At present, there are few studies which study the humans in this novel, and put the humanity and the wildness embodied in human beings and the wildness and the humanity embodied in wild animals together。 Therefore, the author endeavors to carry out research on this topic。 So in this thesis, the author will have a research on Buck and other dogs, and find out the wildness and the humanity embodied in them; then the author will have a research on the human beings in this novel, and find out the humanity and the wildness embodied in them。 At last, the author will combine the research with reality to analyze the theme of the novel and have a realistic thinking。

2。 The wildness and humanity in The Call of the Wild

At the very beginning of the novel, Jack London uses a poem: “Old longings nomadic leap, Chafing at custom's chain; Again from its brumal sleep Wakens the ferine strain。” (London, 1992: 1) This poem seems to show the main content of the novel - Buck’s return to the wild, both physically and mentally。 However, in The Call of the Wild, dogs are not only simple dogs。 They are reflections of human beings。 Maybe we can analyze this poem in this way: wildness exists deeply in everyone’s heart。 Once it’s the time, the wildness will break out。 Even if a person who have received good education, the wildness will show up on some occasions。 Meanwhile, animals also have some qualities that human has。 In this novel, we can see the wildness and the humanity both embodied in wild animals and human beings。 So the wildness and humanity embodied in wild animals and human beings will be analyzed in this part。论文网

2。1 The wildness and the humanity embodied in wild animals

2。1。1 Cruelty

Cruelty is usually thought a part of wildness。 In this novel, there are many plots which show cruelty。 Buck was suddenly jerked from the heart of civilization and flung into the heart of things primordial。 And in this place, Buck saw that dogs fight as wolves for the first time, and this taught him an unforgettable lesson。 Curly was a very friendly dog, but other dogs thought her kindness was a kind of weakness and incompetence。 When Curly was fighting with a husky dog, a group of huskies ran to the spot and surrounded them in an intent and silent circle, licking their chops。 As soon as Curly was knocked down by the husky dog, the dogs surrounded closed in upon her, snarling and yelping, tearing her into pieces。 There is another similar case, but this time Buck is the protagonist。 Buck had a fight with Spitz, and the fight was ferocious, bloody and inexorable。 While the fight was underway, the wolfish dogs surrounded in a silent circle again, waiting for the result and looking forward to finish off the dog who went down。 Finally, Spitz was gravely injured by Buck, and the dogs dashed up and killed Spitz together。 As time went on, Buck’s wildness and cruelty which had been deep inside his heart showed up。 When the dogs were chasing the snowshoe rabbit, Buck was “ranging at the head of the pack, running the wild thing down, the living meat, to kill with his own teeth and wash his muzzle to the eyes in warm blood。” (London, 1992: 30) This is the blood lust, and the joy to kill。 When Buck was hunting a great moose, he didn’t kill the moose immediately。 He treated the hunting like a game, tormenting the moose little by little。 Finally he pulled the moose down and enjoyed his prey。 This can also be considered a kind of cruelty。

2。1。2 Originality

Wildness also means original。 All the things they do are based on their nature。 At first, Buck was a civilized dog。 He was a dainty eater, having his meal slowly。 But soon he found that his mates who finished their meal first, would rob him of his unfinished ration。 Buck intended to defend it; however, it was not easy。 While Buck was fighting off two or three, his food was disappearing down the throats of the others。 Under such circumstances, Buck ate as fast as other dogs, and then he quickly learned to steal other dogs’ food。 At first he stole a slice of bacon; the following day he got away with the whole chunk。 But Buck was unsuspected; while Dub, an awkward blunderer who was always getting caught, was punished in place of Buck。 They would not feel guilty for robbing other dog’s food。 They would not care about the dog who was robbed。 They would not care about whether other dogs have enough food or not。 They would not care about who would be the scapegoat。 The only thing they cared about is their own stomach。 Curly’s death is another example。 Curly’s kindness was not suitable for living in such an environment。 So the dogs killed Curly because they thought she was weak and incompetence。 This is the original rule for wild animals: the weak to meat and the strong to eat。 It’s the law of the jungle。文献综述