The author of The Call of the Wild describes Buck's progress as "retrogression" because it signifies that Buck is reverting back to his primal instincts and adapting to the harsh environment and demands of survival in the wild. To find the answer to this question, you can refer to the text and specifically analyze how Buck's behavior changes throughout the story. Look for moments where Buck's actions align more with his primal instincts rather than his previously civilized behavior. By examining these instances and the author's descriptions of Buck's transformation, you can determine that Buck's progress is described as "retrogression" because he is returning to his ancient instinctual roots.
The correct answer is: Buck was returning to his ancient instinctual roots.
