Back To Nature In Call Of The Wild By Jack London

Chris McCandless and Buck serve as examples of the archetype of the wild through their experiences of leaving where they feel most comfortable and answering the call of the wild. They show that each experience is inimitable because the wild is unique to every individual. For Buck, the wild is a place outside of civilization and his dependence on man, where the external threats of nature exist and he must prove himself as a true animal with instincts for survival. In McCandless' case, the place outside of civilization is actually an escape from his fears because the wild for him is in relationships, where the threat of intimacy exists and he must learn to trust others for happiness. This is because for each of us, the wild is what we fear, a place outside of our comfort zone and, as McCandless' experience shows, not necessarily a physical place.

The Call of the Wild The Call of the Wild, by Jack London, is a classic piece of American literature. The novel follows the life of a dog named Buck as his world changes and in turn forces him to become an entirely new dog. Cruel circumstances require Buck to lose his carefree attitude and somewhat peaceful outlook on life. Love then enters his life and causes him to see life through new eyes. In the end, however, he must choose between the master he loves or the wildness he belongs in.

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.

Then over the course of the novel Buck transforms into a wild dog as a result of being thrown into the Klondike regions of Canada. While in the wild Buck abandons morals in order to survive because in the wild the strongest dogs rules and there is no right or wrong. Through Buck’s transformation the differences between the wilderness and civilization are highlighted. In civilization people abide by the rules and act based on their moral opinions. However in the wild the strongest man will survive while the weak will not thrive.

This extinguished flame caused Leopold to alter the way in which he viewed nature. Leopold saw that because humans have over-hunted apex predators such as the wolf, populations of herbivores drastically increased on the moun... ... middle of paper ... ...y ourselves, decisions must be made in respect to global health. It is essential that society accepts the servitude towards the land that a flourishing environment demands. Though Leopold’s “Thinking Like a Mountain” was published over a half century ago, his message stands the test of time. Now, at this critical period of environmental fluctuation, humans have no decision other than to alter the way in which we interact with the Earth.

(Injuries also added to this dilemma later on.) The other savage animals that Buck is placed with, live by only one rule, the law of club and fang. Buck is placed in several predicaments where he must defend himself against the other savage animals and he is disciplined for it. Buck loved his 'master', John Thorton who saved Buck's life from Hal, Buck's master, prior to this event. Following his departure, Buck finds himself in the wild, trusting and depending on his primal instincts.

On the other hand, the men had several differences. In two of the stories, Into The Wild and Grizzly Man, the main character perishes as a result of his choice to live this way, while in Walden, Thoreau survives all the way through his experience. However, the most prominent differences between the characters were their reasons for venturing into the wild in the first place. Henry David Thoreau went into the woods “because [he] wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if [he] could learn what it had to teach, and not, when [he] came to die, discover that [he] had not lived” (Thoreau, Chapter II). His goal was to live his life simply yet richly in the wilderness.

He finds himself having to choose whether to stay with Thornton or go out into the wild. However, t... ... middle of paper ... ...ving on things that lived, unaided, alone, by virtue of his own strength and prowess, surviving triumphantly in a hostile environment where only the strong survive.” (56) As Buck is hunting, he realizes that the only way to survive in the North is by being stronger than anything else. He notices that the only reason that he is still alive is because he is a strong killer. All in all, The Call of the Wild is a classic example of Naturalism because it contains many characteristics of Naturalism like the time, the geographical location, and the concept of survival of the fittest. From Buck’s first encounter with snow to him joining a pack of wild wolves, Naturalism is always present in The Call of the Wild.

Buck was born a privileged, dignified dog with a loving family but was taken from his warm Southern Californian home to be shipped to the cold recesses of Alaska during the 1890's Gold Rush. After being mistreated by many owners he soon learns that the only rule in this harsh environment is 'the law of club and fang' which very much differed from the rules of a civilized society. After he experiences a loss of one of his fellow dogs, he soon realizes that he is not just fighting to prove himself but fighting for survival. The Call of the Wild uses anthropomorphism which shows how much animals can act and think exactly the same as humans. The sled team Buck is part of all take on human roles, such as the leader, the quiet timid one, the one who is desperate to fit in and the one desperate to prove himsel... ... middle of paper ... ... alike and that sometimes animals may be more civilized than the species with the supposed 'higher intelligence.'

This depicts the unfavorable form of relationship between man and dog, but in turn teaches Buck how to survive in the wilderness by scrapping for food and taking up for himself. This contrasts to Buck’s life at Miller’s estate. This idea of the differences of morality between civilization and the wilderness recurs frequently throughout the story and is one of the principal motifs in the story. Moreover, as time passes, Buck forms a violent rivalry with the lead ... ... middle of paper ... ...n to kill things by chemically propelled leaden bullets, the blood lust, the joy to kill -- all this was Buck's, only it was infinitely more intimate. He was ranging at the head of the pack, running the wild thing down, the living meat, to kill with how own teeth and wash his muzzle to the eyes in warm blood."