In The Call of the Wild, before Buck attempted to break out the frozen 1,000-pound sled-load, John Thornton whispered to him, "As you love me." Why did this seem like a conjuration to the crowd?

Question

In The Call of the Wild, before Buck attempted to break out the frozen 1,000-pound sled-load, John Thornton whispered to him, "As you love me." Why did this seem like a conjuration to the crowd?

(1 point)
Responses

The crowd thought John Thornton was cheating.
The crowd thought John Thornton was cheating.

The crowd thought it was a silly display of affection.
The crowd thought it was a silly display of affection.

The crowd thought it seemed like magic.

Answer 1

The crowd thought it seemed like magic.

Answer 2

The crowd thought it seemed like magic.

Answer 3

The reason the crowd perceived John Thornton's whisper to Buck as a conjuration or magic is because of the overall context of the scene. At that moment, Buck, who is a powerful sled dog, is attempting to break out a frozen 1,000-pound sled-load, which seems like an impossible task. John Thornton's whispered words, "As you love me," before Buck attempts this task, create a sense of anticipation and mystery. The crowd, witnessing this seemingly impossible feat, interprets John Thornton's whisper as a magical incantation or conjuration that would somehow empower Buck to accomplish the impossible. Thus, the crowd perceives it as a moment of magic rather than a display of ordinary affection.