The Toil of Trace and Trail
Discussion Questions:
1.) Reread London's first description of Hal and Charles. What do you think will happen to them based on this initial description?
They will not be a very good team since they don't know any of the trails.
2.) What was Mercedes' reaction when experienced men went through to lighten the load? What does this say about her and about her relationship with her husband and brother?
She was crying when her stuff was thrown off to lighten the load. Her relationship with her brother and husband is not a very good relationship.
3.) Compare Charles, Hal and Mercedes to any other characters you've met in other books, movies, plays, television shows, or real life. What traits did Buck have
that allowed him to adapt to the north that they lacked?
Mercedes is like a greedy princess who wants everything for herself. Hal is like a the little burglar but is the leader and Charles is the tall one that follows along like in Home Alone. Buck had knowledge of the trail and knows how to create nests, find food and other things that can help his team of dogs move on.
4.) Why do you think London included these three characters in the book? What do they represent?
To represent bad owners in the book that don't know anything about the Yukon.
5.) Why did Buck refuse to rise and lead the team? What did he have that his masters lacked?
He did not rise and lead the team because he knew the ice was melting and if Hal, Charles and Mercedes drive over the ice they are most likely to fall through. Knowledge that it is turning from winter to spring so the ice is melting.
1.) Reread London's first description of Hal and Charles. What do you think will happen to them based on this initial description?
They will not be a very good team since they don't know any of the trails.
2.) What was Mercedes' reaction when experienced men went through to lighten the load? What does this say about her and about her relationship with her husband and brother?
She was crying when her stuff was thrown off to lighten the load. Her relationship with her brother and husband is not a very good relationship.
3.) Compare Charles, Hal and Mercedes to any other characters you've met in other books, movies, plays, television shows, or real life. What traits did Buck have
that allowed him to adapt to the north that they lacked?
Mercedes is like a greedy princess who wants everything for herself. Hal is like a the little burglar but is the leader and Charles is the tall one that follows along like in Home Alone. Buck had knowledge of the trail and knows how to create nests, find food and other things that can help his team of dogs move on.
4.) Why do you think London included these three characters in the book? What do they represent?
To represent bad owners in the book that don't know anything about the Yukon.
5.) Why did Buck refuse to rise and lead the team? What did he have that his masters lacked?
He did not rise and lead the team because he knew the ice was melting and if Hal, Charles and Mercedes drive over the ice they are most likely to fall through. Knowledge that it is turning from winter to spring so the ice is melting.
Vocabulary:
Salient - prominent "This belt was the most salient thing about him." (p. 68)
Callow - immature "It advertised his callowness - a callowness sheer and unutterable." (p. 68)
Chaffering - bargaining "Buck heard the chaffering, saw the money pass between the man and the Government agent, and knew that the Scotch half-breed and the mail-train drivers were passing out of his life on the heels of Perrault and François and the others who had gone before." (p. 68)
Apprehensively - fearful something might happen "Buck watched them apprehensively as they proceeded to take down the tent and load the sled." (p. 68)
Remonstrance - to say in protest "Mercedes continually fluttered in the way her men and kept up an unbroken chattering of remonstrance and advice." (p. 69)
Averred - to asset with confidence "She averred she would not go an inch, not even for a dozen Charleses." (p. 73)
Jaded - dulled by overindulgence "Four times he had covered the distance between Salt Water and Dawson, and the knowledge that, jaded and tired, he was facing the same trail once more, made him bitter." (p. 76)
Voracious - craving large quantities of food "The Outside dogs, whose digestions had not been trained by chronic famine to make the most of little, had voracious appetites." (p. 77)
Cajole - to persuade by promises And to cap it all, when Mercedes, with tears in her pretty eyes and a quaver in her throat, could not cajole him into giving the dogs still more, she stole from the fish-sacks and fed them slyly." (p. 77)
