E203-2 April, 2009 M Johnstone

Reading Notes – Chapter Three

Call of the Wild by Jack London
Chapter Three: The Dominant Primordial Beast

As their journey north proceeded, Buck

became stronger and wiser. Because of this
wisdom, he ignored Spitz’s bullying,
knowing that he wasn’t ready to fight Spitz.
This wisdom failed him when Spitz stole his
warm nest one especially frigid night. Buck
and Spitz were poised to fight to the death
when the camp was over-run by ravenous
wild dogs from a near-by Indian village. The
nine team dogs were all injured in the attack
and barely escaped with their lives after
fighting their way into the forest to hide.

With four miles left to Dawson City, the team

faced the hardest part of the trip in terrible
condition. During this period, Buck learned new respect for Perrault and François. Even though
they pushed the dogs to make time, they often put the dogs’ welfare before their own. Several
days into their nightmare journey, François saved Buck by killing Dolly, one of the team that
had caught hydrophobia (rabies) and chased Buck for miles trying to attack him. François again
saved Buck from Spitz’s attack after Buck collapsed in exhaustion following his escape from
Dolly.

The climax of the chapter comes when Buck and Spitz finally fight. Relying on fierceness and
cunning that came from all that he had learned in the north, as well as his reawakened instincts,
Buck killed Spitz as a ring of savage huskies looked on.

Focus

Make a list of the five main qualities that you think Buck shows in the course of this chapter.

Questions

1. Describe Spitz’s character using examples from the chapter to support your answer.
2. How do François and Perrault display their true natures in this chapter? Give specific
examples to support your answer.
3. How does Buck begin to undermine Spitz’s authority in this chapter? What were the effects
of Buck’s actions? What does this say about Buck’s transformation from a “southland dog?”
4. In the following quotation what does London mean by “the dominant primordial beast” ?
 Notes - Chapter Three, Call of the Wild

A pause seemed to fall. Every animal was motionless as though turned to stone.
Only Spitz quivered and bristled as he staggered back and forth, snarling with
horrible menace, as though to frighten off impending death. Then Buck sprang in
and out; but while he was in, shoulder had at last squarely met shoulder. The dark
circle became a dot on the moon-flooded snow as Spitz disappeared from view.
Buck stood and looked on, the successful champion, the dominant primordial beast
who had made his kill and found it good.

5. What traits have helped Buck thrive in his new world? Of them, which do you think is the
most important? Why?

Vocabulary

primordial (1): ancient, prehistoric mebbe (80): maybe

by Gar! (27): an exclamation of sacredam! (81): a French oath
surprise, probably a form of “By Dawson (86): a Canadian city in the
God!” western Yukon Territory, on the east
pandemonium (35): uproar; a noisy bank of the Yukon river. It grew very
and uncontrolled disturbance rapidly during the gold rush of the
skulking (36): moving in a stealthy 1890s
fashion; lurking. eddies (87): circular movements in
score (36): twenty water that cause small whirlpools.
Indian (37): native American cold snap (92): a sudden, short period
of very cold weather
grub-box (40): a box in which food
supplies are stored. rim ice (97): ice formed at the edge of
rivers, against the banks
capsized (41): turned over
singed (102): slightly burned
team-dogs (44): the group of dogs
used for pulling a sled. tendons (106): strong cords in the
body that join muscles to bone
malingerer (53): time waster; shirker
rove (109): threaded; woven
adversary (54): enemy; someone you
are fighting with compact (118): small and well-
proportioned.
jugular (55): a large vein in the neck
and throat pluck (157): courage, bravery
goaded (55): incourages; stimulated; break of camp (165): taking down
incited and packing up tents and supplies
when camping
grub (61): food supplies
pitch of camp (167): setting up tents
plight (69): a difficult or distressing
when camping
situation
shirks (172): ways of avoiding work
marauders (73): raiders, intruders;
difficult or dangerous people or prostrate (184): lying flat on the
animals looking for something to steal ground
or someone to kill. butt (184): the thick end of a handle
moose-hide moccasins (76): soft culprits (188): people accused or
shoes made from the skin of the North guilty of doing something wrong
American deer or moose.

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 Notes - Chapter Three, Call of the Wild

covert (189): hidden

jangling (191): quarrelling
ordained order of things (198): the
natural or destined way of things
nocturnal (203): occurring at night
aurora borealis (205): a luminous
atmospheric dislay, usually seen as
streamers of light in the sky. This
occurs in the extreme northern and
Artic regions.
snowshoe rabbit (246): a nocturnal
pall (206): heavy covering North American rabbit which is
minor key (207): based on a minor brown in summer, white in winter
musical scale and tending to produce wraith (253): ghost
an effect of sadness.
chemically propelled leaden pellets
travail (208): unpleasant, painful (256): this refers to bullets or shot
effort fired from guns.
plaint (210): a literary word meaning muzzle (259): the nose and mouth of
a complaint or a sad cry a dog
purposed (219): was determined, refusing quarter (264): refusing to
intended be merciful or forgiving.
through trim (220): in very good rampant (269): out of control
physical condition
creek (273): a small river or stream
insidious (225): sinister, dangerous,
but developing gradually without apex (278): climax or high point
being noticed footing (284): your position and how
placatingly (232): so as to calm down securely your feet are placed on the
ground
bristling (233): reacting angrily,
causing the short, stiff hair on an held his own (295): was able to resist
animal’s back to stand up someone who was attacking, or
opposing, him
bedlam (237): a great deal of noise
and disorder rend (298): tear; rip apart
small avail (240): of little use winded (311): out of breath
caught red handed (243): caught in lolling (320): handing down in a loose
the act of doing something wrong. and uncontrolled way
precipitate (244): start inexorable (323): unstoppable,
relentless
climes (324): a literary word meaning
climate
Adapted from From:
Cope, Jim & Cope, W, A Teacher’s Guide to the Signet Edition of the Call of the Wild (Pengin).
Carter, Ronald (ed), The Call of the Wild, Penguin Student Edition (Penguin, 1999).
Aurora Borealis Glow Wall Mural Painting by Frank Wilson (downloaded 7/4/2009
http://fineartamerica.com/featured/aurora-borealis-glow-wall-mural-frank-wilson.html)
Illustration of a snowshoe hare, Lepus americanus, (downloaded 7/4/2009
http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/hunting/news/story?page=g_enc_snowshoe_hare

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