The Call of the Wild Study Questions

The Call of the Wild Study Questions

The Call of the Wild Study Questions

Chapter 1

  1. Give the dictionary definition of the following words:

nomadic –

chafing -

brumal –

ferine –

primitive –

  1. Give an example of personification from the first paragraph.
  1. Who owns Buck?
  1. Describe the place where Buck lives.
  1. How old is Buck?
  1. Explain the three tiers/divisions/categories of dogs who live with Buck.
  1. Give the names of Buck’s parents and describe them.
  1. During what year and season does the action of the novel begin?
  1. Who is Manuel? What is his “sin”? Why does he steal Buck?
  1. How much is Buck sold for?
  1. Buck begins his journey in ______. He takes an overnight train ride to ______where he is put in a ______in the back of a ______. People tease Buck and then he passes through many hands. He travels by ______, ______, and ______until he is deposited in an express car on a train. He rides the train for two days and nights until it arrives in ______.
  1. Who teaches Buck “the law of the club”?
  1. What is “the law of the club”?
  1. What does Buck learn about men with clubs?
  1. Describe the two men who buy Buck from the man with the red sweater. How much do they pay?
  1. Who else is bought with Buck? Describe this companion.
  1. What is the Southland?
  1. Name and describe the two dogs that Buck meets on board the Narwhal.
  1. What kind of owners are these two men?

Chapter 2

  1. Where does the Narwhal land?
  1. What happens to Curly?
  1. What is the “law of the fang”?
  1. Find the definitions of the following terms (you may use the internet):

wheeler -

gee-pole –

traces –

  1. Who is the leader of the dog-sled team?
  1. What kind of a student is Buck?
  1. Name and describe the next three dogs that Perrault purchases.
  1. Where does Buck want to sleep that first night? Where does he sleep?
  1. What is the occupation of Perrault and Francois?
  1. What kind of dogs does Perrault buy the next day?
  1. Which two dogs love the “toil of the traces”? What does this mean?
  1. After the first day’s run with a full team, where do they make camp?
  1. What jobs do Perrault and Francois take on while the team runs?
  1. What is Buck’s ration of food? How much do the other dogs get? Why?
  1. Describe Pike and Dub.
  1. Define malingerer.
  1. Give five examples of how Buck has become more primitive.

Chapter 3

1. What is the occasion of Buck’s first conflict with Spitz?

2. Who are the “skulking furry forms” who invade camp? How many are there?

3. What does Spitz do during this attack?

4. List four of the “casualties” (damaged items) from the attack on the camp.

5. Explain the ThirtyMileRiver expedition from Perrault’s point of view.

6. Give two examples of François’ care of Buck.

7. Why does Dolly go mad? Who saves Buck?

8. How does Spitz take advantage of the situation with Dolly?

9. How does Buck differ from most Southland dogs?

10. Buck finds that he has been gripped by the “pride of ______and ______.”

11. Buck defends ______against Spitz’s rage.

12. Why does François become frustrated with the team?

13. What incident marks Spitz’s demise?

Chapter 4

1. Who does François initially want to be lead dog?

2. Give four examples of Buck’s success as a lead dog.

3. Why does Buck leave François and Perrault? Who is his new owner?

4. What is Buck’s new job?

5. Most often, while sitting at the fire, Buck thinks of what?

6. T or F Buck is homesick.

7. What does Buck dream of while at the fire? What might this symbolize?

8. What happens to Dave?

Chapter 5

1. Why were the dogs of the mail train sold?

2. Describe Charles’s physical appearance.

3. Describe Hal’s physical appearance.

4. Describe the new owners’ camp.

5. Name 3 pieces of advice that onlookers give the new owners as they attempt to begin their travel with the team.

6. Who are the “Outside dogs”?

7. How many dogs now constitute the team?

8. Why do the Outside dogs eat so much?

9. Give the order of deaths of the dogs.

10. How does Mercedes change in her outlook as the journey progresses?

11. After the food runs out, what does Hal feed the dogs?

12. What happens to the team near the mouth of the White River?

Chapter 6

1. Why is John Thornton alone in this cabin at the White River?

2. Describe Skeet’s appearance and character.

3. Describe Nig’s appearance and character.

4. How do Buck and Thornton express their affection for one another?

5. Buck exhibits his love for his new master by doing what four things for him?

Chapter 7

1. Describe the manner in which the team travels into the East.

2. What do they find at the end of their travels?

3. What kind of life do the dogs have in this new location?

4. Why does Buck venture into the forest?

5. What does Buck kill in the forest?

6. What does Buck find when he returns to camp?

7. What is the “Ghost Dog”?

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