Notes - Chapter Six, Call of the Wild

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Reading Notes – Chapter Six

Call of the Wild by Jack London

Chapter Six: For the Love of a Man

Under Thornton’s loving care, Buck regained his strength.

For the first time in his life, Buck experienced “love, genuine

passionate love.” Buck more than rewarded Thornton’s care

by saving his life on several occasions. The first came in

Circle City when “Black” Burton attacked Thornton. Buck

nearly killed Burton and was saved from death when the

local jury ruled that he was only defending his master. The

second time came when Thornton was thrown overboard into

treacherous rapids. Thornton’s partners, Pete and Hans, tied a

rope around Buck and he swam to Thornton who was then

pulled to safety with his arms wrapped tightly around Buck’s

neck. The last incident happened that winter in Dawson.

Thornton foolishly bet all of his and his friends’ money that

Buck could break from the ice and pull a sled carrying a

thousand pounds for a hundred yards. With his love for

Thornton driving him, Buck was able to complete this

seemingly impossible task.

Focus

As you read this chapter, do you think Buck will win the bet for John Thornton? If so, why? If

not, why not.

Questions

1. How did Buck’s relationship with John Thornton differ from his relationships with his previous

masters? How does London illustrate Buck’s intense feelings for Thornton? How is this in

keeping with his new, more primitive self? How does Buck balance his love for Thornton with

his more primitive self?

2. What does London mean by the following quotation:

“He was older than the days he had seen and the breaths he had drawn.”

3. How does Buck’s love for Thornton compare to Dave’s love of toiling in the traces?

4. Explain the meaning of the following quotation:

[Each] day mankind and the claims of mankind slipped farther from him. Deep in

the forest a call was sounding, and as often as he heard this call, mysteriously

Notes - Chapter Six, Call of the Wild

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thrilling and luring, he felt compelled to turn his back upon the fire, and to plunge

into the forest … But as often as he gained the soft unbroken earth and the green

shade, the love of John Thornton drew him back to the fire again.

Vocabulary

Irish Setter: a breed of dog with a

long, reddish-brown coat.

ministrations: help; care, especially

the care of someone who is ill.

bloodhound: a breed of dog used for

tracing and hunting because it has a

very keen sense of smell.

deerhound: a large, rough-haired

breed of dog.

akin: similar.

transient: constantly changing,

moving.

bespeak: suggest.

wiliness: craftiness; cunning;

cleverness.

lessoned: learned.

mandate: rule or law.

savor: taste; flavor.

peremptorily: in a way that is unable

to be refused or denied.

shades: spirit or ghosts.

saw-mill: a factory where wood is

sawn into planks or boards.

grub-staked: a grub-stake is

equipment and supplies given to a

business venture in exchange for a

share of the resulting profits.

head-waters: streams flowing from

the sources of a river.

hankering: desiring; wanting.

apprehensions: fears.

tenderfoot: someone who is

inexperienced; a novice.

snubbing: controlling the movement

of a boat by using a rope wound round

fixed posts or trees.

Manila rope: rope made from strong

fibre obtained from a tgree which

grows in the Philippines.

mill-race: the current of water that

drives the mill wheel in a water-mill.

in his extremity: in a condition of

extreme danger or difficulty.

snags: aged points.

knitted: the process of pieces of

broken bones mending and growing

back together.

totem-pole: a long wooden pole with

symbols and pictures carved and

painted on it.

furnished: supplied.

Bonanza King: a light-hearted or

humourous title, possibly referring to

the region where the man mined for

gold.

vaunt: boast; brag.

bologna sausage: a large smoked

sausage made of beef, veal, and other

meats.

bluff: an attempt to make someone

believe that you will or are able to, do

something when you do not intend, or

are unable, to do it.

Mastodon King: same as Bonanza

King.

plethoric: over-full.

quibble: a slight disagreement.

clamor: the loud noise made by a

group of people shouting or talking

together.

grit: strength of character;

determination and courage.

Gad, sir: an old-fashioned expression

of surprise.

conjuration: a magic spell.

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gee: a word used to urge the dog to

turn right.

haw: a word used to urge the dog to

turn left.

Adapted from From:

Cope, Jim & Cope, W, A Teacher’s Guide to the Signet Edition of the Call of the Wild (Pengin).

Carter, Ronald (ed), The Call of the Wild, Penguin Student Edition (Penguin, 1999).