Buck's Challenges
Chapter 4
Buck vs. Man (External)
Chapter 3: Spitz vs. Buck (Internal)
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Chapter 2: Curly’s Death vs. Buck (External Conflict)
Chapter 1: Man in the red sweater vs. Buck (External Conflict)
Chapter 5: Buck vs. Charles and Hal (External)
Chapter 6: Buck vs. Alpha-Dog of the Wild (Internal)
Chapter 7: Buck vs. The Call of the Wild (Internal)
Chapter 7: Buck vs. The Yeehats (External)
Description: Charles and Hal are Buck’s new owners. However, Charles and Hal have no idea what they are doing. They have never owned sled dogs and don’t understand how much to feed the dogs, when to rest, and so on which is why Buck and the rest of the dogs in his pack struggle. Some even dying.
How He Overcomes It: Buck overcomes this conflict by continuing to push on and do what he does best, but he starts to struggle too. At the end of the chapter, Buck ends up falling to the ground, unable to get up. Hal starts to beat Buck to make him get up, but John Thornton threatens to kill Hal if he does not stop beating Buck and ends up cutting him out of his harness. Buck and Thornton stay behind and watch the rest of the pack go into an area with thin ice. They fall through the ice and die. Which shows how Buck saves his life and overcomes this conflict by giving up.
Description: Buck gets of a train in Seattle and is brought to a man in a red sweater. Buck is extremely angry and wants control so he leaps and attacks the man in the red sweater as soon as he is taken out of the cage. However, the man is prepared with a club and hits Buck over and over as Buck tries to attack him. After many hits, Bucks falls to the ground unable to attack the man anymore and listens to the man.
How He Overcomes It: Buck overcomes this conflict by changing and deciding to put man in control. He knows he will only survive by doing this and changing.
Description: It’s Buck first day as a sled dog and he witnesses the death of Curly. Curly is attacked first by a husky dog who rips open his throat, then by a group of dogs who continue to shred him apart. This causes Buck a great deal of discomfort as he has nightmares that night about Curly’s death.
How He Overcomes It: Buck overcomes this conflict by essentially learning from Curly’s mistakes. He becomes stronger and does not allow himself to become as vulnerable as Curly.
Description: Spitz and Buck start chasing a rabbit for food. Spitz cuts off Buck’s path and kills the rabbit. Buck suddenly jumps on Spitz and the two start fighting. Finally, Buck grabs Spitz’s foreleg and crunches it. Then Buck breaks Spitz’s other foreleg which leaves him crippled. Then the circle of dogs close in on Spitz and kill him as Buck watches. This is an internal conflict because it shows how much Buck has changed on the inside. In the beginning of the story, Buck wouldn't hurt a thing, but in chapter 3 he has a want to kill Spitz and become higher than him.
How He Overcomes It: Buck overcomes this internal conflict of wanting to kill and become dominant by killing Spitz. It makes him feel accomplished as he has achieved this internal goal.
Description: Buck has killed Spitz and feels that he deserves Spitz’s spot as leader. However, the men are not convinced and do not allow Buck in the harness at first, but eventually, they strap him in.
How He Overcomes It: Buck overcomes this external conflict on wanting to be leader by refusing the men to not allow him into the harness. He killed Spitz because he wanted the power and he feels he deserves the spot therefore he will not give up begging to take his spot until they give it to him.
Description: Buck and John Thornton start to form a bond between each other. A bond that Buck has never had before with a human. Buck would do anything for Thornton, however, he still wants to be the “leader” of the wild.
How He Overcomes It: Buck overcomes this conflict by reminding himself that he is dedicated to Thornton and would do anything for him which suppresses his need/want to be the “leader” of the wild.
Description: Buck starts to hear/feel a call from the wild. He starts to become wild and savage-like. Hunting wild animals and spending days in the wild.
How He Overcomes It: Buck overcomes this conflict by spending time in the wild and satisfying this calling.
Description: At the end of chapter 7, Buck returns from the wild to find the rest of his pack and Thornton dead. He discovers that the Yeehats were responsible for this and mourns their death.
How He Overcomes It: Buck overcomes this conflict by mourning and then going back into the wild to join the wolves.
