What is the evidence of naturalism in Jack London's The Call of the Wild?

Answer 1

Jack London uses literary naturalism in writing Call of the Wild. Literary naturalism is the belief that when humans return to their natural, primitive state in nature, they will regain their natural instincts and become wild. In simpler terms, if humans go back to the wild, they become wild.

The character Buck is taken out of the domestication, pampered, house pet life of Judge Miller's estate and forced to work as a sled dog for Francios and Perrault. He meets a dog named Spitz who has great pride in being the lead dog status. He becomes wild and uses survival of the fittest and social Darwinism. Those are, in simplest terms, "eat or be eaten."

Buck also becomes wild when he leaves the custody of John Thornton, the only man he ever loved in his lifetime. Thornton rescues Buck from the greedy, inexperienced Hal, Charles, and Mercedes. Buck and Thornton create a loving bond with each other.

But buck hears the trees and wild physically calling him, urging him into the wild. He finally leaves John Thornton for the wild where he remains for a few weeks. But the most influential factor in Buck's naturalism is when he returns after those few weeks in the wild.

Buck comes back to find the Yeehat tribe dancing on the dead bodies of Thornton and his men. In anger, Buck kills a few Yeehats and the rest run off. The Yeehats forever speak of an "Evil Spirit" of Buck long after Buck is dead.

In conclusion, at the end of the book, Buck enters the wild to maintain balance and make the law; he uses survival of the fittest and the law of club and fang in the wild until he dies. London displays literary naturalism throughout the entire description of the character Buck.