Chapters 1-2
What does Primitive mean?
Old, ancient, uncivilized.
Who is the protagonist (main character).
Buck.
How does Buck "kill" Spitz?
The breaks his leg and lets the pack finish him off.
To whom does the Scotsman sell Buck and his team?
Charles, Hal, and Mercedes.
What does Populous mean?
populated, many people.
Who is Buck’s archrival and the original leader of Francois’s dog team.
Spitz.
Describe where Buck lived before he was kidnapped.
Judge Miller's estate in California. There, the house had a pool, an orchard, a berry patch, long driveways, beautiful landscaping, and an array of outhouses.
How do Hal and Charles make up for the fact that they are running out of food for the dogs?
He underfed them by cutting the rations in half from what he originally planned.
What does Voracious mean?
powerful, extremely hungry.
Which character is a dog on Buck’s team that becomes ill on one of the team’s journeys but refuses to leave the harness, preferring to die pulling the sled? Eventually he becomes too weak, and Francois must shoot him, to end his suffering.
Dave.
Most of the book takes place during this major era. A time when many people traveled North to make a certain profit.
The gold rush.
What happened to Charles, Hal, and Mercedes?
Their sled crashed through the ice, and they died along with all of the other dogs.
What does Placate mean?
What does Sol-Leks name mean?
Angry One.
The “law of club and fang” symbolizes this concept.
Survival.
What does Buck's dream symbolize?
A primitive desire to cooperate with and live alongside humanity.
What is unique about Buck's feelings for Thornton? Why does he follow him around everywhere?
He feared losing him because he loved him.
What does Inexorable mean?
Unstoppable, relentless.
Name one dog and one human who join Buck and Thornton?
Humans: Hans and Pete
Dogs: Skeet and Nig.