What transgressions do the main characters commit?
Provide textual evidence to support your answer.
in the story call of the wild
In "The Call of the Wild" by Jack London, the main character, Buck, commits a few transgressions throughout the story. These transgressions mainly revolve around breaking societal norms and rules, as Buck slowly transforms from a domesticated dog to a wild and independent creature. Here are some examples with textual evidence:
1. Buck's defiance of authority:
"His eyes turned blood-shot, and he was metamorphosed into a raging fiend. So changed was he that the Judge himself would not have recognized him: and the express messengers breathed with relief when they bundled him off the train at Seattle." (Chapter 2)
This quote highlights Buck's defiance towards authority when he attacks one of his handlers after being kidnapped. By attacking the handler, Buck is breaking the societal expectation of submission and obedience to humans.
2. Buck's abandonment of his moral instincts:
"But Buck was neither house-dog nor kennel-dog. The whole realm was his. He plunged into the swimming tank or went hunting with a fervor and zest that at times swept him away from all else." (Chapter 4)
Here, Buck abandons his domesticated instincts and moral compass to embrace his wild nature. He becomes a hunter and allows his primal instincts to guide his actions, disregarding societal expectations of a civilized dog.
3. Buck's participation in violence and savagery:
"They got into trouble with the constables; and, of course, it was just the same old story, a few blows were given and received, a few revolvers were exploded, policemen and constables were knocked down, and in the end the gang scattered and Buck with his wounds staggered away, but with the yearning for the old wild life consummated and satisfied." (Chapter 6)
In this passage, Buck joins a gang of dogs and becomes part of a violent and chaotic scene involving fights with constables. By engaging in such behavior, Buck transgresses societal expectations of order, peace, and obedience to the law.
Overall, Buck's transgressions in "The Call of the Wild" revolve around his departure from the domesticated world and the breaking of societal norms, as he embraces his wild nature and follows his primal instincts.