The book starts out with Buck living in a home as a pet. At the end of the book, he is living with wolves, and is called "Ghost Dog" by local Indians. The story between these points is a very interesting one.
Over the course of the book, Buck is owned by many different masters, each very different. Buck changes along with them. At the beginning of the book, Buck is a pet of Judge Millers: he isn't used to hardships, or having to fight someone for his food. He is then stolen by one of Judge Miller's workers, in order to pay off a gambling debt. He is taken to a kind of dog trainer. The moment he arrives at the trainers house, he is beaten unconcious. He learns that the "man with the big club" is not one to be defied. Buck is eventually bought by Perrault. Perrault takes Buck to the North to be a sled dog. Here Buck becomes hardend: he learns how to fight in the manner of wolves, and how to bury himself in the snow for warmth. Buck quickly learns the ropes, and is soon know as one of the best sled dogs in the North.
After a sled run with Perrault, Buck is sold yet again. This time he is bought by Hal and Charles. They are two Southern men who want to try their luck at mining. Buck is chosen as their lead sled dog. Unfortunately, Hal and Charles had no idea of where to even begin. They are totally and utterly inexpeirienced at sled driving, and at mining in general. At first, they pack the sled so heavy that the dogs cannot move it. Hal then begins to whip the dogs, calling the, lazy brutes. That more or less sets the tone for the whole trip. 7 dogs died on the trip, all shot by Hal for refusing to pull the sled. Eventually, when they pull into a mining camp, John Thorton saw Hal beating Buck brutally. Thorton knocks Hal down, and threatens to kill him if he hits Buck again. Hal, in a rage, storms off, and readies the sled to continue. He doesn't listen to other driver's advice, and pushes on to Dawson, his intended destination. Not 50 yards down the trail, the sled, humans, and all of the dogs fall through the ice, and drown. Just what the drivers warned him of.
This event marks a turning point in Buck's life. He becomes Thorton's best freind, following him everywhere. Buck recovers from his mistreatment at the hands of Hal, and is quickly back into top shape. He is utterly happy, and is devoted to Thorton, protecting him from anyone who would do him harm. He lives with Thorton for a very long portion of his life. After a while, Thorton decides to go on a quest for gold, looking for a fabled mine. Buck, of course acompanys him. Along the way, however, Buck becomes restless. He begins going out into the woods, often gone for weeks at a time. Buck begins hunting his own food, and becomes more and more wild. Buck has brought down a black bear, a baby moose, and even a full grown bull moose. Buck spends more and more time away from camp, but he always returns to his master. One trip, though, he returns to find his master and his friends dead. They were attacked by Indians. Buck quickly avenges his master, killing two Indians, and scaring off the rest. Buck soon gains a reputation with the local tribes, and is know as "Ghost Dog". With no place else to go, Buck joins the wolf pack, and remains wild for the rest of his days.
I recommend this book to everyone, with it being very interesting and enjoyable. It also gives you a unique insight to the primitive law that drives animals: Kill or be killed.
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