The Call of the Wild

The Call of the Wild is a tale of instincts and wilderness, man and wild, work and loyalty. Written and published by Jack London in the early 1900s, the novel has become one of the pinnacles of American literature, as it details the sheer willpower and stamina at the heart of the country during the Klondike Gold Rush of the 1890s. The main character is a large dog named Buck who is stolen and sold to dog traders where he is forced to work during the madness that is the Gold Rush. As Buck becomes more acclimated to his working lifestyle in the wild north, he becomes more and more wild, asserting himself and overthrowing authority until he himself becomes the top dog.

After being mistreated by his many changing masters, Buck eventually meets his one true master, and they traverse the Canadian landscape together. As the two grow closer, Buck and his new master, Thornton, begin to understand that they have a close bond and that they have both saved each other to some extent. At the novel's close, Buck has become inseparable from the wilderness and finds his destiny in its vast opportunity.