History Literature / TheCallOfTheWild

* DeathWorld: Alaska

* ThePowerOfLove: Buck's relationship with John Thornton.

'''''The Call of the Wild''''' is a 1903 novel by Creator/JackLondon. The plot revolves around a dog named Buck and how his primal instincts return as he serves as a sled dog in the Yukon during the Klondike gold rush. It's usually considered [[MagnumOpus his best novel]], and he followed it with a SpiritualSuccessor called ''Literature/WhiteFang'', a longer and even darker story about a wolf being domesticated and eventually sent to live in UsefulNotes/SanFrancisco. Because the protagonist is a dog, it is often mistaken for a kid's book. The dark tone and gritty violence make it decidedly ''not''. The novel has had a lot of adaptations over the years, [[HumanFocusedAdaptation usually focusing on the human characters more than the dogs]].

'''''The Call of the Wild''''' is a 1903 novel by Creator/JackLondon. The plot revolves around a dog named Buck and how his primal instincts return as he serves as a sled dog in the Yukon during the Klondike gold rush. It's usually considered [[MagnumOpus his best novel]], and he followed it with a SpiritualSuccessor called ''Literature/WhiteFang'', a longer and even darker story about a wolf being domesticated and eventually sent to live in SanFrancisco. Because the protagonist is a dog, it is often mistaken for a kid's book. The dark tone and gritty violence make it decidedly ''not''. The novel has had a lot of adaptations over the years, [[HumanFocusedAdaptation usually focusing on the human characters more than the dogs]].

->Thornton grabbed the man's arm before the club could land on Buck's back. "If you strike that dog again," Thornton said flatly, "I'll kill you."

* DeathByNewberyMedal: [[spoiler:[[InvertedTrope Inverted]]. John Thornton dies.]]

* An anime film adaptation in the 1980's by ToeiAnimation

** God have mercy on your soul if you hurt John Thorton in front of Buck. He will ''tear you to pieces!''
* BigDamnHeroes: John Thorton saves Buck from certain death by beating up the guy who was whipping him.

* InjunCountry: John Thorton wanders into it while mining for gold. Sure enough, [[spoiler:he and his partner are killed by a passing band of Yeehats]].
* InsultOfEndearment: A borderline example, for whenever John Thorton pets Buck and cuddles with him, he lavishes him with ''curse words and insults''. But Buck enjoys this and sees this as a loving (yet strange) gesture.

* NoHoldsBarredBeatdown: Buck slaughters almost every Indian in the village after they [[spoiler:kill John Thorton and his companions]]. In fact, he was so angry that he dodged every arrow and made the hunter kill each other by accident.

* InjunCountry: John Thorton wanders into it while mining for gold. Sure enough, [[spoiler:he and his partner are killed by a passing band]].

* KlingonPromotion: Subverted, Buck expects to be made lead dog after killing Spitz, but Pierre tries to put the more experienced Sol-Leks in front instead. Buck eventually gets his wish after making it clear that he won't accept any other position. [[spoiler: And at the end Buck takes over a wolf pack by killing a few of the wolves.]]

* A television series broadcast in 2000.

* BigBadassWolf: [[spoiler:Buck becomes the ''alpha'' of a wolf pack.]]

'''''The Call of the Wild''''' is a 1903 novel by Creator/JackLondon. The plot revolves around a dog named Buck and how his primal instincts return as he serves as a sled dog in the Yukon during the Klondike gold rush. It's usually considered [[MagnumOpus his best novel]], and he followed it with a SpiritualSuccessor called ''Literature/WhiteFang'', a longer and even darker story about a wolf being domesticated and eventually sent to live in SanFrancisco. Because the protagonist is a dog, it is often mistaken for a kid's book. The dark tone and gritty violence make it decidedly ''not''. The novel has had a lot of adaptations over the years, usually focusing on the human characters more than the dogs.

* Badass: Everyone.

* SacrificialLamb: Curly is killed by a pack of huskies early on, providing Buck with a harsh lesson in survival.

* WhiteHairedPrettyBoy: Spitz is the canine equivalent of this. He is described as having snow-white fur, and has a rather cruel temperament.

* ComicTrio: Hall, Charles, and Mercedes. At least, they're comic until their inexperience starts to endanger their lives and those of their dogs. Eventually [[spoiler:they drive their sled onto thin ice despite a warning, killing themselves and all their remaining dogs.]]

* BerserkButton

* BittersweetEnding

* DeathByNewberyMedal: [[spoiler:[[InvertedTrope Inverted]]: John Thornton dies.]]

* HandicappedBadass: Sol-Leks may be blind in one eye, but that doesn't make him any weaker!

* PolarOppositeTwins: Billee and Joe.
* RoaringRampageOfRevenge: Buck goes on one after [[spoiler:John Thornton is killed]].
* SacrificialLamb: Curly

* TooDumbToLive: Hal, Charles, and Mercedes.
* WhiteHairedPrettyBoy: Spitz is the canine equivalent of this.

* A 1935 version starring ClarkGable and Loretta Young.

'''''The Call of the Wild''''' is a 1903 novel by Creator/JackLondon. The plot revolves around a dog named Buck and how his primal instincts return as he serves as a sled dog in the Yukon during the Klondike gold rush. It's usually considered [[MagnumOpus his best novel]], and he followed it with a SpiritualSuccessor called ''WhiteFang'', a longer and even darker story about a wolf being domesticated and eventually sent to live in SanFrancisco. Because the protagonist is a dog, it is often mistaken for a kid's book. The dark tone and gritty violence make it decidedly ''not''. The novel has had a lot of adaptations over the years, usually focusing on the human characters more than the dogs.