Call of the Wild
Where did man come from? Scientists thought they had answered this simple yet complex question through Charles Darwin's theory of evolution. According to him, living organisms evolved due to constant changing. Organisms which gained an edge would reign, while those without would die. Jack London's books during the late 1800's
animated this theory through the use of wild animals in a struggle for survival. In fact, many prove that to survive a species "must" have an edge. In London's book the Call of the Wild, the harsh depiction of the Klondike wilderness proves that to survive life must adapt.
London uses Buck as his first character to justify his theory as he conforms well
to the hostile North. While at Judge Miller's, pampered Buck never worries about his
next meal or shelter; yet while in the frozen Klondike he has death at his heels. Until his
body adapts to the strenuous toil of the reins, Buck needs more food than the other dogs.
He must steal food from his masters in order to conform. If Buck continues his stealthy
work he will survive. A second example occurs when Thorton owns Buck, and Spitz,
the lead dog, constantly watches the team in a dominant manner. Buck, if
insubordinate, runs the risk of death. He lays low, learning Spitz's every tactic. Buck
adapts to circumstances until finally he strikes against Spitz in a fight for the dominant
position. By killing Spitz, he gains a supreme air, and in turn an adaptation against the
law of the fang. A third example surfaces during Buck's leadership. The fledgling dog,
to Francios and Perrault, cannot work up to par for the lead. So Buck conducts himself
as a master sled dog, reaching Francios and Perrault's goals, conforming to the team.
The group plows through snow reaching at least forty miles a day. The dogs spend at
most two weeks in the wild Klondike. In a way Buck heightens the safety of each person
and dog. He adapts to the environment and new position. Within the Call of the Wild,
Buck must have a part to justify London's theory.
In the novel London uses Mercedes, Hal, and Charles, a group of very
inexperienced and even less equipped city goers, to depict the probable doom of those
who do not adapt. While in Skagway the three have no idea what the Klondike holds.
The well dressed well fed team wants nothing but riches and fame. In their effort for
After a few days of grieving, Editha went to George’s mother’s house. During a tragic even in a love-war story, both sides of the family would come together and overcome the obstacle. However, in Editha when she went to George’s parent’s house the mother gave more guilt to Editha saying, “He told me he had asked you to come if he got killed. You did not expect that, I suppose, when you sent him” (1499). The mother continues to say, “When they give their men up to their country, they think they will come marching back, somehow, just as gay as they went...and they are so much the prouder of them” (1500). This comment is reffering to the typical type of love-war stories that have been written, undercutting the romantic plots.
This boxing match, though he fails to beat Dragline, demonstrates Luke's ability and eagerness to disobey authority. Instead of personally dis...
Do you ever hear of nature fakers? Well, if not, a nature faker is an author that gives animals, from the wild, human characteristics and personifies them. In Jack London’s novel, The Call of the Wild, he writes about an extremely tough and confident dog, named Buck, who thrives in nature. For his writing in The Call of the Wild, many people accuse Jack London of being a nature faker. Nonetheless, Jack London is a magnificent, talented writer who carries a significant amount of knowledge about the wild and therefore isn’t a nature faker.
Bowler, Peter J. Evolution: The History of an Idea. London: University of California Press, 1989.
Charles Darwin, the Father of Evolution, was a British scientist who laid the foundations of the theory of evolution, transforming the thinking of the entire world about the living things around us (Charles Darwin (1809 – 1882)). After working on his theory for nearly 20 years, he published On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection in 1859. As soon as the book was released, the controversy began with each sides gaining followers until the climax on July 10, 1925. The idea that animals could “evolve” and change into new species, including humans, was one that challenged not only how people thought about the natural world, but challenged the story of the creation from the Bible itself. Even though Darwin himself never said that humans “evolved” from apes, everyone took it as a logical extension of his new theory. It went against the idea of argument for design that had unified theology and science for decades (Moran 5). This new threat to Christianity and the social culture of the time was one that would transform state laws on their educational curriculum.
The novel Call of The Wild by Jack London is about the dog Buck who is half St. Bernard and half sheepdog. Buck enjoys a relaxed lifestyle at his home in California until he is stolen and shipped to the Klondike region in Canada. Here he is put to work as a sled dog where he must battle the bad conditions, other dogs, and the cruelty of the wild to stay alive. One theme that can be seen over the course of the book is the difference between civilization and the wilderness. For example in civilization there are set rules that people must abide and these set rules makes everyone equal. However, Buck quickly learns that in the law of club and fang govern the wild. These means that the strongest people/dogs controls the weaker ones. In order for Buck to survive he must adapt to the ways of the wild in order to survive.
