Question

Pick one theme from The Call of the Wild, and compose a short, two-paragraph speech about the theme. Your speech should include specific examples from the novel that support your ideas. Think about two different audiences that you might present the speech to, and consider how the speech would have to change for each audience. Write a third paragraph, describing what changes you would make for each audience.

Your response should be at least 150 words in total.

Answer 1

One primary theme of Jack London's The call of the wild is the conflict between civilization and wildness. We realise the difference between the two when the protagonist of the story, Buck is kidnapped and taken to Alaska. Chapter Two of the story is called the law of club and fang. The law of club is what Buck's master puts in place in order for buck to obey. The law of fang however can be described as the rules of "wild" dogs which are set to determine and maintain hierarchy. Buck struggles to adapt to the changes that are now around him for he wad once a gentleman's dog.

When Buck meets his second owner John Thornton he feels as though he has finally found a steady footing. In a way Thornton's death allows Buck to release his caged up instincts.

Answer 2

Answer:

One of the most important themes in The Call of the Wild is civilization vs the wild. Buck starts out as a pet on a farm. He knows nothing of the wild because he plays and does what he wants at the Miller’s house. After Buck is taken and sold for dog sledding, he learns that he must be strong and fight for his place among the other dogs. Buck eventually has to fight Spitz for his spot on the team and  he wins.

   After Buck earns his place, the team is then sold to another group of people. These people are more abusive to all the dogs but Buck know that he must stay strong for all of the dogs. He finally meets John Thornton. Buck learns what love of a human can feel like which brings back some of the civilization he once knew. He then meets the wolves and feels like he is home at last. Even though the love of John Thornton still brings he back to the spot he died every year.

   If my audience were young children, I would change some of the bigger words so they could understand the content better. I would also add more about how the dogs interacted so they could visualize the story better. If my audience were adults, I would try to use a higher level of vocabulary words and make it more informative. I would add more descriptive words to paint the picture better for them.

Hope this helps! :D