In this video I’ll summarize the plot of The Call of the Wild in about 4 minutes and give you an analysis of the story. Okay, let’s get started with the introduction.
1. Buck’s Life in Civilization
The story begins in California, where Buck, a large and powerful St. Bernard-Scotch Collie mix, lives a comfortable life on Judge Miller’s estate. He is well-fed, respected, and unaware of the harsh realities of the world beyond his home. However, the discovery of gold in the Yukon has created a high demand for strong sled dogs, and Buck is stolen by a greedy gardener’s assistant who sells him to dog traders.
Buck is transported north, where he experiences cruelty for the first time. He is beaten into submission by a man with a club, learning the brutal lesson that strength and dominance determine survival. His journey from a pampered pet to a working dog has begun.
2. The Law of the Wild
Buck is sold to a pair of French-Canadian mail carriers, Perrault and François, who train him as part of a sled dog team. In the harsh conditions of the Yukon, Buck quickly learns the “law of club and fang”—only the strongest survive. He faces challenges from other dogs, particularly the lead dog, Spitz, who sees Buck as a threat. Through determination and growing instincts, Buck defeats Spitz in a brutal fight and claims leadership of the team.
Under Buck’s command, the sled dogs perform better than ever, but their time with Perrault and François ends when they are sold to new owners. Buck’s transformation from a domesticated pet to a wild survivor continues.
3. Mistreatment and Near Death
Buck and the sled team are eventually sold to inexperienced prospectors, Hal, Charles, and Mercedes. These owners are unprepared for the hardships of the Yukon, overloading their sled, mistreating the dogs, and failing to ration food properly. As conditions worsen, many of the dogs perish from exhaustion and starvation.
Buck refuses to continue when they try to force him onto thin ice. His instincts save him, as the sled and its owners soon fall through the ice and disappear. Buck would have died had it not been for a kind-hearted prospector named John Thornton, who cuts him free and nurses him back to health.
4. Buck and John Thornton
For the first time since leaving Judge Miller’s estate, Buck experiences kindness. John Thornton treats him with love and respect, and Buck forms a deep bond with his new master. He proves his loyalty by saving Thornton’s life multiple times, including pulling a heavy sled in a bet that earns Thornton a large sum of money.
Despite his love for Thornton, Buck begins to feel a growing call to the wild. He spends more time in the forest, hunting and interacting with a wild wolf pack, but always returns to Thornton. His internal struggle between loyalty to his master and his instinct to return to nature intensifies.
5. The Final Transformation
Tragedy strikes when Thornton and his camp are attacked and killed by a group of Native Americans. Buck, returning from the forest, finds his beloved master dead. Overcome with grief and rage, he avenges Thornton by attacking the assailants, killing several before they flee.
With nothing left tying him to civilization, Buck fully embraces his wild nature. He joins a wolf pack, where he becomes a legendary figure known as the “Ghost Dog,” feared and respected by both wolves and humans. Answering the call of the wild at last, Buck leaves behind his past life and becomes one with nature.
Theme 1: Survival and Instinct
One of the central themes of The Call of the Wild is survival through adaptation. Buck transforms from a pampered house dog into a fierce, independent creature, guided by his instincts. Through his experiences in the brutal Yukon, he learns that survival depends on strength, intelligence, and an ability to adapt to changing conditions. His journey represents the power of nature in shaping one’s destiny.
Theme 2: Civilization vs the Wild
Buck’s story highlights the tension between civilization and the wild. He begins his life in comfort but is forced to confront his primal instincts in the unforgiving wilderness. While John Thornton offers him a temporary return to human companionship, Buck ultimately chooses the call of the wild, embracing his true nature. The novel suggests that civilization is fragile and that the wild, though harsh, offers a more authentic existence for those who are strong enough to embrace it.