CHAPTER I—INTO THE PRIMITIVE, an excerpt
From Call of the Wild
By Jack London
And over this great demesne Buck ruled. Here he was born, and here he had lived the four years of his life. It was true, there were other dogs, There could not but be other dogs on so vast a place, but they did not count. They came and went, resided in the populous kennels, or lived obscurely in the recesses of the house after the fashion of Toots, the Japanese pug, or Ysabel, the Mexican hairless,—strange creatures that rarely put nose out of doors or set foot to ground. On the other hand, there were the fox terriers, a score of them at least, who yelped fearful promises at Toots and Ysabel looking out of the windows at them and protected by a legion of housemaids armed with brooms and mops.
But Buck was neither house-dog nor kennel-dog. The whole realm was his. He plunged into the swimming tank or went hunting with the Judge's sons; he escorted Mollie and Alice, the Judge's daughters, on long twilight or early morning rambles; on wintry nights he lay at the Judge's feet before the roaring library fire; he carried the Judge's grandsons on his back, or rolled them in the grass, and guarded their footsteps through wild adventures down to the fountain in the stable yard, and even beyond, where the paddocks were, and the berry patches. Among the terriers he stalked imperiously, and Toots and Ysabel he utterly ignored, for he was king,—king over all creeping, crawling, flying things of Judge Miller's place, humans included.
What does the setting of the above passage reveal about Buck's character?
a) He has a very difficult life.
b) He is a beloved and pampered dog.
c) His life is boring and uneventful.
d) He enjoys many adventures.
b) He is a beloved and pampered dog.
The setting of the above passage reveals that Buck is a beloved and pampered dog.
To determine what the setting of the above passage reveals about Buck's character, we need to analyze the descriptive details provided in the passage.
The passage describes a vast demesne, or estate, where Buck lives. Other dogs exist on the property, but they are not significant. Some dogs live in the house, rarely going outdoors, while others are protected by housemaids armed with brooms and mops. However, Buck is portrayed differently from these dogs. He is not confined to the house or kennels, but has the freedom to roam the entire realm. He engages in various activities, such as swimming, hunting, and accompanying the Judge's daughters on walks. He also interacts with the Judge's grandsons, playing with them and guarding them during their adventures. The passage mentions that Buck is the king, implying that he has control and authority over the animals on the estate, as well as humans.
Based on these details, it can be inferred that the setting reveals that Buck is a beloved and pampered dog (b) who enjoys many adventures (d). He has the freedom to explore, engage in activities, and interact with both people and animals.