About 'master in politics'|A master class in politics: Bill Clinton
"There is an ecstasy that marks the summit of life, and beyond which life cannot rise... This ecstasy, this forgetfulness of living, comes to the artist, caught up and out of himself in a sheet of flame; it comes to the soldier, war-mad on a stricken field and refusing quarter; and it came to Buck, leading the pack, sounding the old wolf cry, straining after the food that was alive and that fled swiftly before him through the moonlight" (London 62). This famous excerpt from The Call of the Wild by Jack London reveals that the joy of living comes about through the loss of self-awareness. Though London has long been praised for his storytelling ability, far too often he is disparaged for his so-called indecisiveness. However, though London had eclectic beliefs, the above passage makes it clear that he believed that the same type of ecstasy occurs for all people in every kind of setting. With this passage and others like it in The Call of the Wild, London reveals that despite the many differences between nature and civilization, these two settings have many similarities as well. London drew inspiration for this novel from the wide variety of experiences that he had throughout his short life. He grew up in San Francisco, but at the age of fifteen he started to expand his horizons by traveling the world by ship. At this point he became a Socialist, developed a dislike for capitalism, and chose to fully support Darwin's theories; all of these decisions strongly influenced his writing. When he was twenty-one, he went to Alaska to take part in the Klondike Gold Rush, and his life was changed forever. The wilderness of the North captured his imagination, and for the rest of his life the majority of his works involved the North and the balance between civilization and nature. He formed complex, conflicted ideas on nearly everything, including politics, and incorporated these opinions into his writing. The wide range of convictions that London portrays in The Call of the Wild has led critics to animatedly discuss what he truly believed. Some critics, such as Gordon Mills, assume that he was "both insincere and confused" (336) about his own opinions. Many of these critics think that his indecisiveness makes his various themes weaker and less influential than they could have been had he focused on one alone. For example, while London's novel suggests the similarities between nature and civilization, it also reveals the differences between the two. Critics of The Call of the Wild often focus on the latter theme and believe that "the myth of Buck, the great dog, is an embodiment of the American dream of escaping from the entangling complexity of modern living back to a state as unencumbered as the sled that Buck pulls" (Benoit 246). Other critics point out London's inability to decide "whether nature was a source of virtue...or an arena of unmitigated savagery" (Mills 336). On the other hand, George Orwell, a literary giant in his own right, understood that if London had been more consistent "he would probably have left behind nothing of interest" (qtd. in Berliner 74). London's many views allow his novels to present several unique ideas at once, forcing his readers to think for themselves and choose what they believe. Earl Labor sums this up quite well when he states that "a close reading of London's works reveals neither his confusion nor his lack of sincerity so much as his remarkable tact in handling complex symbolic patterns" (149). Thus, despite London's often conflicting ideals, it is clear to observant readers that many similarities exist between nature and civilization in The Call of the Wild. London makes it obvious that in both environments, being part of a structured society is absolutely vital for survival. In civilization, society is necessary to form relationships, obtain jobs, and find food and shelter. In the harsh environment of the north, wolves, sled dogs, and humans are only able to survive if they work in groups; society is imperative for life. Indications of this knowledge can be seen throughout The Call of the Wild, such as when Spitz attacks Buck. Francois quickly punishes Spitz for this infraction because by attempting to kill one of the team members, he is threatening the lives of the rest of the team as well. After Buck attacks the acknowledged leader of the sled team he is also punished, because without a leader the dog team cannot be driven. When Buck further attempts to become leader he destroys the solidarity of the team, making it more difficult for the team to reach the next town before their food gives out. By refusing to keep to the established system of society, the dogs are risking their lives and the lives of all those around them. This is one reason why Buck's masters are relieved when he finally kills Spitz. From the moment Spitz and Buck met, Spitz continually tried to kill Buck; he worked for his own gains rather than for the good of the team. Because he did not do as society commanded he was a liability, and he died because of his refusal to conform. By the last page of the novel, Buck has joined a new society by becoming the leader of a wolf pack, and he asserts his leadership by guiding the wolves in their song. The similarities between the societies of civilization and the North are shown most blatantly shortly after Buck arrives in Dawson. At that point the narrator states, "It seemed the ordained order of things that dogs should work...[they] did all manner of work that horses did in the Santa Clara Valley" (London 57). This excerpt shows that though civilization and nature are two very different environments, the societies of both operate in very similar ways. The fact that there is structured society in both environments means that in both there are also laws that must be followed. However, while there are many rules in society, there are only a few rules that are enforced in the wild, all centered around one: the law of club and fang. This "primitive law" (London 17) is mentioned over and over again in The Call of the Wild; Buck first understands it when the man in the red sweater beats him, and the lesson is brought home to him again when Curly is torn to pieces by the huskies. At that point he realizes that in the North there is "...no fair play. Once down, that was the end of you. Well, he would see to it that he never went down" (London 27). By the time that he steals a chunk of bacon, Buck has learned that it is better to survive than to do what is moral. As time goes on he learns to fully embrace the law of club and fang, and he insists upon obedience to it. After finally managing to kill his long-time enemy, Spitz, Buck expects to become leader