Definitions
Characters
Plot Events
Setting & Themes
Survival Skills
100

Imperiously

Answer: Acting like a ruler or bossy.

100

Who is Buck?

The main character, a strong dog.

100

Where does Buck live in the beginning of the story?

Santa Clara Valley, California.

100

What historical event influences the story?

The Klondike Gold Rush.

100

What does Buck develop to survive in the wild?

Learning to steal food without getting caught.

200

Demesne

Answer: A person's land or estate.

200

Who is Manuel, and what does he do?

The gardener who steals and sells Buck.

200

Why is Buck kidnapped?

To be sold as a sled dog for the Klondike Gold Rush, and so Manuel can pay off his gambling debt.

200

What is the main setting of the story? (Not the beginning setting.)

The harsh, snowy wilderness.

200

How does Buck adapt to sleeping in the cold?

He digs a hole in the snow to stay warm.

300

Sated

Fully Satisfied

300

Who is the man in the red sweater?

A trainer who teaches Buck the "law of the club."

300

How does Buck react to Manuel and how does Buck react to the strangers?

Buck trusts Manuel and does not attack him, but resists and loses trust to all of the strangers.

300

What is one theme introduced in chapter 1?

Survival of the fittest.

300

What lesson does Buck learn from the other dogs?

He must fight for his place in the pack.

400

Treachery

Answer: Betrayal or Disloyalty

400

Who is "The Judge?"

Buck's original owner, Judge Miller, who resided in the Santa Clara Valley.

400

How does Buck learn about "the law of the club and fang?"

He is beaten with a club and sees other dogs fighting.

400

What does the "law of the club mean?"

That man is in control and dogs must obey or else.

400

How does Buck begin to develop his instincts?

He starts responding to dangers before they happen.

500

Insular

Isolated, like an island.

500

Who are Perrault and François?

French-Canadian couriers who buy Buck.

500

What is Buck's reaction to his new environment?

He begins to adapt and rely on his instincts.

500

How does Buck's environment shape him?

He begins to toughen up and become more instinctual.

500

What does Buck's ability to survive suggest about his nature?

He is returning to his primitive instincts.

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