Answering the Call

Dogs. Dogs are man's best friends. I wonder how old that simple epithet is?

Jack London procured his status of a masterly author with The Call of the Wild. London, an adventurous traveler and high school drop-out, scribed a time-defying story of struggle and freedom in The Call of the Wild.

Buck, the only consistently present character in the story, is a lavishly spoiled farm dog. He has everything he would ever need. He has a pond, he has young kids to play with, and he has subordinates that answer to their King. Put simply-King describes Buck the farm dog.

On the heels of an unfortunate betrayal, Buck is thrown into the Northland, a booming area due to the Klondike gold rush. The angry King has been uncrowned and tossed into the Wild. Buck soon learns the law by which he now abides by. The law is simple- the strongest survive.

Buck is motivated to survive and lead by the call of his primordial instincts. Throughout The Call of the Wild Buck is challenged by stronger and more skillful animals than himself but they lack what he doesn't: will.

Jack London's timeless classic kept me enthralled in its pages. He has woven a web of the basic human characteristics; the needs to be free and respected.