of the dog sled team. According to the laws that he has come to live by, "it was his by right. He had earned it, and he would not be content with less" (London 73). Eventually he is given the coveted position and proves for a second time that he is better than Spitz at keeping and enforcing the law. Later on, after struggling through many days of travel with Mercedes, Charles, and Hal, Buck decides that death would be better than continuing to live such a terrible life. He breaks the treaty he had made with nature by deciding to disobey his masters; because he breaks the law, nature gives him the death penalty. John Thornton rescues him from that fate, and in return Buck kills the Yeehat Indians who eventually murder his new master. In doing this, Buck is obeying the law of club and fang. These instances show clearly that the North is not lawless; it simply has a "more fundamental and primitive code" (London 38) than civilization does. Neither nature nor civilization allows chaos to occur; both have guiding forces that enforce their laws and control those who live under their influence. Civilization has the government and other forms of authority, while the North has nature itself as its guide. During the scene with the man with the red sweater, Buck is at an in-between stage: he is no longer a part of civilization, but he has not yet arrived to the North. It is at that point that he recognizes that he is no longer in control, and that a man with a club is the lawgiver. When Buck arrives in the North, Dave, Sol-leks, and Francois are the first ones to teach him about the importance of following the system for the sake of survival. With their help Buck learns this lesson with speed, and it serves him well in the days to come. He also quickly learns that in the wilderness "the stern, terrible god of the White Silence," nature, "is present to punish and correct those who violate his code" (Labor 151). When Buck becomes leader of the sled team, he starts to take on this aspect of nature as he strives to control the other dogs. In The Call of the Wild the narrator states, "at a bound Buck took up the duties of leadership...it was in giving the law and making his mates live up to it that Buck excelled" (London 75). When Mercedes, Hal, and Charles come to the North, it is obvious to everybody who sees them that they are not at all prepared to face the tribulations of the wild. They know nothing about what supplies or types of food they need, and they never realize that in the North the only things that are important are the things that are essential for survival. Because of their mistakes and their refusal to admit that they know nothing, they and their dog sled team break through the river ice and drown (London 114). It is a well-known fact that in order to survive, one must be able to adapt to new circumstances; this is equally true in nature and in the civilized world. Buck's excellent ability to adapt is summed up in The Call of the Wild by the statements that he was able to "adjust himself to changing conditions" (37) and that "unconsciously he accommodated himself to the new mode of life" (38). When Buck is first stolen, he is furious and ready to attack anyone who gets in his way. When he is beaten by the man in the red sweater, however, he adapts: unlike the dog that would "neither conciliate nor obey" (London 17), he stops fighting when he learns that he cannot win against a man with a club. For the first time, he accepts a position of inferiority, because he grasps that this is the only way to survive. He still desires mastery, but "all blind pluck and rashness" (London 54) has been taken out of him and has been replaced with cunning. Shortly after this Buck is taught to pull a sled full of firewood; though this upsets him Buck is "too wise to rebel" (London 28), and gradually he comes to accept his new role. This is a drastic change from the old Buck of the Southlands, who was proud to rule over the "great domain" (London 4) of Judge Miller's home. Buck shows further adaptation when he steals a chunk of bacon; because he has come to recognize that "the moral code of the Southland is the opposite of the law of club and fang of the North" (Pease 27), he steals food to live. On the other hand, Mercedes, Hal, and Charles never learn to adapt. Even when they finally give up their dishes and clothes, they still decline to give up unnecessary items such as the tent. They do not listen to the advice of the people they meet, and they refuse to understand that the dogs need rest. Because they do not adapt to northern ways, they sentence themselves to death. By the end of the novel, Buck has adapted completely to the ways of the North; he has been totally transformed from a loyal guardian and friend in the Southlands to a fierce and wild creature in the North. Although many critics see London as confused, and others believe that he only stresses the differences between civilization and nature, a careful reader will draw the exact opposite conclusion. Kate Stille was right on the mark when she wrote that The Call of the Wild makes its readers "groan in desperate resistance to the savage that is not worlds away, nor in ancestors dead and buried centuries ago, but within us" (qtd. in Nuernberg 99). London teaches that, while the wild and civilization are different in many ways, the two settings subtly reflect each other in more way than one. It is simple to see the similarity between nature and civilization in The Call of the Wild through the lenses of society, law, societal control, and adaptation. Works Cited Benoit, Raymond. "Jack London's The Call of the Wild." American Quarterly 20.2 (1968): 246-248. Web. 13 Apr. 2010. Berliner, Jonathon. "Jack London's Socialistic Social Darwinism." American Literary Realism 41.1 (2008): 52-78. Web. 15 April 2010. Labor, Earle. "Jack London's Symbolic Wilderness: Four Versions." Nineteenth-Century Fiction 17.2 (1962): 149-161. Web. 12 April 2010. London, Jack. The Call of the Wild. New York: Scholastic Inc., 1963. Print. Mills, Gordon. "The Symbolic Wilderness: James Fenimore Cooper and Jack London." Nineteenth-Century Fiction 13.4 (1959): 329-340. Web. 15 April 2010. Nuernberg, Susan M. "Review: 'Give Us Savage and Naked Fury:' Jack London and The Call of the Wild." The English Journal 85.5 (1996): 98-100. Web. 15 April 2010. Pease, Donald E. "Psychoanalyzing the Narrative Logics of Naturalism: The Call of the Wild." Journal of Modern Literature 25.3 (2002): 14-39. Web. 13 April 2010. Reesman, Jeanne Campbell and Arnold Krupat. "Jack London." The Norton Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Nina Baym. 7th ed. Vol. C. New York: Norton, 2007: 1051-1052. Print. |
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