The Call of the Wild

The Call of the Wild is a novel by American author Jack London published in 1903. The story takes place in the Alaskan Yukon at the time of the 19th-century Klondike Gold Rush when strong sled dogs were in high demand. A dog named Buck is the central character, who at the beginning of the story is domesticated, but when he is snatched from a ranch in California and sold into the brutal life of an Alaskan sled dog he reverts to more atavistic traits. Buck is forced to adjust and survive the cruel treatment, fight to dominate other dogs, and survive in a harsh climate. Eventually he sheds the veneer of civilization, relies on primordial instincts and the lessons he has learned, to become a leader in the wild.London lived for most of a year in the Yukon and gained from that experience material for the book. The story was serialized in the Saturday Evening Post in the summer of 1903 and released a month later in book form. The great popularity and success of the story made a reputation for London, with much of the story’s appeal based on the simplicity with which he presented the themes in an almost mythical manner. As early as 1908 the story was adapted to film and has seen several more cinematic adaptations since that time.