Notes - Chapter Six, Call of the Wild

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

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 Notes - Chapter Six, Call of the Wild

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 Manila rope: rope made from strong
long, reddish-brown coat. fibre obtained from a tgree which
ministrations: help; care, especially grows in the Philippines.
the care of someone who is ill. mill-race: the current of water that
bloodhound: a breed of dog used for drives the mill wheel in a water-mill.
tracing and hunting because it has a in his extremity: in a condition of
very keen sense of smell. extreme danger or difficulty.
deerhound: a large, rough-haired snags: aged points.
breed of dog. knitted: the process of pieces of
akin: similar. broken bones mending and growing
transient: constantly changing, back together.
moving. totem-pole: a long wooden pole with
bespeak: suggest. symbols and pictures carved and
painted on it.
wiliness: craftiness; cunning;
cleverness. furnished: supplied.
lessoned: learned. Bonanza King: a light-hearted or
humourous title, possibly referring to
mandate: rule or law.
the region where the man mined for
savor: taste; flavor. gold.
peremptorily: in a way that is unable vaunt: boast; brag.
to be refused or denied.
bologna sausage: a large smoked
shades: spirit or ghosts. sausage made of beef, veal, and other
saw-mill: a factory where wood is meats.
sawn into planks or boards. bluff: an attempt to make someone
grub-staked: a grub-stake is believe that you will or are able to, do
equipment and supplies given to a something when you do not intend, or
business venture in exchange for a are unable, to do it.
share of the resulting profits. Mastodon King: same as Bonanza
head-waters: streams flowing from King.
the sources of a river. plethoric: over-full.
hankering: desiring; wanting. quibble: a slight disagreement.
apprehensions: fears. clamor: the loud noise made by a
tenderfoot: someone who is group of people shouting or talking
inexperienced; a novice. together.
snubbing: controlling the movement grit: strength of character;
of a boat by using a rope wound round determination and courage.
fixed posts or trees. Gad, sir: an old-fashioned expression
of surprise.
conjuration: a magic spell.

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 Notes - Chapter Six, Call of the Wild

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).

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