Question

[B]ehind him were the shades of all manner of dog, half-wolves and wild wolves, urgent and prompting. . . . Deep in the forest a call was sounding, . . . mysteriously thrilling and luring, he felt compelled to turn his back upon the fire . . . and to plunge into the forest, and on and on, he knew not where or why. . . . [A]s often as he gained the soft unbroken earth and the green shade, the love for John Thornton drew him back to the fire again.
—The Call of the Wild,
Jack London



Read the passage to visualize the scene. Write a paragraph describing what you visualize and conclude about Buck. Thanks.

Answer 1

I imagined Buck between the edge of the forest and a campfire. In my head I could imagine the sound of the dogs and the mysterious call. I could picture Buck running through the green forest and then returning to Thornton. Buck seems like he is torn between two worlds.

Answer 2

Buck is confused and perplexed by the two options that lay before him: to leave his beloved master and join the pack of wolves and wild dogs that are his kin, or to stay with his master and keep protecting him. He is torn between loyalty and his true nature of an inherently wild creature that can't be restrained, even by a loved person. The wilderness awakens within him, and he can't ignore this call.