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Call of the Wild Chapter 6 Summary
Having frozen his feet that past December, John Thornton walks a slight limp. Staying with Thornton during the spring, Buck’s strength is also restored. Buck’s muscles swell, and flesh returns to cover his bones. He makes friends with John Thornton’s other dogs, Skeet and Nig. They await the raft that will carry them to Dawson. Skeet is motherly and nurses Buck’s wounds during his convalescence. Nig is also quite friendly. The dogs manifest no jealously towards Buck. The kindness of John Thornton arises for them as well. Buck adores him, and goes wild with happiness when Thornton touches him or speaks to him.
He does not even like to lose sight of Thornton, however, Buck retains the wildness that has been growing in him since he was first kidnapped. If a strange dog appears, he fights fiercely, and always prevails. He never shows any mercy. He also hears the call of his wild nature, and apart from Thornton, he no longer has any ties to the human world. Later that year, a man named “Black” Burton, picks a quarrel with Thornton at a bar.
Burton hits him, and is immediately attacked by Buck. He barely escapes with his life, and as a result of his defense of his master, Buck gets a reputation through all the camps in Alaska. Again when John falls into the rapids of a river, Buck aids Hans and Pete in rescuing him and breaks three ribs. That winter, Buck’s fame spreads even farther throughout Alaska, when he wins a bet that Thornton makes in a bar.
The bet is that Buck can start a sled that weighs a thousand pounds. The test takes place in the street outside the bar, and Buck succeeds in his task, breaking the sled out of the ice and pulling it for one hundred yards. This feat of Buck wins sixteen hundred dollars for his master. A man then offers to Buck for twelve hundred dollars, but Thornton is not interested in selling Buck.
Call of the Wild Chapter 6 Summary Word Meanings
- Entice – Provoke someone to do something through persuasion
- Convalescence – Gradual healing through rest after sickness or injury
- Pompous – Puffed up with vanity
- Expediency – The quality of being suited to the end in view
- Eloquent – Expressing yourself readily, clearly, effectively
- Transient – Lasting a very short time
- Beckon – Summon with a wave, nod, or some other geture
- Chasm – A deep opening in the earth’s surface
- Uncanny – Surpassing the ordinary or normal
- Hankering – A yearning for something
- Impede – Be a hindrance or obstacle to
- Jagged – Having a sharply uneven surface or outline
- Veer – Turn sharply; change direction abruptly
- Appalled – Struck with fear, dread or consternation
- Quibble – Evade the truth of a point by raising irrelevant objections.
- Jubilant – Full of high-spirited delight
- Ebb – Flow back or recede
- Lurch – Move suddenly or as if unable to control one’s movements
Call of the Wild Chapter 6 Summary Questions and Answers
Question 1.
What trait in Buck’s characters ensures that he will survive in the North? How is this aspect of his character shown in the story ?
Answer:
Buck has inner strength and leadership. Buck is tenacious and assertine. In his former life, these traits would be aggressive and discouraged. Buck was merely a pampered pet. Although Buck’s new world is much harsher than his old world. It also suits Buck better.Buck is beginning his inner strength and purpose. Buck was docile and submissive. These traits in Buck’s character ensure that he will survive in the North.
Question 2.
What underlines Thornton’s mastery over Buck ?
Answer:
Buck’s devotion to Thornton is so great that it is blind. While Buck lives for Thornton, he will also die for him. This steadfast obedience underlines Thornton’s mastery over Buck.
Question 3.
How did Thornton test Buck’s loyalty ?
Answer:
Thornton test’s Buck’s loyalty by commanding him to jump off its ledge. Buck starts forward, but Thornton grabs him before he can toss himself over the ledge. Buck’s unwavering obedience delights and disturbs Thornton.
Question 4.
How did Buck save his master’s reputation?
Answer:
In chapter 6, just before Buck returns to the primitive world, Jack London shows us the love, and the devotion of an animal. Buck saves Thornton’s reputation by pulling a thousand pound load and winning a ton of money for.
Question 5.
Why is Thornton known as the “ideal master”?
