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Excerpt ​

Excerpt from The call of the wild, by Jack London

In the days that followed, as Dawson grew closer and closer, Buck still
continued to interfere between Spitz and the culprits; but he did it
craftily, when François was not around, With the covert mutiny of Buck,
a general insubordination sprang up and increased. Dave and Sol-leks
were unaffected, but the rest of the team went from bad to worse.
Things no longer went right. There was continual bickering and
jangling. Trouble was always afoot, and at the bottom of it was Buck.
He kept François busy, for the dog-driver was in constant apprehension
of the life-and-death struggle between the two which he knew must take
place sooner or later; and on more than one night the sounds of
quarrelling and strife among the other dogs turned him out of his
sleeping robe, fearful that Buck and Spitz were at it.

But the opportunity did not present itself, and they pulled into Dawson
one dreary afternoon with the great fight still to come. Here were many
men, and countless dogs, and Buck found them all at work. It seemed the
ordained order of things that dogs should work. All day they swung up
and down the main street in long teams, and in the night their jingling
bells still went by. They hauled cabin logs and firewood, freighted up
to the mines, and did all manner of work that horses did in the Santa
Clara Valley. Here and there Buck met Southland dogs, but in the main
they were the wild wolf husky breed. Every night, regularly, at nine,
at twelve, at three, they lifted a nocturnal song, a weird and eerie
chant, in which it was Buck’s delight to join.

With the aurora borealis flaming coldly overhead, or the stars leaping
in the frost dance, and the land numb and frozen under its pall of
snow, this song of the huskies might have been the defiance of life,
only it was pitched in minor key, with long-drawn wailings and
half-sobs, and was more the pleading of life, the articulate travail of
existence. 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. It was
invested with the woe of unnumbered generations, this plaint by which
Buck was so strangely stirred. When he moaned and sobbed, it was with
the pain of living that was of old the pain of his wild fathers, and
the fear and mystery of the cold and dark that was to them fear and
mystery. 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.

Explanation ​

Detailed Explanation of the Excerpt from The Call of the Wild by Jack London ​

Context of the Excerpt ​

The Call of the Wild (1903) is a novel by Jack London set during the Klondike Gold Rush (1896–1899), a period when thousands of prospectors flooded into the Yukon Territory in search of gold. The story follows Buck, a domesticated dog from California, who is kidnapped and sold into the brutal world of sled dogs in the Arctic. The novel explores themes of primordial instinct, survival, the struggle for dominance, and the return to a wild, untamed state.

This excerpt comes from Chapter 3 ("The Dominant Primordial Beast"), where Buck is still adapting to the harsh realities of sled-dog life. He has already witnessed the brutal law of "club and fang" and is now locked in a power struggle with Spitz, the lead dog. The passage captures:

  1. Buck’s growing defiance and leadership among the sled team.
  2. The chaotic, unruly atmosphere as the dogs sense Buck’s challenge to Spitz.
  3. Buck’s deepening connection to his ancestral, wolf-like nature, symbolized by the haunting howls of the huskies.

Breakdown of the Excerpt ​

1. Buck’s Subversive Leadership & the Team’s Deterioration ​

"In the days that followed, as Dawson grew closer and closer, Buck still continued to interfere between Spitz and the culprits; but he did it craftily, when François was not around. With the covert mutiny of Buck, a general insubordination sprang up and increased. Dave and Sol-leks were unaffected, but the rest of the team went from bad to worse."

  • Buck’s Strategy: Buck is intentionally undermining Spitz’s authority, but he does so stealthily—only when the French-Canadian dog-driver François isn’t watching. This shows Buck’s growing cunning and strategic thinking, traits that will later make him a dominant leader.
  • Mutiny & Chaos: Buck’s defiance spreads like a contagion—the other dogs (except the disciplined Dave and Sol-leks) become unruly, reflecting the natural hierarchy of the wild, where weakness in leadership leads to disorder.
  • Literary Device – Foreshadowing: The phrase "the great fight still to come" hints at the inevitable showdown between Buck and Spitz, a pivotal moment in Buck’s transformation.

2. François’s Anxiety & the Looming Conflict ​

"He kept François busy, for the dog-driver was in constant apprehension of the life-and-death struggle between the two which he knew must take place sooner or later; and on more than one night the sounds of quarreling and strife among the other dogs turned him out of his sleeping robe, fearful that Buck and Spitz were at it."

  • François’s Role: The dog-driver senses the tension but cannot prevent it—nature’s laws (survival of the fittest) are beyond his control.
  • Life-and-Death Struggle: The phrase emphasizes the Darwinian nature of the sled-dog world—only the strongest survive.
  • Literary Device – Suspense: London builds tension by delaying the confrontation, making the reader anticipate the inevitable clash.

