Human-Animal Relationships in The Call of the Wild by Jack London - Book Report/Review Example

Human-Animal Interrelationships from Domestication to Present Introduction The book circumvents around the north Canada’s discovery of yellow metal by men groping in the Artic darkness at the same time the steamships and transportation companies boomed as men vowed to rush northwards. It is upon this invention that Buck, chief dog would met his trouble. Buck being primitive and never bothered to be updated failed to read the newspaper and had no option but to be stolen and subsequently found his way northland. Tide-water dogs were urgently needed and drawn from Puget Sound to San Diego with particular features as long hair for warmth provision and strong muscles to toil as well as furry coats needed to protect them from massive frost, a feature of northland climate. The book is thus chosen it is marred with many incidences of Human-Animal relationships that fits the requirements of the discussion. The title of the book itself justifies this decision besides, beast, fang as well as dogs are used to aid the discussion. Chapter One: Into The Primitive This chapter entails the invention of gold northland of Canada by groping men. This comes with the need for heavy dogs with muscles, long hair and fury coat to adapt to cold weather of the Northland. It is upon these unfolding that every tide-water dogs are drawn with particular focus on kidnapping of Mr. Miller’s long stayed chief dog called Buck by men who were rushing northland to explore and extract the invented gold. The primitiveness of dogs including Buck crops in as they failed and were hesitant to read newspapers that had shown the brewing trouble informed by the discovery of yellow metal. Unlike other dogs like Japanese pug, Toots Ysabel, the Mexican hairless who were ever indoors and lived in popular kennels quietly and would disappear after a while, Buck resided in judge Miller’s house and ruled the vast place for four years. To amplify this further, Buck was not house dog as the chief dog was never seen in kennel and guarded the entire Miller’s place-the swimming tank as well hunting with Miller’s sons, escorted Miler’s daughters, Alice and Mollie during the early morning or long twilight. He was a king indeed at Mr. Miller’s place ruling over every judge’s assets including human. His primitiveness arose when Manuel, a gambler tricked Buck when his master was on a meeting on what he knew would just be a stroll and it was there that he would be sold at the College Park trail station without anyone noticing. Buck had a rope gone his neck but being that he had trusted men he knew like Manuel, he did not resist despite his non-acceptance as he also felt inferior to such men giving dues for being more knowledgeable than him. He realized he had been cornered as the end of the ropes were handed to the stranger and he angrily growled but it was too late as the rope had tightened hence choking impairing his breathing systems. Buck soon found himself in the baggage car after a train had appeared. Anger and range marred Buck and angrily barked and managed to bit one of the men’s hand as he could never believe to have been kidnapped and transported in the baggage car despite his lifelong vilely treatment. Buck spent a night on a wooden cage-like structure and wondered all it was about. He was handed over to other four worst looking men, Buck tried barking and growled but the men only poked him with a stick to anger him more. He finally gave in and the crate put into a wagon which drove away and Buck would found himself in an express train wondering and longing to see his master. Buck’s new job would soon be revealed as he was handed over to a man who grimly smiled upon reading a letter from Francisco. A hatchet and club was brought and opened the crate. Buck could not manage revenging as he never understood how a club works that shock him every time he wanted to bite. Buck lost the fight as the man read his name on the letter and gave him conditions and he learned that he could not win by fighting but a new strategy. The club acted as lightening moments for Buck to realize his primitiveness as he was introduced to the reign of primitive law which he half met. He realized that fierce aspects of life and as he experienced many dogs coming in through the man in the red sweater, he realized he was a law enforcer and had to be respected. Human-Animal Relationship The relationship in this chapter is illustrated by Mr. Miller’s chief dog called Buck. Many dogs were present but Buck is used as the premise upon which the discussion is driven. We are told of how Buck had lived and ruled in the home for four years; he went hunting with the judges sons, escorted the daughters on long twilight or during early morning as well carried his master’s grandsons in his back rolling them in the grass at the same time acting as their guard through wild adventures to the fountain. He was the king and ruled over all the master’s creeping, crawling, flying things which even extended to human. Chapter Two: The Law OF Club And Fang This chapter is embedded on lack of freedom but action based on the law of fang and club. Both men and dogs were savages driven by imperative need to remain alert. Buck life is altered and he is now under primordial life totally different from his earlier civilized life at Miller’s place. His new life is more of loaf and boredom with constant confusion and action. Laziness and sun are a forgone cases Dyea beach as men and dogs toil within the severe cold weather of northland. Peace, rest or safety moments could be longed for but unattainable. Human-Animal Relationship There is relationship peddled by the use of sledge-dogs in goldmines