Introduction

        Individualism emphasizes the importance of human individuals in contrast to the social wholes, such as families, classes or societies to which they belong (Rubens, 2001). It tends to subject an individual to social realization. An individual may know, perhaps, what he should do or what he is obliged to do. This concept spread throughout nations influencing great minds such as Jack London as shown in his works.

        The novel Call of the Wild presents the embodiment of Jack London in Buck asserting individualism as the only escape from social capitalism and materialism. He presents this assertion through symbols, figures of speech and a strong focus on the plot.

        The novel is about a dog named Buck, half St. Bernard and half Scotch Shepherd, who lives most of his life in a cozy farm owned by Judge Miller. He is the king and the top-dog of the farm being the Judge's most reliable companion. He meets Manuel, the Judge's gardener who sells him in payment of Manuel's debt from Chinese lottery. Not used to such a harsh condition and treatment, he battles up for freedom. Yet he is still a dog and a man is a man. In search for gold in Klondike, two men namely Francois and Perrault buy him, seeing that he is not just an ordinary dog. Buck then dwells into the fierce toil and trace only finding savagery around and within him. He meets John Thornton, whom he considered his savior. Just by the time he felt secured, Thornton dies being attacked by the barbarous Yeehats. The urge then came to Buck and finally he answers the call of the wild, being free from the selfish civilized world of humans.  

Individualism as the only escape from social capitalism and materialism

        During the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, the United States has faced political unrest and economic instability (Valmayor, 2001). Primarily, this was a result of America’s mismanagement and improper distribution of rights. It was during this time when London experienced poverty, experiencing the abyss of the poor. It was also during this time when he wrote the Call of the Wild, developing an atmosphere of individualism in his novel.

        Symbols. The novel presents certain allegories which illustrates London’s struggle for dominance and freedom from laws and social bondage. Buck being the protagonist plays the major role towards this assertion. Buck is no different from London nor is London different from Buck for Buck is London portrayed in the story. According to Rothberg (2001), “In Buck, London endows all of the cunning and savageness that he feels not only in animals, but in human beings as well.” This statement was further supported by Buck’s transformation throughout the flow of the story. Buck, at first, was a pampered-dog living at Santa Clara Valley, on Judge Miller’s property. He was even considered the center-dog or the king during that time when he can do anything he pleases and go wherever he wants to go. During 1876, London, same as Buck, lived in a somehow well-to-do life. Though he was just an illegitimate child, he was still given the privilege to get what he desires and acquire all his needs (Rothberg, 2001). Paralleling London’s before-life, Buck had lost his father before he could actually stand on his feet. Moreover, Buck like London has been forced to leave his pampered life and dwell into the primeval.

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        One might question the vividness of London’s work on the description of the trail towards Klondike. The bitterness of cold and the chills caught from snow were both deeply felt. These were all fruits of London’s experiences upon searching gold at Klondike (Jacobs, 1997). Buck was also subjected to the same kind of trail – the harshness of the weather, the fierceness of cold and the savagery of hunger. From the essay written by Hugens (1998), he said:

Buck was bad at first, but eventually, he learned the way of trace and trail. Buck had to learn many things if ...

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