Read this excerpt from The Call of the Wild.
All day Buck brooded by the pool or roamed restlessly about the camp. Death, as a cessation of movement, as a passing out and away from the lives of the living, he knew, and he knew John Thornton was dead. It left a great void in him, somewhat akin to hunger, but a void which ached and ached, and which food could not fill. At times, when he paused to contemplate the carcasses of the Yeehats, he forgot the pain of it; and at such times he was aware of a great pride in himself, – a pride greater than any he had yet experienced. He had killed man, the noblest game of all, and he had killed in the face of the law of club and fang. He sniffed the bodies curiously. They had died so easily. It was harder to kill a husky dog than them. They were no match at all, were it not for their arrows and spears and clubs. Thenceforward he would be unafraid of them except when they bore in their hands their arrows, spears, and clubs.
How does Buck’s character grow in this excerpt?
He realizes that without a human companion, he will go hungry.
He becomes aware that his strength is enough to defeat man.
He concludes that he must go live among the Yeehat people.
He decides that he is as wild as a wolf and accepts his destiny.
Mark this and return
He becomes aware that his strength is enough to defeat man.
In this excerpt from The Call of the Wild, Buck's character grows in several ways. Firstly, he realizes that without a human companion, he will go hungry. The excerpt mentions a void within him that food cannot fill, indicating that Buck is starting to understand the importance of having a reliable food source.
Secondly, Buck becomes aware that his strength is enough to defeat man. He takes pride in the fact that he has killed a human, which is seen as the noblest game of all. This suggests that Buck is starting to see himself as a formidable force and is gaining confidence in his abilities.
However, there is no mention of Buck deciding to go live among the Yeehat people. While he becomes unafraid of them unless they are armed, there is no indication that he wants to join their community.
Lastly, there is no mention of Buck concluding that he is as wild as a wolf and accepting his destiny. While Buck's experiences in the wild are shaping his character, he is still primarily a domesticated dog navigating the harsh realities of the wilderness.