Instinct and Experience in Jack London's "The Call of the Wild"

Survival is part if life. When life throws hardships in one's way, one must know how to survive, sometimes having to use nothing but instincts alone. In Jack London's, "The Call of the Wild" trusting one's instincts is key to survival; this us displayed in times of combat, hunger, and nature's uncertainty.

In times of combat, one must do what one has to do in order to survive. When Buck and Spitz fight and Buck "fought by instinct, but he could fight by head as well" (London 40). (fragment) This quote displays how Buck used all his knowledge to win a battle. Buck would do whatever was necessary to become the dominant dog, even if that meant having a strategy for his fights. Buck found out that in the wild it is "kill or be killed, eat or be eaten, was the law" (London, 74) Buck knew that he had to fight to gain power, and that he could not let his guard down. He discovered how dangerous it is if you show weakness by not fighting back. In the wild, one must fight to one's best ability in order to live.

When hunger strikes we must go to great lengths in order to stay alive. As food runs out there is nothing to do but eat what you can. "A poor substitute for food was this hide, just as it had been stripped from the starved horses of the cattlemen six months earlier" (London 63). If one had food to last, one would never waste their time eating horsehide. Running out of food, or even running low on food shows one will do anything. Meaning one will even eat something that might be stripped off of a starved horse. As long as one has something to eat it is good for oneself. One does whatever one has to when it comes to food; even if it means to kill. "He killed to eat, not from wantonness; but he preferred to eat what he killed himself" (London 96). One might think an animal killing another animal is normal. But not when the animal is a dog that has been fed his whole like by other people. Animals are like human's humans are like animals. This just shows humans do similar things to survive, to keep alive. If one ran out of food and couldn't do anything about it, no doubt one would kill and even eat food one would have never eaten before. This is what life is and everyone and everything goes through great lengths for it.

Follow instincts when it comes to natural uncertainty in all causes. Buck is uncertain of continuing on into thin ice when, "He had a vague feeling of impending doom"(London 67). Buck's instincts tell him that if he goes on he is sure to get killed. It is because of Bucks instincts that he is safe from nature's harm. Next, Buck follows his instincts when "Buck had sprung on the instant"(London 77) into the river to save John Thornton's life. This exploit shows that Buck didn't even have to think as it happened. Buck's instincts kicked in right away and controlled him into saving Thornton. As one can see, one's instincts always lead one down the right path when it comes to natural uncertainty.

When one is voracious or when in a conflict, or even when insecure about the natural world, one must be very visceral. Truly relying on ones instincts is the primary way to surviving. In times of conflict ones instinct can save one from losing, or when in times of hunger when ones instinct can keep one full. Even in times of nature's uncertainty ones instinct will keep one alive and well. If one has ever thought that life was served on a plate just remember a major part of life is survival.