Answer:
Buck’s relationship with Thornton is unique because it is defined by love, making Thornton the “ideal master”. Buck does not work for, or guard Thornton, but loves him. Yet this love is so potent that it enslaves Buck, quelling his instinctual desire to go into the forest and compelling him to follow Thornton, wherever he may go.
Question 6.
How do you come to know that the relationship between Buck and Thornton is one of mutual love and respect?
Answer:
When Buck rescues Thornton, he only repays John for rescuing his life-man and dog rely on each other not only to live, but to survive in the face of nature’s unforeseen calamities and conditions. Buck and Thornton are willing to risk their lives for the other shows that their relationship is one of mutual love and respect.
Extract Based Questions
Question 1.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
For that matter, they were all loafing Buck, John Thornton, and Skeet and Nig-waiting for the raft to come that was to carry them down to Dawson. Skeet was a little Irish setter who early made friends with Buck, who, in a dying condition was unable to resent her first advances.
(i) Give the reference of the above passage.
(ii) Write briefly about Thornton’s other dogs.
(iii) How does Buck show his love to Thornton?
(iv) How does Buck act towards Pete and Hans?
(v) What did Buck hear one night.
Answer:
(i) The above extract has been taken from Chapter 6 -‘For the Love of a Man’ of the novel, “The Call of the Wild” written by Jack London. John Thornton having frozen his feet walks with difficulty. They all await the raft which will carry them to Dawson.
(ii) In Chapter 6, the dogs of John Thornton which are referred here are, Skeet and Nig. Skeet is motherly and nurses Buck’s wounds, when the eater is in trouble. Nig is also described as a friendly creature. The dogs love Buck, even John Thornton has feeling of kindness towards the dogs.
(iii) Buck’s true, in fact, genuine love is described in the chapter. To express his love towards Thornton, Buck closes his mouth around Thornton’s hand in a fake bite. Buck even adores him, and is wild with happiness when Thornton touches him or speaks to him.
(iv) Pete and Hans are John Thornton’s friends, in fact, partners. Buck tolerates both of them in a passive way. When Hans and Pete arrived on the long expected raft Buck refused to notice their arrival also. This shows he indifferent behavior towards Hans and Pele.
(v) One night Buck sprang from sleep. From the forest came the call, distinct as never before. In an open place among the trees, he saw a long, lean, timber wolf. The wolf fled at the sight of Buck.
Question 2.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
But Thornton fell on his knees besides Buck. Head was against head, and he was shaking him back and forth. Those who hurried up heard him cursing Buck, and he cursed him long and fervently, and softly and lovingly.
(i) What do you know about the Forty Mile Creek?
(ii) How would you describe Mathewson’s bet?
(iii) How will the money that Buck won help John, Pete and Hans?
(iv) What was Buck’s reaction when he reached the camp?
(v) What were the things that stood out in Buck’s vision about the other world?
Answer:
(i) Forty Mile Creek is a dangerous river in the Yukon valley referred in chapter 6 in the novel, “The Call of the Wild” written by Jack London. Buck saves Thornton’s life when he is boating in the Forty Mile Creeks. Forty Mile was a mining community that flourished a few years before the big strike in the Klondike region.
(ii) John Thornton boasts that Buck can start a thousand pound load, break it out, walk off with it for a hundred yards. This leads to a bet with Mathewson, which is of $ 1,000. John O’ Brien lends the money to Thornton to match Mathewson’s bet. Thornton whisper’s to Buck, “As you love me, Buck. As you love me” in order to encourage him to win the bet.
(iii) John pays off his debts with the money that Buck earns from the bet; and he sets off together with his dogs and his friends, Pete and Hans. This is the most lucrative contribution to John Thornton and his partners. This bet happened outside the Eldorado Saloon.
(iv) When Buck returned to the deserted camp, he scented Thornton down to the edge of a pool. All day Buck roamed restlessly above the camp. He knew John Thornton was dead. It left a great void in him, a void which ached and ached.
(v) The salient thing of the other world seemed fear. And closely akin to the visions was the call still sounding in the depths of the forest. The most impressive thing about Buck was his massive bear gut that stood out. Buck was a stately creature; he carried himself with aloof dignity. Buck sacrificed his life out of moral.