3. Arrival in Dawson & the Harsh Reality of Dog Labor ​

"But the opportunity did not present itself, and they pulled into Dawson one dreary afternoon with the great fight still to come. Here were many men, and countless dogs, and Buck found them all at work. It seemed the ordained order of things that dogs should work."

  • Dawson as a Microcosm of the Wild: The town is overrun with dogs, all laboring endlessly—hauling logs, freight, and supplies. This reinforces the harsh, unrelenting nature of existence in the North.
  • "Ordained Order of Things": Suggests a fatalistic acceptance—dogs (and by extension, all creatures) are meant to toil, a reflection of London’s naturalist philosophy (humans and animals are subject to indifferent, often cruel natural laws).
  • Contrast with Santa Clara Valley: Buck remembers the easier life of domesticated dogs in California, but here, dogs are beasts of burden, closer to their wild ancestors.

4. The Haunting Howl of the Huskies – Buck’s Primal Awakening ​

"Every night, regularly, at nine, at twelve, at three, they lifted a nocturnal song, a weird and eerie chant, in which it was Buck’s delight to join. With the aurora borealis flaming coldly overhead, or the stars leaping in the frost dance, and the land numb and frozen under its pall of snow, this song of the huskies might have been the defiance of life, only it was pitched in minor key, with long-drawn wailings and half-sobs, and was more the pleading of life, the articulate travail of existence."

  • The Howl as a Primal Connection:
    • The rhythmic, communal howling is not just noise—it’s a deep, ancestral call, linking Buck to his wolf heritage.
    • The aurora borealis and frozen landscape create a mythic, almost supernatural setting, reinforcing the timelessness of the wild.
  • Literary Device – Personification & Imagery:
    • The howl is described as a "pleading of life"—it’s not defiant but mournful, carrying the weight of generations.
    • The "frost dance" of the stars and the "pall of snow" (a funeral shroud) suggest death and endurance in the frozen world.
  • Sound & Emotion:
    • The minor key, wailings, and half-sobs make the howl tragic rather than triumphant—it’s the sound of survival, not celebration.

5. The Ancient Sorrow of the Wild ​

"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. It was invested with the woe of unnumbered generations, this plaint by which Buck was so strangely stirred. When he moaned and sobbed, it was with the pain of living that was of old the pain of his wild fathers, and the fear and mystery of the cold and dark that was to them fear and mystery. 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."

  • Ancestral Memory:
    • The howl is older than civilization—it’s a lament from the "younger world" (prehistoric times) when life was harsh and survival uncertain.
    • Buck doesn’t just hear the song—he feels the collective suffering of his ancestors, the "pain of his wild fathers."
  • Regression to Primal Instinct:
    • The phrase "harked back through the ages of fire and roof" suggests Buck is shedding domestication, returning to a wild, untamed state.
    • "Raw beginnings of life in the howling ages"—this is evolution in reverse, Buck devolving into a creature of instinct rather than a tamed pet.
  • Literary Device – Mythic Tone:
    • London elevates Buck’s transformation to almost biblical proportions—this is not just a dog’s story, but a myth of rebirth.

Key Themes in the Excerpt ​

  1. Survival of the Fittest – The looming fight between Buck and Spitz represents the natural law of dominance.
  2. Primal Instinct vs. Civilization – Buck is shedding his domesticated past, embracing his wild heritage.
  3. The Harshness of Nature – The frozen landscape and the dogs’ labor illustrate London’s naturalist view—life is a struggle, and only the strong endure.
  4. Ancestral Memory & Atavism – Buck’s connection to the howl suggests genetic memory, a return to a prehistoric state.
  5. The Tragedy of Existence – The howl is not triumphant but mournful, reflecting the pain of survival.

Significance of the Passage ​

  • Buck’s Transformation: This moment marks a critical step in Buck’s journey from a pampered pet to a wild, dominant leader. His defiance of Spitz and his participation in the howl show his growing wildness.
  • Foreshadowing the Climax: The unresolved conflict with Spitz sets up the violent confrontation that will solidify Buck’s dominance.
  • Philosophical Depth: London uses Buck’s story to explore Darwinism, the call of the wild, and the thin line between civilization and savagery.
  • Symbolism of the Howl: The howl is more than sound—it’s the voice of the wild, a primordial force that Buck is increasingly drawn to.

Conclusion ​

This excerpt is a pivotal moment in The Call of the Wild, capturing Buck’s internal and external struggles. Through vivid imagery, suspense, and mythic language, London illustrates Buck’s inevitable return to his wild nature. The howling of the huskies is not just background noise—it’s the echo of ancient survival, a song that stirs something deep and primal in Buck, pulling him further from humanity and closer to the raw, untamed world he was always meant to inhabit.