Call of the Wild Book Review

Jack London's Call of the Wild interested me with it's anthropomorphic implementation to a pampered dog reverting to a wild and more primitive state of mind.

The setting plays a huge role in the development of Buck, so I find it one of the most important aspects of the book. The setting is the key factor in Buck's change from pampered to wild. This is because he goes from the calm and serene, mostly dull, country side to the harsh and unforgiving terrain of the Yukon, forcing him to change his entire aspect of life and himself. This is the main contributing factor to his change because if it wasn't the Yukon, then he wouldn't have become a sled dog, he would not have to deal with the snow, and basically every change that happened would not have happened, or would have happened differently.

In my opinion the life lesson (theme) of this book is that no matter how deep you bury your true instincts, they are still there and can still become dominant, especially if it is needed. For example, Buck was met with many hardships do to his buried primal instinct, as in the lack of leadership, and the lack of basically knowing what to do in a pack, but after his true primordial self began to emerge everything came easier to him as he accepted what he was.

I believe one connection I could make with this book would be to White Fang, also by Jack London. I would connect them because they both use anthropomorphism with a canine, a dog and a wolf. I find this interesting because in his novels he portrays the two animals with different humanoid personalities. Their personalities differ in that they both see and think of humans in a different "light". Buck thinks of humans as humans, while the wolf in White Fang thinks of them as gods, causing how they treat situations to differ. Another connection would be to that of real life, humans to be precise. Buck is so well anthropomorphically portrayed, that I believe even a human in those situations would have reacted in the same exact fashion, ironic given that Jack London (a human) is speaking for how he thinks Buck would react.

I recommend this book to anyone who is interested at seeing life through the point of view of an animal, and that wants to read an engaging story about how a dog handles a situation given to him that no normal every dog could conquer.

Essay Summary

Being human means that you have the comprehension to mold and live a unique life, and in that life feel with emotion, feelings, and thoughts, those feelings and thoughts caused by the human soul.

First off, to be human requires to have human emotions and comprehensive thought. These kinds of feelings and thought is what's required to live the human life, therefore being a human requirement.

Second, an attribute that makes us human is that we can comprehend and interact with those around us, shaping different day by day life. Being human requires social interaction with the world beyond the limits of instinct.

Thirdly, human beings are the only creature with a soul on this earth, and this soul enables every other aspect of human life because without it I believe we would have no emotion, comprehensive thought, or sociability.

Counter claim- People argue that humans either don't have a soul or are not the only ones with a soul. Well my evidence comes from the Holy Bible, and my morals say so as well. Also what characterizes us according to others is that we are the only creature with a thumb, but I do not think that's significant enough to characterize an entire race.

Anthropomorphism - The Crow

The Bliss In Ignorance-

The innocent crow
Labled a grim messenger
Speaks fates final word

Foreshadowed ends
Shakes hands with the aging
Judges all the rest

Although unaware
Lives a blissful existance
Carrying no guilt

Just superstition
Have they spoken with the crow?
Asks for its motives?

Given proper say
Will show truthful ingorance
Attempt to explain

Under their consent
Through ignorance yet again
Victimized the crow

Under wrongful blame
The crow cries in the night's sky
but flies longer still

The responsibility of the cost of life

The responsibility of the cost of life is determined by the one who has either ended it, created it, or directly affected it, this includes man's responsibility to help one another if such a need arises, because that person affects you by just being there.

In the titanic, I believe that it was mostly the captains responsibility for the ship and the people on it, since all the lives on that ship were in his hands. He chose to ignore the iceberg warnings putting all the lives on the ship in danger. Also I believe that part of the responsibility goes to the passengers who could have helped one another.

In the Call of the wild. The responsibility for the sleds safety was divided among each dog and driver; the dogs because each was equally responsible for helping each other with pulling, and the driver for being the one in charge of leading the whole sled.

In a persons everyday life, who do you think is responsible for whom? Who's life is in who's hands? This is a thought that could mean the difference between someone's life and death someday given the situation.

Frankenstein- Creator and Created

I believe it is evident that by the end of the novel Frankenstein by Dean Koontz. The monster is the human and Frankenstein is the monster, figuratively speaking of course, because that by their actions and the feelings that they deal with, the true character of each "character" is shown.

Frankenstein purposefully created the creature to feed his own curiosity and satisfaction, then abandoned it and expressed no responsibility to what he had done, and through this expresses how truly monstrous he really is. This is especially shown when he even refuses to help him live a better life without misery and without being alone. No, he leaves him to fend and survive on his own in a world that despises him, and in turn, shows the monster that Frankenstein truly is.

The monster shows that deep down he is no different than any other person despite his outer appearance. He shows that he has a heart, feelings, emotions, and in my opinion a soul. And that soul in the end being not nearly as dark as that of Frankenstein's, due to the fact he is only reacting to how he was treated and it is not his fault that he is going through such misery, it is Frankenstein's responsibility that he refuses to accept.

Creation of life

Well...I really don't know many people that WOULD take the chance to create life that didn't belong, and I completely agree with most reasons they have. I would not create unneeded life, for many more than 2 reasons, but if I were to choose 2 then they would be that one; I have no reason or desire to become a God of sorts and use a Godly ability of creation of life. And two; because after its creation, I would be worried of what it would do, and if I could do anything to stop it.

My first reason for not creating life is that I am not God, and I have no right to try to artificially create a body, soul, and life. For one to want to do that, there would have to be evidence of a god complex within them, and I have no such desire. I cannot create a soul, and if I were to try, I don't know what that soul would be, because if  God didn't make or give the soul, then what soul would I get?

Second, if I were to create a life, then there is a possibility that I could become attached to it, and along with that, say it was evil, would I be able to stop it? Physically or by getting myself to even harm my own creation in the first place. 

So I hope my opinion is clear, that I have no desire to do something I am not meant to, because I am not God and because I don't know what would happen after the fact, and if could do anything about it.

Initial thoughts on Frankenstein

You know. I find myself questioning the motivation of a 19 year old girl has to write a story such as this. Is it to show that man has no right creating life? Or is it because she just wanted to write about a mad scientist creating a monster. I don't know. But in my opinion. Man cannot create legitimate life. No matter how hard they try or how advanced technology becomes. Simply because they have no right. That ability belongs to God and God alone. If man dares to cross such dangerous boundaries, then something is going to go wrong. Because the only way man would be able to even succeed would have to be under the influence and given by God, and until that happens, we should just leave well enough alone. Now on another note. Immortality. I really don't know nor do I have much of an opinion on it other than. If it does exist, then it is a curse. Death is a God given gift. It is destiny. It is meant to happen sooner of later. And to just... never die, and have to endure the world day after day, year after year, decade after decade, as the world slowly spirals out of control and into corruption, is a fate far worse than death itself. And finally, about monsters inside, yes, there are monsters hidden in everyone. A dark side to anyone, and how they deal with them is not for me to speculate.