Jack London employs a unique narrative perspective throughout this novel, asking readers to consider the dangers of over-civilization, the importance, or lack thereof, of material possessions, and more.
Themes
Jack London tells a tale that digs deep into the heart of nature and man’s place in it. This novel explores big themes—instinct, the pull between civilization and wildness, the law of power, and man’s attempt to tame what can’t be tamed.
Civilization as Man’s Exploitation of Nature
In “The Call of the Wild,” civilization isn’t a force of progress—it’s man’s way of exploiting nature. The story shows how people try to tame and use the wild for their gain, often with little care for the damage they cause. Buck’s kidnapping is the first sign of this. He’s taken from his comfortable home, not because he’s needed or wanted, but because money can be made in the North. Buck becomes a tool, like the land itself, stripped of his freedom for the benefit of man’s greed.
The gold rush drives much of the exploitation. Men like Hal, Charles, and Mercedes show up in the wilderness, full of plans to strike it rich, but they know nothing of the land they are trying to conquer. They overload their sleds, mistreat the dogs, and ignore the harsh realities of the wild. Their ignorance and greed lead to their ruin. Civilization, here, is shown as a force of destruction. It doesn’t respect the wild—it seeks to use it up.
Even John Thornton, though kinder, is still drawn by the same gold. But his respect for nature sets him apart, even if it can’t change the larger truth: the wilderness exists on its own terms, and no amount of human will or exploitation can truly bend it.
The Call of the Wild
The call of the wild is Buck’s pull toward his deeper, truer self. From the moment he is taken from the warmth of his home, Buck’s world becomes a fight for survival, and with each new hardship, the call grows stronger. He becomes more wolf-like with each day, learning to rely on his instincts. When he meets John Thornton, the call quiets for a time as Buck finds peace in their bond. But the pull never goes away. At night, Buck hears it in the wind and the trees. When Thornton dies, there is nothing left to hold Buck back. He follows the call fully, leaving the world of men to lead a wolf pack, embracing the wild as his true home.
Mastery
The theme of mastery is present throughout the novel. It begins with Buck in California experiencing a kind master who provides him with everything he needs. Judge Miller is wealthy and lives a life of relative ease.
Buck’s perception of mastery changes when he’s thrust into the wild North. He is no longer the master of his own environment, nor does he have a master who inspires loyalty. Throughout the novel, the various characters strive to master their surroundings and one another.
The Law of Club and Fang
The law of club and fang is simple and cruel. Buck learns this the hard way. The man with the club, the one who first beats Buck into submission, teaches him that in this world, might makes right. The dogs follow a similar rule: only the strong survive, and the weak are torn apart. Buck watches the other dogs tear Curly to pieces for a single mistake. Later, Buck fights Spitz, the lead dog, for dominance. Buck wins, not through brute force alone, but through cunning and instinct. In this law, there is no room for fairness or kindness—only strength matters, whether it’s the strength of a man with a club or a dog with sharp teeth.
Natural Instinct
In “The Call of the Wild,” Buck’s journey is one of rediscovering his instincts. When first taken from his home, Buck knows nothing of the hard life that awaits him in the North. But as he faces hunger, cold, and brutal fights for survival, these buried instincts rise to the surface. The first time Buck sees Curly, a fellow dog, torn apart by a pack, he understands that the rules have changed. Life is no longer about pleasing humans—it’s about staying alive. Buck grows closer to his wild roots with each fight and each struggle. He dreams of a man in a cave by a fire, feeling something ancient stirring within him. By the end, Buck fully answers the call, joining the wolves. Instinct, not reason, drives him.
Key Moments
- Buck’s Abduction: Buck, a domesticated dog living a comfortable life in California, is kidnapped by Manuel, a gardener’s helper, and sold to cover gambling debts. Buck’s journey into the wild begins here. This moment symbolizes Buck’s forced removal from civilization and sets up his eventual transformation into a wild creature.
- Learning the Law of the Club and Fang: Buck is sold to dog traders who ship him to the Yukon. He quickly learns the harsh realities of his new life. He learns the “law of the club,” that humans rule through violence, through the man in the red sweater. Through Curly’s death, he learns the “law of the fang,” that only the strongest survive among the dogs. These lessons mark Buck’s initiation into the brutal reality of survival in the wild, where strength and adaptability are essential.
- Buck’s Dominance in the Pack: Buck gradually adapts to a wilder life, especially after he defeats the previous lead dog in François and Perrault’s team, Spitz, in a brutal fight. This establishes Buck as the leader of the sled dog team. Buck’s victory over Spitz represents his rise to power and acceptance of his primal instincts.
- The Harshness of Life in the Wild: Buck endures starvation, stress, and abuse under various owners, notably the incompetent Hal, Charles, and Mercedes, whose ignorance almost leads to the dogs’ destruction. This stage reinforces the unforgiving nature of life in the wild, testing Buck’s endurance and will to survive.
- Meeting John Thornton: Buck is saved from abuse and death at the hands of Hal’s team by John Thornton, a kind-hearted gold prospector who nurtures him back to health. A deep bond forms between them, which is his warmest relationship with a human. This bond represents Buck’s last deep connection to humanity and offers him a brief reprieve from the harshness of the wild.
