Read the excerpt from The Call of the Wild.

John Thornton was eating dinner when Buck dashed into camp and sprang upon him in a frenzy of affection, overturning him, scrambling upon him, licking his face, biting his hand – "playing the general tom-fool,” as John Thornton characterized it, the while he shook Buck back and forth and cursed him lovingly.

Which theme does this passage illustrate?

A good leader is strong and intelligent and treats his followers well.
The desire to fight for power is an instinct.
The only way to learn something is to try it.
Only the strong survive in the wilderness.

The theme illustrated in this passage is that a good leader is strong and intelligent and treats his followers well.

The theme that this passage from The Call of the Wild illustrates is that a good leader is strong and intelligent and treats his followers well. This is demonstrated through the character of John Thornton, who remains calm and loving despite Buck's intense display of affection. To arrive at this theme, one can analyze the actions and dialogue of the characters within the passage. By observing how John Thornton reacts to Buck's behavior, we can infer that he is a good leader who exhibits strength, intelligence, and kindness towards his followers.

The theme that this passage illustrates is: A good leader is strong and intelligent and treats his followers well.