The call of the wild
Jack London
Contains spoilers for the entire book.
Discussion topics
Topic 01 of 08
Taken from home
How does Buck's life change when he is stolen from Judge Miller's estate?
Keep the conversation going
- What did you make of 'the law of club and fang'?
- Was Buck's old life truly happy?
There is no single right answer. Bring your own reading.
Discussion topics
How does Buck's life change when he is stolen from Judge Miller's estate?
Keep the conversation going
- What did you make of 'the law of club and fang'?
- Was Buck's old life truly happy?
What does Buck learn from the man with the club?
Keep the conversation going
- Is that lesson one of defeat or of survival?
- How does it shape the dog he becomes?
What does the struggle between Buck and Spitz show about power in the pack?
Keep the conversation going
- Why does Buck want to lead?
- How did you feel about the fight that settles it?
What does the trail teach Buck about work and the pack?
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- What did you make of Dave insisting on staying in the traces?
- How do the different drivers treat their dogs?
Why do Hal, Charles and Mercedes fail so badly in the North?
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- Who do you blame for what happens to the team?
- What does John Thornton see that they don't?
What does Buck's love for John Thornton mean to him?
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- How is that love different from his loyalty to earlier masters?
- Which of Buck's feats for Thornton stayed with you?
What is the call that Buck keeps hearing from the forest?
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- Why does Buck feel ancestral memories?
- Is answering it freedom or loss?
How did you feel about Buck's choice to go wild after Thornton's death?
Keep the conversation going
- Is the ending a triumph or a tragedy?
- What does the story say about nature and civilisation?
There is no single right answer. Bring your own reading.