| Characters 1 | Literary Terms 1 | Chapter Names and Matching Quotes | Lit Terms 2 | Characters 2 |
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Who is Buck?
This main character is a half St. Bernard and half sheepdog and was stolen from California to be brought to the Yukon. He/she survives until the end of the story and becomes the leader of a wolf pack that roams the valley where John Thornton died.
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This quote contains dramatic irony. The readers are told that Manuel has a gambling problem and "an undesirable acquaintance" which hints that Manuel has a malicious intent and will have something to do with Buck. However, Buck does not know this.
What literary term is contained within the following quote and why do you think so?
"[Buck] did not know that Manuel, one of the gardener's helpers was an undesirable acquaintance. Manuel had one besetting sin. He loved to play Chinese lottery" (12). |
This quote represents Chapter VI, "For the Love of a Man." In this chapter, Buck learns how to love somebody. John Thornton, not only saving Buck's life, but treating him as his own child. John Thornton unlocks and nurtures Buck's love into a love that is "feverish and burning". This quote demonstrates how much Buck loves John Thornton and how much faith he has in his owner. He love Thornton so much that he would jump off a cliff to his death if Thornton commanded it.
What chapter does this following quote represent and why do you think so?
"A thoughtless whim seized Thornton... 'Jump, Buck!' he commanded, sweeping his arm out and over the chasm. The next instant he was grappling with Buck on the extreme edge" (60). |
This quote contains an example of situational irony. When someone is cursing at another person, the person doing the cursing is usually angry or mad at the victim of the cursing. However, in this case, John Thornton is using cursing as a form of showing love and adoration.
What literary term is contained within the following quote and why do you think so?
"Those who hurried up heard him cursing Buck, and he cursed him long and fervently, and softly, and lovingly" (66). |
Who are Francois and Perrault?
You could never get a more iconic duo than this. After the man with the red sweater, these main characters are the next owners of Buck. One of them calls Buck a "one in ten t'ousand" dog. These characters understand and are quite experienced with dogs and on how to handle them. Buck also attributes these characters to traits like fairness and justice. These characters pass out of Buck's life when they are given official orders.
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Who is Spitz?
This main character is the original leader of Francois and Perrault's sled team. This character is also the arch-nemesis of Buck. He/she is first introduced when Buck is brought onto the ship "Narwhal" that is bound for Dyea beach. He/she is killed by Buck after the "Great Chase of the Snow Bunny".
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This quote contains a symbol, the symbol being Curly. The huskies killing Curly represents the brutal and unforgiving environment of the Yukon. This also represents the death of Buck's innocence. Buck now has to adapt to become tough and strong in order to survive the harsh environment.
What literary term is contained within the following quote and why do you think so?
"[The huskies] closed in upon [Curly], snarling and yelping, and she was buried, screaming with agony, beneath the bristling mass of bodies" (20). |
This quote represents Chapter I, "Into the Primitive." In this chapter, Buck is taken from his kingdom in Santa Clara and thrust into a strange and violent world. When Buck tries to establish dominance over the man in the red sweater, he gets dominated instead. He realizes that a man with a club is someone to obey but not necessarily love Buck learns the primitive "Club" part of the "Law of Club and Fang" and although it was a fierce lesson, he "meets the introduction halfway" by being equally fierce.
What chapter does this following quote represent and why do you think so?
"[Buck] had learned the lesson, and in all his after life he never forgot it. That club was a revelation. It was his introduction to the reign of primitive law, and he met the introduction halfway" (16). |
This quote contains the foreshadowing of Thornton's death. After Buck kills and feasts on the moose, he turns back towards the direction of John Thornton's camp. Along the way, he senses something bad in the air. The readers can infer that from the "reading a message which made him leap on with greater speed" part. The phrase after, "he was oppressed with a sense of calamity happening" further cements that something bad has happened to his master.
What literary term is contained within the following quote and why do you think so?
"Several times he stopped and drew in the fresh morning air in great sniffs, reading a message which made him leap on with greater speed. He was oppressed with a sense of calamity happening, if it were not calamity already happened" (75). |
Who is the Scotch half-breed?
This supporting character is introduced to Buck after Francois and Perrault leave. While the team is under this character's mastery, Dave falls ill. This character tries everything he can do to help Dave recover but in the end, in a gesture of respect, he shoots the faithful dog behind a belt of river trees. This character sells Buck and the team to Hal, Charles, and Mercedes.
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Who is the man in the red sweater?
This main character teaches Buck the Law of the Club. The character drives it into Buck's head that humans with clubs are superior to dogs. He/she is introduced when he/she buys Buck from the people who buy Buck from Manuel. Buck sees the last of this character when Perrault buys the former for the Canadian Government.
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This quote represents naturalism. It is saying that because Buck is living in the harsh wilderness, the chains of civilization are falling off of him. He is adapting to the environment by reverting to the ways of his ancient ancestors.
What literary term is contained within the following quote and why do you think so?
"The dominant primordial beast was strong in Buck, and under the fierce conditions of life it grew and grew" (27). |
This quote represents Chapter II "The Law of Club and Fang." When Buck arrives at Dyea beach, he realizes that it's nothing like his home in Santa Clara. There is no rest, no peace, and no safety. Danger lurks everywhere and one needs to be constantly alert and vigilant in order to survive. Buck learns the "Fang" part of the "Law of Club and Fang" when Curly is attacked by a husky and swept off her feet. Buck knows that if he doesn't learn the "Law of Club and Fang," he will not survive for long in the wild. In order to survive in a savage world, one must become a savage. By following and using the "Law of Club and Fang," the primitive law of status and survival, Buck will have a chance to live.