Innocuously - not harmful "With the dogs falling, Mercedes weeping and riding, Hal swearing innocuously, and Charles's eyes wistfully watering, they staggered into John Thornton's camp at the mouth of the White River." (p. 84)
Terse - neatly concise "He whittled and listened, gave monosyllabic replies, and, when it was asked, terse advice." (p. 84)
Salient - prominent "This belt was the most salient thing about him." (p. 68)
Callow - immature "It advertised his callowness - a callowness sheer and unutterable." (p. 68)
Chaffering - bargaining "Buck heard the chaffering, saw the money pass between the man and the Government agent, and knew that the Scotch half-breed and the mail-train drivers were passing out of his life on the heels of Perrault and François and the others who had gone before." (p. 68)
Apprehensively - fearful something might happen "Buck watched them apprehensively as they proceeded to take down the tent and load the sled." (p. 68)
Remonstrance - to say in protest "Mercedes continually fluttered in the way her men and kept up an unbroken chattering of remonstrance and advice." (p. 69)
Averred - to asset with confidence "She averred she would not go an inch, not even for a dozen Charleses." (p. 73)
Jaded - dulled by overindulgence "Four times he had covered the distance between Salt Water and Dawson, and the knowledge that, jaded and tired, he was facing the same trail once more, made him bitter." (p. 76)
Voracious - craving large quantities of food "The Outside dogs, whose digestions had not been trained by chronic famine to make the most of little, had voracious appetites." (p. 77)
Cajole - to persuade by promises And to cap it all, when Mercedes, with tears in her pretty eyes and a quaver in her throat, could not cajole him into giving the dogs still more, she stole from the fish-sacks and fed them slyly." (p. 77)
Innocuously - not harmful "With the dogs falling, Mercedes weeping and riding, Hal swearing innocuously, and Charles's eyes wistfully watering, they staggered into John Thornton's camp at the mouth of the White River." (p. 84)
Terse - neatly concise "He whittled and listened, gave monosyllabic replies, and, when it was asked, terse advice." (p. 84)
Activities: (choose one)
1.) Write a poem detailing what is feels like to be "dead tired."
2.) Draw a picture of Hal and Charles' camp based on the description in the text. Draw another picture of what you imagine Francois and Perrault's camp would have looked like. Explain what the manner in which the camps are kept tells about the people who own them.
3.) Write a journal entry about a time you didn't listen to someone with more experience than you. What happened? What did you learn?
My mom tells me to never procrastinate on my big projects but one time I didn't do this project until the final day. I remembered I had to do when it was about 6:00pm and it was a pretty big project. I ended up finishing it at 10:00pm and it was sloppy so now I try not to procrastinate on any project.
4.) Imagine you are one of Buck's owners: Francois, Perault, the Scotch half-breed, Hal, Charles, or Mercedes. Write a letter home to a friend telling about your experience in the Yukon. Be sure your letter reflects the personality of the character you have chosen.
5.) Write a dialogue between the Insiders and the Outsiders regarding their situations.
1.) Write a poem detailing what is feels like to be "dead tired."
2.) Draw a picture of Hal and Charles' camp based on the description in the text. Draw another picture of what you imagine Francois and Perrault's camp would have looked like. Explain what the manner in which the camps are kept tells about the people who own them.
3.) Write a journal entry about a time you didn't listen to someone with more experience than you. What happened? What did you learn?
My mom tells me to never procrastinate on my big projects but one time I didn't do this project until the final day. I remembered I had to do when it was about 6:00pm and it was a pretty big project. I ended up finishing it at 10:00pm and it was sloppy so now I try not to procrastinate on any project.
4.) Imagine you are one of Buck's owners: Francois, Perault, the Scotch half-breed, Hal, Charles, or Mercedes. Write a letter home to a friend telling about your experience in the Yukon. Be sure your letter reflects the personality of the character you have chosen.
5.) Write a dialogue between the Insiders and the Outsiders regarding their situations.