- Buck’s Growing Call to the Wild: Even as Buck grows closer to Thornton, he feels the pull of the wilderness. He spends more time alone, away from Thornton’s camp, and eventually befriends a wolf from a wild pack. This moment underscores Buck’s internal conflict between loyalty to Thornton and his inevitable return to his natural, wild instincts.
- John Thornton’s Death: When the Yeehats kill Thornton, Buck fully answers the call of the wild. This tragic event severs Buck’s last connection to humans, and he embraces his wild instincts completely. Thornton’s death is the final push for Buck to abandon the last remnants of his domesticated life and fully embrace the wilderness.
- Buck’s Transformation: In the end, Buck becomes a legendary figure, leading a wild wolf pack in the Yukon, embodying the spirit of the wilderness. He fully transforms from a domesticated dog into a creature of the wild. Buck’s transformation completes his journey from domestication to wildness, symbolizing the power of nature and the instinctual pull toward freedom and survival.
Writing Style, Tone, and Figurative Language
Jack London employed an impactful writing style for “The Call of the Wild“—direct and vivid, capturing the brutal realities of survival in the wilderness. His prose is concise but rich in sensory details. This creates a fast-paced narrative that mirrors the harsh and unpredictable environment Buck faces. London’s sentences are often short, emphasizing action and urgency, yet he also uses descriptive passages that paint a clear picture of the Yukon’s rugged beauty and the violence of nature. His focus is not only on external action but also on Buck’s internal transformation, allowing the reader to see the progression from a domesticated dog to a wild creature.
The tone of “The Call of the Wild” is often detached and unsentimental, reflecting the harsh realities of nature. London does not shy away from the cruelty of survival, whether it is the brutal treatment Buck faces from his human captors or the violent conflicts between the dogs. There is no romanticizing of nature—London presents it as indifferent and unforgiving. At the same time, there is a tone of admiration for Buck’s resilience and adaptability, showing respect for the strength and instincts that enable survival. The novel’s tone shifts as Buck becomes more connected to his wild roots, moving from the initial shock and violence to a sense of awe at his ultimate transformation.
London uses figurative language throughout “The Call of the Wild” to deepen the reader’s understanding of Buck’s transformation. Metaphors and similes often highlight the animal instincts that are awakened in Buck. For instance, when Buck fights Spitz, the language reflects primal savagery: “The time had come. It was to the death. As they circled about, snarling, ears laid back, keen and watchful, the scene came to Buck with a sense of familiarity. He seemed to remember it all—the white woods, and earth, and moonlight, and the thrill of battle.” Using imagery helps create a vivid sense of place, making the wilderness feel beautiful and dangerous. London also personifies nature, making it seem like a living force that Buck must contend with, further emphasizing the struggle between civilization and the wild.
Symbols
In “The Call of the Wild,” symbols like the man with the red sweater and the lost cabin help reveal deeper truths about survival, power, and man’s struggle with nature.
The Man with a Red Sweater
The man with the red sweater enters like a dark shadow, wielding a club that speaks to the unyielding force of nature. He embodies the raw brutality of human dominance, a lesson Buck must learn early. The man’s red sweater is more than just cloth; it’s a warning, a sign of the violence that can instantly shatter comfort. Buck feels the club’s weight, realizing that power can be wielded with a mere flick of the wrist. In that moment, the world shrinks to a harsh lesson: survival is not about kindness but strength.
The Club
Ah, the club is simple yet so heavy with meaning. It is a tool of authority, a cold reminder that, in the wild, might makes right. Buck feels its impact, not just on his body but on his spirit. This club teaches him the law of the wild, where the strong rule over the weak. It symbolizes the violent world Buck must navigate, marking the turning point from a pampered pet to a survivor who must adapt to his new reality.
The Lost Cabin
The Lost Cabin in “The Call of the Wild” stands for the hope of finding safety and order in the wilderness. For the men searching for it, the cabin is a promise that the wild can be tamed—that there’s a place where man can find rest amid chaos. It symbolizes man’s wish to control and settle the untamed land. Yet, the cabin is never found. This shows that some dreams of taming the wild are just out of reach, illusions in a place where nature rules. As Buck grows closer to the wild, the idea of the cabin becomes less important. The lost cabin is man’s dream, but Buck’s path leads him beyond it into the heart of the wild.
Mercedes’ Possessions
Mercedes’ possessions symbolize over-civilization, arrogance, and ignorance. She feels the sled with so many items and even ditches other essentials in favor of her fashionable possessions that she helps bring about the final disaster that falls upon her, her husband, and her brother.
The Traces
The traces, or the bindings that attach the sled dogs to the sled, symbolize service and labor. The dogs take pride in their strength and what they can accomplish. But, at the same time, they don’t have a choice in the matter. Their master decides where they go and how fast they need to get there, and the dogs must obey.
Personal Perspective
Reading “The Call of the Wild” stirred something profound within me. Buck’s journey from a pampered life to the harsh wilderness resonated deeply, reminding me of the struggle to adapt and discover one’s true self. The way Buck answers the call of the wild is inspiring; it’s a reminder that sometimes we must shed our old, comfortable skins to embrace who we really are.
The moment that struck me the hardest was when Buck lost John Thornton. That loss was devastating, yet it was necessary for Buck’s complete transformation. No longer bound by the ties of domestication, he fully embraces his instincts and returns to the wild. The wilderness teaches him about strength and freedom. Through Buck’s journey, I found a resonant message about the importance of listening to our inner call and the beauty of becoming who we are meant to become.
