Call of the Wild

The Call of the Wild, by Jack London is a very interesting tale told from the perspective of a sled dog. London's novel, considered a classic by some, started slow, but soon had me hooked.

Learning when to stay obedient is a main theme in London's book. Buck, the main character, struggles with this at first, but is forced to learn. Taking a stand is another major theme of the novel. Buck, has to deal with a major oppression problem. He deals with the problem by standing up to the leader of the pack. This stand results in a terrific battle for power.

The writing style of Jack London, especially in this book, is very interesting. London does a very good job of telling the story through the eyes of a dog. This feat makes the style of the novel better than most books told from the perspective of a dog.

The characters in The Call of the Wild are mostly dogs. However, the characters are still interesting. Even though the only dog that we hear is Buck, all the dogs have their own personality. Some are silly, while others are very mean and oppressive like Spitz, the first leader of the dogs. There are humans in The Call of the Wild as well. They have independent personalities but they are not described as well. Although the characters do not make the novel, they add to the book significantly.

The Call of the Wild is set in the Canadian North. The setting is well described. Buck tells what he sees as he travels on the dog trails. The settings could be described in greater detail, however the descriptions could ramble on if written by someone other than London.

The best part of London's novel is the plot. Buck is a very faithful dog who lives a very peaceful life. However, this is all changed one night. One of his masters helpers steals Buck and sells him as a sled dog. Buck is launched into a very different lifestyle and struggles to survive. However, Buck comes out of the experience and becomes a very good sled dog. However a strange feeling overcomes Buck throughout the book and makes Buck decide how to live the rest of his life.

The Call of the Wild is a very good short story for anyone. However, there are several disturbing scenes that younger children may find scary. Besides this, I would recommend this book to everyone.



This book is 78 pages.