The call of the wild

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

215

Title

The call of the wild

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Jack London's classic tale follows Buck, a pampered California dog kidnapped and sold into the brutal Alaskan wilderness. Stripped of his civilized life, Buck must endure the harsh elements and the law of club and fang to survive. As he adapts to the wild, he discovers a primal strength within himself, ultimately answering the call of the wild to become a legendary ghost dog.

Summary up to 500 words

Jack London's *The Call of the Wild* chronicles the transformation of Buck, a St. Bernard and Scotch Shepherd mix, from a pampered aristocrat in Judge Miller's California estate to a primal leader of the wild. Buck's life changes abruptly when he is kidnapped by a man named Manuel and sold to a mail train driver. After a grueling journey across the frozen North, he arrives in Skaguay, where he is purchased by the incompetent and cruel trio of Hal, Charles, and Mercedes. These new owners overload the sled and whip the exhausted dogs. Buck's patience breaks when the sled overturns; leading his team in a chaotic escape, he flees the incompetent masters. Buck is subsequently bought by John Thornton, a kind man who treats him with respect. Under Thornton's care, Buck thrives, becoming the strongest and most intelligent sled dog in the region. However, tragedy strikes when the Yeehats, a tribe of Indians, attack the camp. In a desperate defense, Thornton is killed by an arrow. Consumed by grief and rage, Buck attacks the Yeehats, killing several men before fleeing into the wilderness. With his bond to humanity severed by Thornton's death, Buck fully embraces his wild nature. He hunts moose with a pack of wolves, learning their ways and instincts. Eventually, he joins a wolf pack, howling with them under the moon. The story concludes with Buck as a 'Ghost Dog,' leading his pack and living freely in the wild, having completed his transformation from a domestic pet to a primal beast. London uses this narrative to explore themes of survival, the law of club and fang, and the enduring pull of ancestral instincts that ultimately override civilization.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/215.epub.noimages

Local file path

data/epubs/pg215.epub

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Categories

• Adventure
• Fiction
• Nature
• Animals