OER.ai

← The Call of the Wild

Flashcards

The Call of the Wild

Generated from the original open resource by Project Gutenberg. Built only from the resource — nothing invented. Free, no login.

QuizFlashcardsSub plan

The Call of the Wild – Study Flashcards (Chapter I: Into the Primitive)

FrontBack
Who wrote "The Call of the Wild"?Jack London
Who is Buck?The main character of the story, a large 140-pound dog who lived like a king at Judge Miller's estate in California.
Where did Buck live before he was kidnapped?At Judge Miller's place in the sun-kissed Santa Clara Valley, a large and spacious estate with stables, orchards, and lawns.
Who was Buck's father?Elmo, a huge St. Bernard who had been Judge Miller's inseparable companion.
Who was Buck's mother?Shep, a Scotch shepherd dog, who gave Buck his smaller size compared to his father.
What event caused men to rush to the Northland?The discovery of gold (a "yellow metal") in the Klondike/Arctic region, known as the Klondike strike of 1897.
What kind of dogs did men need for the gold rush?Heavy dogs with strong muscles for toil and furry coats to protect them from the frost.
Who betrayed Buck?Manuel, one of the gardener's helpers, who sold Buck to a stranger for money.
Why did Manuel betray Buck?Manuel had a gambling addiction (Chinese lottery) and needed money to support his system of betting, plus his wife and children.
How was Buck captured?Manuel lured him away on a "stroll," put a rope around his neck, and handed him over to a stranger who choked and dragged him onto a train.
How much money was Buck sold for in total?One hundred fifty dollars (fifty to the kidnapper, one hundred to "the other mug").
How did the men treat Buck during his journey?They crated him, denied him food and water for two days and nights, mocked and taunted him, and treated him with cruelty.
What happened to Buck's brass collar?The men filed it off his neck after choking him repeatedly, so he could be placed in a crate instead.
How did Buck change during his ordeal?He turned into a "raging fiend" with blood-shot eyes, filled with wrath, so transformed that even Judge Miller wouldn't have recognized him.
Where did the crate finally arrive?Seattle, where a stout man in a red sweater received Buck in a small, high-walled back yard.
What tools did the man in the red sweater bring?A hatchet and a club, preparing to force Buck out of the crate.
What is the significance of the poem at the start of Chapter I?It hints at the "call of the wild"—ancient, primitive instincts ("ferine strain") awakening in domesticated animals like Buck.
What is the main theme introduced in Chapter I?The contrast between civilized, pampered life and the harsh, primitive world Buck is about to be thrust into.

Original licensed under Public Domain. This teaching material is provided free by OER.ai.