摘 要

《荒野的呼唤》是美国作家杰克·伦敦最著名的小说之一，它确立了杰克·伦敦在美国文坛的地位。《荒野的呼唤》中的动物主角巴克原本生活在文明且暖和的南方，由于寒冷的北极地区的淘金者对雪橇狗的需求增大，因此巴克被人拐卖到了环境极其恶劣的北极地区，然而他凭借自身出众的智慧和身体素质便很快地适应了严寒的雪地环境。巴克与后来的主人桑顿建立起了彼此深厚的友谊，但恩主的遇害彻底打碎了巴克对于人类社会的留恋，从而促使巴克坚定决心，毅然走向荒野，回归自然，成为了狼群的首领。小说标题中的“荒野”一词有两个含义 即“外部的荒野环境”和“内在的野性”。通过对这个标题的解读，本文分析了大狗巴克的身份转变和精神成长。通过进一步解读标题的引申义，本文阐述了巴克的故事对人类社会的隐喻，也揭示了作者的创作意图。

关键词：《荒野的呼唤》；野性；自然；身份转变；棍棒和獠牙的法则

Abstract

The Call of the Wild is one of the most famous novels of American writer Jack London. It makes Jack London establish its position in the American literary world. Buck is a dog in The Call of the Wild. He originally lived in a civilized and warm America South. Because of the increased demand for sled dogs by the gold diggers in the cold Arctic, Buck was sent to the Arctic region where the environment was extremely harsh. However, relying on his superior intelligence and physical fitness, he quickly adapted to the cold snow environment. Buck and his later master Thornton established a deep friendship, but the murder of the lord completely shattered Buck’s nostalgia for human society, which prompted Buck to be determined to return to the wild and then became the leader of the wolves. The word “wild” in the title of the novel has two meanings - “the external wilderness environment” and “the inner wild nature”. Through the interpretation of this title, this paper analyzes the identity change and spiritual growth of big dog Buck. By further interpreting the meaning of the title, this article expounds the metaphor of Buck’s story to human society and reveals the author’s creative intention.

Key Words: The Call of the Wild; wild; nature; identity change; the law of club and Fang

Contents

1 Introduction 1

1.1 Jack London and his works 1

1.2 Literature Review 1

1.3 Structure of the Paper 3

2 The Call of the External Environment:From the Southern Paradise to the Northern Jungle 4

2.1A Pet Dog: In the South Manor 4

2.2 A Weak Dog: At Druther's Kennel 5

2.3 A working Dog: In the Toil of Trace and Trail 5

2.4 A Wild Wolf: In the Forest 7

3 The Call of the Internal Primitive Instinct: Process Mixed with Compliance and Resistance 9

3.1 Compliance: Obeying the Law of Club and Fang 9

3.2 Resistance: Never Giving up the Love for a Man 11

4 The Call for Human Beings 13

4.1 The Call of Society: To Have "Animal spirit" 13

4.2 The Call of Nature: To Find Harmony 14

5 Conclusion 15

References 17

Acknowledgements 18

Reading of the Title's Implications in the Novel The Call of the Wild

1 Introduction

1.1 Jack London and his works

Jack London, a famous American novelist was born in San Francisco in 1876. He came from the “underprivileged lower class that accounts for one-tenth of the country’s population.” London used to lived an adventurous life and then picked events from his own experiences as the fodder for his profession as a writer. His works are not only widely spread in the United States, but also welcomed by people all over the world. He gets a high status both in modern American literature and world literature. Jack London began writing at the age of 24, only 40 years old when he died. During the past 16 years, he has written 19 novels, more than 150 short stories, quite a few essays and papers , and also wrote 3 scripts . His best known books include The Call of the Wild (1903), The Seawolf (1904), White Fang (1906), The Iron Heel (1908), and Martin Eden (1909).These works show us a strange and unusually vast world: the desolate and empty treasures of Alaska; the vivid characters of all kinds; the harsh struggle between man and nature; the turbulent islands dotted with the Pacific Ocean and the railway lines across the American continent.

1.2 Literature Review