalities and helping them break through their own limitations as they explore new possibilities.
Human nature is full of contrasts—it can be kind and cruel, strong and weak, especially in tough places like the wilderness. The dark side can destroy trust and harm nature, while the bright side brings out humanity’s best strength. In the book, for dark people like Hal,Charles, and Mercedes, they are cruel and ignorant which in turn inflicted pain into buck which caused these people to tragically die later in the snow. This shows their incompetence and abuse which reflects humanity's arrogance and disregard for nature. In contrast, there is also the kindness of human nature like John who represents humanity's ability to hold deep emotions and Fracnois who is persevering and caring. This reflects the good of human nature and that even in all the complexity, there can be warmth. Buck is greatly affected by the human John who treated him well and earned his trust. The early brutality and betrayal from civilization impacts his emotional evolution. After losing that trust, it is gained back by others and helps build Buck instead of trying to break him. Even though human nature is complicated and can hurt others in the wild, love and care are the most powerful things. They heal pain and bring people together, even in the hardest times.
The book The Call of the Wild by Jack London is a very inspiring novel about a sled dog and his adventures. This book teaches us about the change from civilization to wilderness, adaptation, and the complexity of humans. Civilization is only good for obedient animals while the wilderness doesn’t guarantee a good home and food, it allows you to be free. Adaptation to a new environment can take time especially if before, you are unsure which for the main character, had been because of betrayal and brutality. Humans are complex but you can put them into two groups, the dark, and the bright side. The dark side is cruel and greedy but ignorant while the bright side is kind and even in the wild they can keep it. People can act selfishly and hurt others in harsh times, but even in tough situations, love and care matter most because they heal, protect, and bring people together. This book was very inspiring and the adventure was very exciting.
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