摘 要

杰克·伦敦的代表性的作品《野性的呼唤》是一部动物寓言故事。主人公巴克的形象不仅仅折射了当时社会上处于不同地位的人群，更象征着20世纪初的社会面貌。

巴克是《野性的呼唤》的主人公，伦敦将他的思想寄托在巴克身上。巴克并不仅仅是条普通的狗，他是小说中拥有不同象征意义的最为重要的形象。被拐卖后的巴克就像那些底层人民一样吃尽千辛万苦。而当巴克学会了如何在逆境中生存之后，他变得残忍且狡诈，并且成为了领头狗。尽管生存艰辛，巴克仍对爱着他的主人忠心耿耿。杰克·伦敦正是通过巴克的苦难历程揭示了残酷的社会竞争。

伦敦用他批判的眼光来看当时美国的社会主义文明。残酷的竞争使得人们疲惫不堪，越来越多的人在心灵上有了对自由的追求。巴克的经历向读者展示了他的心理蜕变，正如同当时的劳动群众那样，在重重磨难中寻找自我。

关键词：野性的呼唤；象征意义；竞争；生存

Abstract

Jack London’s most representative works The Call of the Wild is an animal fable. The image of Buck not only reflects people of different statuses at that time, but also a symbol of the social reality in the early twentieth century.

Buck is the protagonist in The Call of the Wild and London reposed his attitude in Buck. The dog is not only a dog, but the most important image that has different symbolic meanings. When Buck was sold, he was just like the bottom people who suffered all kinds of hardships. When Buck learns how to survive in adversity, he becomes cruel and cunning. Nonetheless, Buck is loyal to his master who loves him. London has revealed the cruel social competition through the sufferings of Buck.

London turned his critical eyes to American socialist civilization in his time. Fierce competition makes people terribly fatigued. More and more people have a goal of freedom pursuit in their mind. Buck's experience shows the readers his psychological transformation. So were the socialist laboring people in that time. They searched for self-liberation among the mountains of tribulations.

Key words：The Call of the Wild, symbolic meaning, competition, survival

Contents

1 Introduction.................................................................................................................1

2 Demonstration............................................................................................................1

2.1 An overview of the novel.........................................................................................2

2.1.1 The author and the creation of Buck.....................................................................2

2.1.2 The plot.................................................................................................................3

2.1.3 The employment of symbolism............................................................................3

2.2 The symbolic meanings of Buck in the novel.........................................................4

2.2.1 Buck’s symbolic meanings for people..................................................................4

2.2.1.1 The symbol of bottom people............................................................................4

2.2.1.2 The symbol of exploiters...................................................................................5

2.2.1.3 The symbol of people with thankfulness and fidelity........................................5

2.2.2 Buck’s symbolic meanings for society.................................................................6

2.2.2.1 The symbol of fierce competition......................................................................6

2.2.2.2 The symbol of freedom pursuit..........................................................................7

3 Conclusion..................................................................................................................8

Works Cited................................................................................................................ .9

Bibliography................................................................................................................10

An Analysis of the Symbolic Meanings of Buck in The Call of the Wild

1. Introduction

Jack London has a high place in modern American literature and world literature and his works have their own distinctions and attractions. London feels that his literary works have more influence on the public than political activities. His works give himself chances of success and opportunities for ambition. He knows a lot about the life of bottom people. In his own words, he sank to the bottom of the poor. London witnessed and experienced the sufferings and misfortunes of those people. Jack London completed over fifty books in his career. These novels depict people who live in cold zone of the North Pole struggling in the harshest environment. When Jack London wrote The Call of the Wild, he chose a new creative theme: dog.

From a dog’s eyes, the readers can catch sight of a world which is full of ice and snow. Actually, Buck has many symbolic meanings. London’s cultural background gave Buck a spirit of the time. Buck symbolizes different people. When he is forced to work day and night, he is the oppressed one. When he becomes the leader of his team, he uses power to manage other dogs. If he wants to survive, he must be strong and cunning in the cutthroat competition. And people live in the present are just like Buck. Although London wrote a story of a dog, it is also a story of people.

This thesis will analyze the different symbolic meanings of Jack London's Buck from many angles and try to let readers have an in-depth understanding of the history and culture which insinuated in this classic literature.

1. Demonstration

2.1 An overview of the novel