Call of the Wild and White Fang are two novels by Jack London that are almost exact opposites of each other. Call of the Wild is about a dog that ends up going wild, while White Fang is about a wolf that gets domesticated. I will review Call of the Wild here first because it seems almost like White Fang is its sequel.
Call of the Wild follows the life of a mixed-breed dog named Buck. He gets kidnapped from the comforts of a California mansion and sold to traders who take him up to Canada and then into the Alaskan gold rush. Buck experiences both good and bad masters as he learns to become a sled dog and master the hardships of the cold north. Eventually, he leaves man entirely to lead a wolf pack.
This novel is often on middle school reading lists, and rightfully so. Still, it is not a sweet animal story with a cute ending. If fact, it can deal with harsh life and death reality in shocking ways. The cruel deaths of some of the characters, both dogs and humans, can be tough on younger sensitive readers. This does not mean the book should be avoided, but parents and teachers should talk with younger readers about these harsh realities. Foolishness often leads to death. Weakness is often not protected. The book does not address whether this is right or wrong, fair or unfair. It just shows that these things happen.
For me, some of the realities of abuse, cruelty, and foolishness were more shocking as an adult than it was for me as a middle school reader. This also made the kindnesses and victories more impressive. This strong contrast is powerful in this novel, but it does not feel forced, unreal, or exaggerated for its setting.
Also, even though this is a book about animals, its plot structure follows a classic tragedy sequence of events. Buck’s transition to the wild is not a victory but the inevitable result of his maltreatment. I have found that some readers see his leading a wolf pack as a victory. In some ways, it is far better than his dying. Buck’s size, strength, will, and intelligence prevent him from the fate of other dogs, but all of these things are wasted in his wild fate. It was only in the goodness of his last master’s love did Buck fulfill his potential. It then seems appropriate that Buck would continue to mourn him.
I highly recommend this novel to readers of middle school age and up. Younger readers would find the content emotionally difficult, though that definitely depends on the child. The Call of the Wild is well-written, descriptive, captivating, and intellectually challenging. It is a classic children’s novel for a good reason.
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