to pull the sledge across the frozen snow covered cold northland. Animal are mistreated based on the coldness and heaviness of the sledge across the frozen snow land. Chapter Three: The Dominant primordial Beast This chapters the ever escalating hatred between Buck and Spitz based on a strong wild animal in Buck across the snow. Buck, however, kept off from a fight despite Spitz showing the teeth as he knew one stood to die if they fought. They almost fought when Spitz intruded in Buck’s warm hole following a cold night snow as he Buck went for fish. Buck became wild surprising the team-dogs and men but Perrault separated them. Many dogs appeared informed by food smell on sledge and could not be frightened when Perrault and Francois fought then with a club. Buck was surprised to these Indian hunger driven dogs making them to fight like wild animals. Buck was attacked by three dogs biting his head and legs as Dave and Sol-leks fighting bravely with blood coverings. Pike killed one dog as Buck onto another but Spitz extended its hatred by biting Buck. The nine dogs ran into the forest and returned next day with Perrault and Francois marred with rage and anger. The men were worried of rabies effects from Indian dogs to their sledge-dogs with half food gone and still had six hundred kilometers to cover. The hatred between Buck and Spitz continued as Spitz trying to utilize every opportunity to kill buck as he feared Buck would take the lead. A fierce fight was validated when a rabbit came across and all dogs were chasing when Buck suddenly hit Buck. This continued for a while and Buck knew for sure that this would be the final assault. He finally killed Spitz clearly showing his strong wild animal in him. Human-Animal Relationship Chapter Four: Who Has Won To Mastership The chapter is based hard decisions to be made between Buck and Sol-leks on the new lead dog after fierce fight between Spitz and Buck culminating into Spitz disappearance. As Francois harnessed dogs, Buck always jump and take lead-dog space, Sol-leks making Francois angry took the club from sledge as he vowed to teach Buck a lesson. Buck vowed not fight again as he remember how man in red sweater had frustrated him with a club but decided not to be caught and harnessed taking one hour. Buck felt the master as he had won his fight and chased Spitz refusing Francois’s several calls in front of Dave. Sol-leks was removed from master dog and after all dogs had been harnessed with front space remaining, Buck was called but refuted since Francois had a club in his hand. Buck accepted and won the lead-dog and harnessed and the sledge was set moving in a minute. Buck was a good leader as based on his ability to think faster but to Sol-leks and Dave, a new leader had no impact as they still toiled. Buck even punished and made the other dogs work hard evident when by end of first day, the lazy Pike was already pulling harder. Buck became the chief dog after a night battle with Joe and ensured the sledge took momentum making Francois to praise him attaching his value to a thousand dollars as they covered more grounds daily. The destination (Skagway) was hit after fourteen days and Francois bid bye to Buck handing him and the team over to two new men who made a long journey back to Dawson with a lot of toiling as the sledge was overloaded with gold miners’ letters. Buck would lie buy fire and go through a walking dream. They reach Dawson tired and needed a week rest but were subjected to another travel to south. The team became unhappy with snow fall everyday making harder to pull the sledge but food was plenty for dogs without rest culminating to dogs growing weaker day by day with Dave falling sick as Buck had pulled the sledge for three thousand kilometers. Dave became weaker as he refuted rest and was shot dead by the sledge driver. Human-Animal Relationship Human-animal relationship still exist as dogs and men worked as a team to pull the sledge. Buck became the lead dog and controlled and punished other dogs to work hard. There is a mutual relationship between Perrault, Francois and the dogs. The two new men who took Buck and the team cared for them by ensuring plenty of food and checked daily for illness though never gave rest to the dogs that led to Dave’s shot dead. Chapter Five: The Toil Of Trace And Trail This chapter involves two new men who bought Buck and his team together with harness. They were new and knew less about the north. It is during winter and they struggle to pack their things including tent into sledge and leave Skagway despite reduced coldness northland. Hal canes the poor dogs who could not pull the heavily loaded sledge as Mercedes disagrees with him not to whip the dogs. The sledge was frozen and had to be broken for the dogs to pull after which Buck and his team pulled the sledge. The sledge overturned and the offloaded some boxes and the angry dogs pulled running as they had been annoyed by Hal’s treatment. People came to Hal’s rescue and caught the dogs and picked up the pieces and suggested as more dogs were needed to reach their discussion with only half of the load. Six more dogs were purchased and more luggage offloaded but the journey was still dealt a blow as the new dogs were not sledge-dogs making too easily get tired. Human-Animal Relationship Animal are used in this chapter to pull forcefully pull the sledge from Skagway towards Dawson and there is no close relationships as the dogs are caned and got angry as they are harnessed after Buck and other three dogs are bought by Charles and Hal. Mercedes stops Hal from mistreating the poor dogs when the sledge was too heavy to be pulled and he wanted to cane them. Chapter Six: For The Love Of A Man The chapter introduces us to the sick John