White Fang
The book White Fang by Jack London starts off when two men named Henry and Bill, are traveling through the snowy, below-zero weather to deliver the corpse of Lord Alfred to Fort McGurry. It is the time of famine and Henry and Bill are low on food and only have three rounds of ammunition left. One morning when they have woken up they find out that they only have two dogs of six left. The four that were missing had been eaten by the wolves. Bill decided to stay up the next night to try to kill the wolves, with whatever ammo he had left. When the night came so did the wolves. Bill chased the wolf pack, and killed three of the wolves. He tried to kill a fourth with his bare hands but it was to swift, and killed him in defence. Henry realizing what had happening lit a fire in a circle around him. Another group of people in the area saw the fire and came over and rescued Henry.
After the famine ends the wolf pack splits up. The she-wolf and three male wolves travel together until one of the males named "One Eye" killed the other males in a battle for the she-wolf. One Eye and the she-wolf find a lair where the she-wolf can lie down to give birth to her cubs. Another famine comes upon the land when the cubs are still young and all of them die except for a small gray cub. The gray wolf was the strongest of his pack. His first lesson in life was the lesson of the wilderness, "Eat or be eaten, kill or be killed."
The cub and it's mother leave One Eye and travel into an Indian village. The she-wolf is instantly recognized by an Indian named Gray Beaver. She answers to the name of "Kiche," and the little wolf is named White Fang. In the Indian village White Fang learns how to protect himself from other dogs. When White Fang's mother was taken from him he tried to follow hr but was beaten by Gray Beaver. The next day Gray Beaver went to sell furs at the nearest fort, and took White Fang with him. At the fort, White Fang became famous for his ability to kill other dogs. A man named Beauty Smith, who lived in the fort, tricked Gray Beaver by getting him drunk, to sell White Fang. White Fang is treated horribly and forced to fight other dogs, so Beauty Smith can win bets.
During one of fights White Fang was about to be killed when a man named Weeden Scott, stopped the fight. Weeden Scott pays Beauty Smith for White Fang and brings him home.
Under the protection of Weeden Scott, White Fang learns to love human beings. Scott must return back to his home in California and leave White Fang behind. White Fang sneaks onto the boat and Weeden Scott must take him home. At Weeden's home White Fang saves Judge Scott from being murdered.
I think White Fang was a great novel. The story tells many thing that both animals and humans have in common. Animals like humans have to struggle for survival. The story also says that if it is tried, humans and wild animals can live together in peace. In this case it was with Weeden Scott and White Fang. Also as I read the story, I realized that for every person willing to take care of an animal there is someone out there that will abuse it or kill it. In the story the person who was abusing White Fang was Beauty Smith. In real life the people that do this to animals are poachers and hunters. I know Jack London has written many short stories, and novels and I've read a couple of them. Out of all the novels and short stories I've read I think this one was the best.
Partner sites: Rottweiler, Spanish immersion program Spain, and Free Death of a Salesman Essays