Jack London's Into The Wild

Buck was in the north land for the first time and saw Curly, a dog he had traveled with, be fought and killed by a pack of wolf-like dogs and learned an important lesson. “Once down, that was the end of you. Well, he would see to it that he never went down,” (London, Ch. 2). In order to survive, Buck had to learn the rules of the wild, what and what not to do. He had to change his way of thinking and acting. He had to adapt and develop to this new place. When Buck first started pulling the sled he did not know what to do and had to learn quickly before being hurt. “Francois was stern, demanding instant obedience, and by virtue of his whip receiving instant obedience; while Dave, who was an experienced wheeler, nipped Buck's hindquarters

John was clinging on to a rock for dear life and Buck had to try and save him. “[Buck] launched him into the stream. He struck out boldly, but not straight enough into the stream. He discovered the mistake too late... while he was being carried helplessly past....” Again the rope was attached and he was launched, and again he struck out, but this time straight into the stream. He had miscalculated once, but he would not be guilty of it a second time,” (London, Ch.6). When Buck first went in to save Thornton he failed, he couldn’t aim well enough. He had to change his approach, he had to adapt. He went perfectly straight the second time. He made it to Thornton and saved his life. He was intelligent and determined, he changed his methods and succeeded because of it. Buck would often leave and go into the forest for days at a time, hunting, stalking, being a true predator, a thing of the wild. “They [the men] saw him marching out of camp, but they did not see the instant and terrible transformation which took place as soon as he was within the secrecy of the forest. He no longer marched. At once he became a thing of the wild, stealing along softly, cat-footed, a passing shadow that appeared and disappeared among the shadows,” (London Ch.7). He had experienced. Buck was large, fierce and strong. He was the perfect beast. But he couldn’t catch prey like that. He had to be stealth, quiet and patient. Buck had to act in a certain way, learn to do things differently. And he did, he adapted and changed into the perfect hunter. Feared by man and critter alike, large or small. He learned to take anything