What chapter does this following quote represent and why do you think so?
"The scene often came back to Buck to trouble him in his sleep. So that was the way. No fair play. Once down, that was the end of you. Well, he would see to it that he never went down" (20). |
This quote contains an example of anthropomorphism. The quote gives human status to Buck when it says that he is a country gentleman and an aristocrat. Jack London also give him human-like attributes like pride and an ego.
What literary term is contained within the following quote and why do you think so?
"During the four years since his puppyhood he had lived the life of a sated aristocrat; he had a fire pride in himself, was ever a trifle egotistical, as country gentlemen sometimes become because of their insular position" (12). |
Who is Dub?
This supporting dog is the first to die under Hal, Charles, and Mercedes' tyrannical rule. This dog is known as a "blundering thief" but also a hard and faithful worker. Because of his hurt shoulder, Hal shoots him/her with his Colt's revolver. Buck first meets this character as a new addition to Francois and Perrault's team.
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Who are Hal, Charles, and Mercedes?
These main characters are family and are new to the Yukon. At one point during their travels, they had 14 dogs pulling their sled. These characters were introduced when the Scotch half-breed needed money to buy a new team of sled dogs. Buck sees the last of them when these characters head out onto the Dawson River and kill themselves.
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This quote contains an inference. The quote says that when Francois tries to put Sol-leks into the lead-dog position, he does not like it because Buck wants that position. Remember that Sol-leks is so fierce and scary that even Spitz left him alone before his death. But now, Sol-leks is scared of Buck. Readers can use this to infer that Buck's increased power and reputation is so big now that even the "Angry One"submits to him.
What literary term is contained within the following quote and why do you think so?
"[Francois] took Buck by the scruff of the neck, and though the dog growled threateningly, dragged him to one side and replaced Sol-leks. The old dog did not like it, and showed plainly that he was afraid of Buck" (37). |
This quote represents Chapter III, "The Dominant Primordial Beast." In this chapter, Buck's inner primal beast is telling him what to do and how to act to survive. The primal beast is basically just made up of instincts and memories passed on by his ancestors. When Buck and the team pulls up in Dawson, they spend every night there howling. The howling, described as an old, sad song, seems to bring Buck through time and experience what his ancestors had experienced when mankind and wolf-kind were still new to the world. This entire chapter represents naturalism and how Buck, when thrust into a strange and new world, adapts and sheds civilization in order to survive.
What chapter does this following quote represent and why do you think so?
"It was an old song, old as the breed itself---one of the first songs of the younger world in a day when songs were sad... When he moaned and sobbed, it was with the pain of living that was of old the pain of his wild fathers... And that he should be stirred by it marked the completeness with which he harked back through the ages of fire and roof to the raw beginnings of life in the howling ages" (33). |
This quote contains a foreshadowing. Readers can use the information given in the quote and infer that Buck's new owners are very inexperienced, civilized, and proper. Buck's past owners were very organized and efficient, unlike these new individuals. The Yukon in the book is a harsh environment. This quote foreshadows that Buck's new masters' inexperience will end up very badly for them in the future.
What literary term is contained within the following quote and why do you think so?
“Buck saw a slipshod and slovenly affair, tent half stretched, dishes unwashed, everything in disorder” (46). |
Who is Skeet?
Buck meets this supporting character when saved by John Thornton. He/she is the one who washes and cleans Buck's wounds when he is recovering from the brutal treatment of his previous owners. This character is an Irish setter and makes friends with Buck when the latter was too weak to do anything about it. This character dies with John Thornton and the rest of the crew when the Yeehats attack.
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Who is Dave?
This supporting character is by far the best character of all. When this character falls ill, instead of taking it easy, he/she is determined to stay in his traces and continue to pull. Being a sled dog has become the definition of his/her entire existence. This character is introduced aboard the ship "Narwhal" alongside Spitz. He meets his fate behind a "belt of river trees."
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This quote contains an example of personification. London uses this literary device to make it seem like the Yukon is alive and trying to free itself from ice because rivers do not usually eat ice.
What literary term is contained within the following quote and why do you think so?
"The Yukon was straining to break loose the ice that bound it down. It ate away from beneath; the sun ate from above" (53). |
This quote represents Chapter IV, "Who Has Won to Mastership." After Buck defeats Spitz and has won mastery over him, Buck thinks that he deserves to become the leader of the team. However, Francois and Perrault do not think that and they try to bring Sol-leks into the position of the leader. However, Sol-leks is scared of Buck even though Sol-leks is described to be so dangerous that even Spitz left him alone. Sol-leks recognizes Buck's mastery over the team and does not want to invoke his fury by taking his rightful position. After a while, Francois and Perrault give up and allow Buck to take the position of leader. Buck then surprises them by showing that he is a natural leader and they set a record run with an average of 40 miles a day for fourteen days.
What chapter does this following quote represent and why do you think so?
"But Buck was in open revolt. He wanted, not to escape a clubbing, but to have leadership. It was his by right. He had earned it, and he would not be content with less" (38). |
This quote contains an example of personification. Spring does not actually murmur nor is winter actually silent. These human-like characteristics are given to spring and winter to make them sound alive and sentient.
What literary term is contained within the following quote and why do you think so?
"The ghostly winter silence had given way to the great spring murmur of awakening life" (52). |
Who is "Black" Burton?
This supporting character first appears when Buck, John Thornton, and the rest of the crew arrive at Circle City. This character is first shown to be in an argument with another person in a bar. When John Thornton intervenes, this character punches him. He/she is then attacked by Buck and gets his/her throat ripped open. This character is instrumental in the rise of Buck's fame.
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