1. Study Guide
Chapters 1-4

2. After Buck left Judge Miller’s ranch, what did he do/encounter?
Stolen by Manuel, the dishonest gardener, and sold to the bar keeper
Encountered the “the man in the red sweater”
He teaches him about the club
He was shipped to many different places
He was beaten
Was sold to F and P and went with them on a ship to the Yukon

3. How did Buck change from Santa Clara Valley to Seattle?
He goes from being a domesticated dog to a “red eyed devil”
He was loved by Judge Millers family
He learns to not trust humans
More vicious
Humans were the enemy

4. Why does Buck end up in the Yukon?
THE GOLD RUSH
To work with F and P on the dog team.
They were government couriers

5. What were the traveling conditions like for Buck?
Rough, he was not fed or given water for two days and nights.
Starved, beaten and abused
On the Narwhal-- good conditions, fair treatment

6. What are the two contrasting settings in this book?
Santa Clara Valley and the Yukon

7. Describe what happened after Curly was attacked.
A group of dogs circled her. ( Not her own team)
Once she fell, they attacked her.
Buck knew that if he ever was knocked off of his feet, he would die
Spitz was laughing at Curly’s death

8. What did Buck learn to do from Pike?
He learned how to steal food from the dogs and the humans without feeling guilty
There is internal conflict in stealing the food

9. Why does Buck think about his ancestors?
BASIC INSTINCTS
He begins to feel and act like them
He is becoming stronger and more like them.
More Wild
HE IS REAWAKENED
The memories of his ancestors are the most strong thing in his mind

10. What does Buck learn about fair play?
He learns about stealing because he is hungry
Getting beaten for doing something wrong
This occurs when he sees other dogs being attacked for no reason

11. Who attacks Curly? Who is happy about this?
A pack of huskies attack her
Spitz is happy about this.

12. How does Buck’s relationship with Francois and Perrault change?
They respect him more
They know he is going to be a good leader, they have to let life take its course with Buck and Spitz
He truly respects them as owners
They take care of him with the booties and the fire walk
He also becomes more cunning.

13. Why does Buck hate Spitz?
He is just mean and not fair
Spitz attacked him when Buck was not suspecting it
Buck was saddened by Curly’s death while Spitz laughed about it
Spitz stole Buck’s sleeping hole

14. How does Perrault show he is experienced in his job?
Walking with a stick through the ice
Fire Walk
Booties for Buck
Bringing Buck his food

15. What does Buck show when he defeats Spitz
His Cunningness
fierceness
He has adapted to the ways of the wild
He uses his imagination in the way he killed him

16. Who broke through the ice on the Thirty Mile River?
The dog team… all except Buck and Dave were in the water
Buck and Dave broke through the water with the sled

17. Who was punished after Dolly was killed?
Spitz for attacking Buck after he had been chased by Dolly

18. Who was not cooperating with the team? What happened?
Buck, but the rest of the team quit following Spitz

19. Why does the Scotch Half breed allow Dave in the traces?
Dave chewed through the rope in the front of the sled
It is a sign of pride

20. Who took Spitz’s place as lead dog? Was the team happy?
Buck
Yes, the team was excited about Buck being the leader

21. Did Buck fear the club of Francois?
He Respects the fact they have to use it sometimes to control the animals
He became more concerned with being the leader than fearing the club

22. What did Francois think of Buck’s leadership?
He does a good job

23. What happened with Dave
Dave is the wheeler
They took him away from the team and shot him.
Dave would have died no matter who his owner was, it was his time.

24. Some Themes of the book
The club was Buck’s first major lesson in primitive law
How one learns to adjust to different environments or in different situations in order to survive

25. Conflict Internal External He stole food because he was hungry
When Buck was being beat on the way to Seattle

26. Setting
The cold weather
Snow
Wind