When we think of civilization, what comes to mind? Some might think of etiquette, compassion, and many other concepts of that nature. These are the things that people have come to accept as proper human behaviors. However, what of our more primitive instincts? Things that are often frowned upon such as pride, gut-instincts, and looking out for ourselves first are some of our most basic human needs. People in the modern world would like to rely more on teamwork and recognition that pride and independence. They prefer to trust logic and scientific reasoning in place of trusting what we believe to be right. They also seem to want us to help everyone around us before we do anything to help ourselves. In London’s The Call of the Wild, primitive nature is not something to be feared and overcome, but rather something to be utilized and fulfilled.
In the continent Africa, about 1 in 100 individuals develops this disease. We ask ourselves why is the frequency of a potentially fatal disease so much higher in Africa? The answer is related to another deadly disease, which is called malaria. Chills, fever, vomiting, and severe headaches characterize malaria (GENETICS Sickle Cell Case Study. (n.d.). 2000, October 19). Malaria is caused by a disgusting parasite called Plasmodium that is transmitted to humans by mosquitos. When the malaria parasites invade the bloodstream, the red blood cells that contain defective hemoglobin get sickle cell out and die (Facts About Sickle Cell Disease. 2014, January 16). This helps protect the individual with Sickle Cell Anemia from an infection of malaria. As you can see, this is why a variety of areas in the world has a high rate of malaria, such as
The Call Of Jack London During a time when man had gold fever, and philosophical views plagued the minds of many, one man took these views and turned them into great outdoor adventures. John “Jack” Griffith London, a twentieth century author, wrote The Call of the Wild, other novels, and short stories that depict the philosophical views of the time and added adventure to them by using his own life experiences that carried thousands of men including himself to the Klondike in search of gold. In Winter 1876 San Francisco John and Flora London shared the joy of childbirth in the celebration of their only child together. They named the baby boy John Griffith London, or Jack for short.
Keith Henson a writer in evolutionary psychology once said that “Evolution acts slowly. Our psychological characteristics today are those that promoted reproductive success in the ancestral environment.” Evolution was first introduced by a naturalist by the name of Charles Darwin. Darwin had written an autobiography, at the age of 50, On the Origin of Species (1859) explaining how species evolve through time by natural selection; this theory became known as Darwinism. “Verlyn Klinkenborg, who writes editorials and vignettes on science and nature for the “New York Times”” (Muller 706) questions Darwin’s theory in one of his essays he wrote called Darwin at 200: The Ongoing Force of His Unconventional Idea. Both articles talk about the theory of Darwinism, but the authors’ use different writing techniques and were written in different time periods. Darwin himself writes to inform us on what the theory is, where as Klinkenborg goes on to explain why Darwinism is just a theory. Today, evolution is still a very controversial topic among many. It comes up in several topics that are discussed everyday such as in politics, religion and education.
Jack London’s classic novel, Call of the Wild, published in 1903, has been subject to censorship attempts. The most notable attempts of censorship are centered in Nazi Germany, Italy, Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union. The banning of Call of the Wild in these places has been for varying reasons but the predominant reason behind all the attempts is because of “[Jack London’s] socialist sympathies.”1 However, “violent portrayals [have also] led to the book’s banning”2 in different places other than Nazi Germany, Italy, Yugoslavia, and the Soviet Union.
8) Wade, Don. “Colleges: NCAA Gives Athletes a Chance—not the time—to Make Money.” Scripps Howard News Service. Nando.Net. Oct. 21, 1996 Vol. 148. NO. 19.
Woods, Al. “College Athletes Should Be Paid.” Sports and Athletes: An Anthology. Ed. Christine Watkins. Greenhaven Press, 2009. 87-94. Print.
Emmert, Mark. "Paying College Athletes is a Terrible Idea." Wall Street Journal Jan 11 2012. ProQuest. Web. 26 Nov. 2013 .
O'Shaughnessy, Lynn |. "College Athletes Deserve to Be paid." ESPN. ESPN Internet Ventures, n.d. Web. 18 Feb. 2014.