Thornton in December as was left at White River by his two friend moving to Dawson. Plenty of food was presented to him and his two dogs Blackie and Skeet. When spring came he was almost well and laid on the sun by the river as Buck watch the water while listening to birds slowly getting much stronger. Buck’s life is regaining and now resting peacefully as he grow fatter following five thousand race while waiting for John’s friend to return. Friendship immediately emerged between Skeet and Buck as he heals slowly daily washing his cuts with the tongue. Blackie joins Buck and Skeet as they played together occasionally being joined by John. Bucks gets to love John for the first time despite having been friends with Mr. Miller following happily moments as he was saved by John who was very caring to animals particularly his dogs that he viewed as his children. John and Buck always talk while holding heads as he lovingly shaking it with Buck gently puts John’s hands into his mouth. Buck never wanted to loose John as his Francois and Perrault and hence occasionally woke at night confirming John’s presence in the tent. Buck life was changing to a wild dog after his long stay in the North facilitating his happiness to be attached to John’s fire but as a wild animal with his focus on other wild animals as half-wolves, dogs and wild wolves that seem to invite him into the forest as he was at times ready to leave the fire and answer such calls but stopped by John with his strong love for John always returning when he went into trees. He paid no attention to visitors and other men in the camp but only John and even refuted acknowledging john’s friends upon their arrival from Dawson but later accepted them as John’s friends. Buck guarded john and only got orders from him and no one could attack him in Buck’s presence. Buck saved John from the wrath of Burton at the bar when his friend chipped in to help separate the fight as he managed to jumped and bit Burton’s arm and throat with everyone supporting Buck’s actions. Human-Animal Relationship There is a strong evident showcasing animal-human relationships as brought by John his two dos and Buck. We see John saving Buck from cuts when he was ill and even at time joined the three dogs to play games together. Bucks falls in love with John for the first time and would guard him as he controls the John’s fire. He also saves John from Burton as he jumped and bit Burton’s throat and arms. John on the other hand never allowed Buck to go into forest despite numerous calls by wild animals. Buck further saves John when the boat went faster and Hans pooled the rope that overturned the boat culminating into John being carried down the rocky-river. Buck swam and John held onto Buck as Hans and Pete pulled them using the rope already tied in Buck’s back. Buck was helpful to John and his friends and made them earned a lot Mathewson’s dollars ($ 1400) and became more famous based on sledge breaking and pulling during frozen frost for kilos of gold. Chapter Seven: The Sounding of The Call This chapter is focused on the search for the lost gold mine eastward by John and his two friends following Buck’s 1400 dollars drawn in five minutes form Mathewson’s sledge. Across river Stewart, the three friends shot animals for food travelling for a week and resting for same period as they searched for gold. They carried all requirements they needed at their backs to curb hunger and made boats to facilitate their movements. They managed to get gold mine worth thousands of dollars as they came across a lake in a wide valley passed a gun in wooden house. Buck and other dogs rested as they guarded the men ate foods shot for them with Buck spending much of his time by the fire and heard calls into the forest seeing his dream world and at time, would ran into the forest. He made friendship with the wolf always dreaming of his previous world as they ran for hours in the forest. Buck remembered John and returned to him and stay with him while occasionally hearing the call which culminated to Buck spending nights in forest while killings and fishing animals for food eating well and becoming alive as he regained his golden-brown coat while roaming in the forest learning its every smell, sound and secrets. The story ends as Buck friend and other dogs killed with only Buck remaining after the Packs several attempts to kill him. Human-Animal Relationship Aspects of human-animal relationships is evident as Buck and the three dogs accompany the three men guarding across the forest as they search for gold mine. Animals were also used for food as the one shot for the dogs as well used to pull sledge of gold as noted when Buck met a sledge-dog dying. Conclusion: Human-Animal Relationships There is close human-animal relationships unearthed in the book; animals act as guards to homes as shown by Buck four years rule over Miller’s place. Animals and human also hunt together as illustrated by Buck and Judge’s sons. Besides Buick escorts judge daughters in twilight or early morning as well carried judge’s grandsons rolling them kin grass through to Fountain. Animals are also used a sledge-dogs in the gold mines and have also been used as source of security as well see Buck saving John from Burton’s wrath in the bar. Animals have also been in relationships with human as Buck falls in love with John and could hence not leave him. This saw John being saved by Buck when the boat was drawn. There is also relationships as we are told of how the new men cared for the dogs ensuring they ate well as well as examined for illness. Reference London, Jack. 1995/1903. The Call of the Wild. Online Literature Library. http://ww.literature.org/authors/London-jack/the-call-of-the-wild/index.html. Read More