Chapter 7: Sounding of the Call
Discussion Questions:
1.) London describes Buck's dreams of the primitive man: "The salient thing of this other world seemed fear." What does he mean by this? Why would that be true? Why isn't Thornton's world filled with fear?
He means that he is noticeable in the wild world but not in the world of technology and that he is feared in the wild but not in the world of technology. This would be true because he dreams of a primitive man and not a technological man. His world isn't filled with fear because he knows how to survive in the wild.
2.) Why is Buck intent on befriending the wolf? What makes him break off their travels and return to camp? What does this say about Buck's place in the world?
He wants to befriend the wolf because he wants to see how wolfs live in the wild. He breaks off from their travels because Buck loves John Thornton and has to go back to him. He wants to become a wild wolf but his love for John Thornton pulls him back to camp with him.
3.) What does Buck's fight with the bear and the moose display about his embrace of the call? Why do you think London included them in the story? What predictions can you make about Buck's future?
It displays that he is willing to answer the call of the wild by killing beasts bigger than him. London included them because he wanted to show Buck's strength before he finds out the team is dead. I can predict that Buck will become a dominant leader over the all the wild animals in the Yukon.
4.) What does Buck learn from his slaughter of the Yeehats? Does this make his answering of the call harder or easier? Explain.
He learns that he is a wild beast and not a domesticated dog anymore. This makes his call much easier since he has no owner he can become a beast of the wild.
5.) Does the book have a happy or sad ending? Explain your answer. What do you think London would say?
This book has a happy ending because he finds a new wolf pack to be a leader of but it is also a bad ending because Thornton dies when the Yeehat Indians attack the camp while Buck was out in the woods.
1.) London describes Buck's dreams of the primitive man: "The salient thing of this other world seemed fear." What does he mean by this? Why would that be true? Why isn't Thornton's world filled with fear?
He means that he is noticeable in the wild world but not in the world of technology and that he is feared in the wild but not in the world of technology. This would be true because he dreams of a primitive man and not a technological man. His world isn't filled with fear because he knows how to survive in the wild.
2.) Why is Buck intent on befriending the wolf? What makes him break off their travels and return to camp? What does this say about Buck's place in the world?
He wants to befriend the wolf because he wants to see how wolfs live in the wild. He breaks off from their travels because Buck loves John Thornton and has to go back to him. He wants to become a wild wolf but his love for John Thornton pulls him back to camp with him.
3.) What does Buck's fight with the bear and the moose display about his embrace of the call? Why do you think London included them in the story? What predictions can you make about Buck's future?
It displays that he is willing to answer the call of the wild by killing beasts bigger than him. London included them because he wanted to show Buck's strength before he finds out the team is dead. I can predict that Buck will become a dominant leader over the all the wild animals in the Yukon.
4.) What does Buck learn from his slaughter of the Yeehats? Does this make his answering of the call harder or easier? Explain.
He learns that he is a wild beast and not a domesticated dog anymore. This makes his call much easier since he has no owner he can become a beast of the wild.
5.) Does the book have a happy or sad ending? Explain your answer. What do you think London would say?
This book has a happy ending because he finds a new wolf pack to be a leader of but it is also a bad ending because Thornton dies when the Yeehat Indians attack the camp while Buck was out in the woods.
Vocabulary:
Ramshackle - loosely made "From the beginning there had been an ancient and ramshackle cabin." (p. 169)
Formidable - causing fear "“His cunning was wolf cunning, and wild cunning; his intelligence, shepherd intelligence and St. Bernard intelligence; and all this, plus an experience gained in the fiercest of schools, made him as formidable a creature as any that roamed the wild.” (p. 186)
Sequential - following “In point of fact the three actions of perceiving, determining, and responding were sequential;” (p. 187)
Simultaneous - occurring at the same time "“but so infinitesimal were the intervals of time between them that they appeared simultaneous.” (p. 187)
Calamity: a misfortune or disaster “He was oppressed with a sense of calamity happening, if it were not calamity already happened” (p. 196)
Discomfited - confused “And so well did he face it, that at the end of half an hour the wolves drew back discomfited.” (p. 204)
Muses - to think in silence "and here he muses for a time, howling at once, long and mournfully, ere he departs." (p. 207)
Ramshackle - loosely made "From the beginning there had been an ancient and ramshackle cabin." (p. 169)
Formidable - causing fear "“His cunning was wolf cunning, and wild cunning; his intelligence, shepherd intelligence and St. Bernard intelligence; and all this, plus an experience gained in the fiercest of schools, made him as formidable a creature as any that roamed the wild.” (p. 186)
Sequential - following “In point of fact the three actions of perceiving, determining, and responding were sequential;” (p. 187)
Simultaneous - occurring at the same time "“but so infinitesimal were the intervals of time between them that they appeared simultaneous.” (p. 187)
Calamity: a misfortune or disaster “He was oppressed with a sense of calamity happening, if it were not calamity already happened” (p. 196)
Discomfited - confused “And so well did he face it, that at the end of half an hour the wolves drew back discomfited.” (p. 204)
Muses - to think in silence "and here he muses for a time, howling at once, long and mournfully, ere he departs." (p. 207)
Activities: (choose one)
1.) Collect all of the episodes of Buck's dreams of the "hairy man". Create your own diorama, visualization, cartoon, etc. of these episodes that shows how the wildness of man relates to the wildness of beasts.
2.) Write a description of the calling you hear in your own life. When do you hear it? How does it speak to you? What senses (sounds, smells, tastes, feelings, sights) do you connect to your call? How is that call different from the life you are living right now?
I hear a calling when I am sleeping and it speaks to me through my thoughts at night. I hear the call in my head so I use my head to listen to the call. The call is different from the life I am living now because the call is telling me to get good grades and get into a good college but right now my grades aren't good as I need them to be to get into a good college.
3.) Create a collage showing the conflict between the allure of the wild and Buck's adoration for John Thornton.
4.) Create your own "song of the pack" based on what you know about Buck's new wolf brothers.
1.) Collect all of the episodes of Buck's dreams of the "hairy man". Create your own diorama, visualization, cartoon, etc. of these episodes that shows how the wildness of man relates to the wildness of beasts.
2.) Write a description of the calling you hear in your own life. When do you hear it? How does it speak to you? What senses (sounds, smells, tastes, feelings, sights) do you connect to your call? How is that call different from the life you are living right now?
I hear a calling when I am sleeping and it speaks to me through my thoughts at night. I hear the call in my head so I use my head to listen to the call. The call is different from the life I am living now because the call is telling me to get good grades and get into a good college but right now my grades aren't good as I need them to be to get into a good college.
3.) Create a collage showing the conflict between the allure of the wild and Buck's adoration for John Thornton.
4.) Create your own "song of the pack" based on what you know about Buck's new wolf brothers.