Chapter 3: The Dominant Priordial Beast
Discussion Questions:
1.) Describe Spitz's character using examples from the chapter to support your answer.
Spitz character is that he is the lead dog “Dave was wheeler or sled dog, pulling in front of him was Buck, then came Sol-leks; the rest of the team was strung out ahead, single file, to the leader, which position was filled by Spitz.”(pg.35), and he is also mean because he laughs at Curly when she dies“He saw Spitz run out his scarlet tongue in a way he had of laughing; and he saw Francois, swinging an axe, spring into the mess of dogs.”(pg.27).
2.) How do Francois and Perrault display their true natures in this chapter? Give specific examples to support your answer?
Perrault is not that nice because if a dog is being mean he will hit them,“They were crazed by the smell of the food. Perrault found one with head buried in the grub-box. His club landed heavily on the gaunt ribs,”(pg.47) Francois is fair because he made Buck shoes out of his shoes because Bucks feet were cold. They are also both fair because they protect and care for their dogs.“Also, the dog-driver rubbed Buck's feet for half an hour each night after supper, and sacrificed the tops of his own moccasins to make four moccasins for Buck.”(pg.54)
3.) How does Buck begin to undermine Spitz's authority in this chapter? What were the effects of Buck's actions? What does this say about Buck's transformation from a "southland dog"?
Buck begins to undermine Spitz when Buck growls at Spitz because he is not afraid anymore, and also he starts fights with him because Buck knows that he is the boss of himself . The effects on Bucks actions were that after he killed Spitz there was no lead dog so the whole team lost control and didn't care anymore. This says that Buck is becoming more of a wolf.
4.) In the following quotation what does London mean by the "dominant primordial beast"?
"A pause seemed to fall. Every animals was motionless as though turned to stone. Only Spitz quivered and bristled as he staggered back and forth, snarling with horrible menace, as though to frighten off impending death. Then Buck sprang in and out; but while he was in, shoulder had at ast squarely met shoulder. The dark circle became a dot on the moon-flooded snow as Spitz disappeared from view. Buck stoof and looked on, the successful champion, the dominant primordial beast who had made his kill and found it good." (p. 31)
She means that Buck is now the leader because he killed the lead dog, and he is not afraid to fight or use his imagination.
5.) What traits have helped Buck thrive in his new world? Of them, why do you think is most important? Why?
He has imagination and he thinks of different ways to fight so that he would be able to win. He is also very brave because he is not afraid to fight back . I think that imagination is most important because it helps him win fights and survive.
Vocabulary:
Malingerer - Fake illness to skip work or duty.
“Pike, the malingerer, leaped upon the crippled animal, breaking its neck with a quick flash of teeth and a jerk, Buck got a frothing adversary by the throat, and was sprayed with blood when his teeth sank through the jugular.”(pg.48)
Marauders - A person who marauds; a raider.
Covert - Not openly acknowledged or displayed.
“In the days that followed, as Dawson grew closer and closer, Buck still continued to interfere between Spitz and the culprits; but he did it craftily, when Francois was not around, With the covert mutiny of Buck, a general insubordination sprang up and increased.”(pg.59-60)
Insidious - Proceeding in a gradual, subtle way, but with harmful effects.
“The insidious revolt led by Buck had destroyed the solidarity of the team.”(pg.63)
Travail - Painful effort
“With the aurora borealis flaming coldly overhead, or the stars leaping in the frost dance, and the land numb and frozen under its pall of snow, this song of the huskies might have been the defiance of life, only it was pitched in minor key, with long-drawn wailings and half-sobs, and was more the pleading of life, the articulate travail of existence. It was an old song, old as the breed itself—one of the first songs of the younger world in a day when songs were sad.”(pg.61)
Placatingly - Make (someone) less angry or hostile.
“And even Billee, the good-natured, was less good-natured, and whined not half so placatingly as in former days.”(pg.63)
Inexorable - Impossible to stop or prevent.
“There was no hope for him. Buck was inexorable.”(pg.71)
Activities (Choose one):
2.) Draw the fight between Buck and Spitz. Create human dialogue for each of the characters showing their emotional and mental states.
1.) Describe Spitz's character using examples from the chapter to support your answer.
Spitz character is that he is the lead dog “Dave was wheeler or sled dog, pulling in front of him was Buck, then came Sol-leks; the rest of the team was strung out ahead, single file, to the leader, which position was filled by Spitz.”(pg.35), and he is also mean because he laughs at Curly when she dies“He saw Spitz run out his scarlet tongue in a way he had of laughing; and he saw Francois, swinging an axe, spring into the mess of dogs.”(pg.27).
2.) How do Francois and Perrault display their true natures in this chapter? Give specific examples to support your answer?
Perrault is not that nice because if a dog is being mean he will hit them,“They were crazed by the smell of the food. Perrault found one with head buried in the grub-box. His club landed heavily on the gaunt ribs,”(pg.47) Francois is fair because he made Buck shoes out of his shoes because Bucks feet were cold. They are also both fair because they protect and care for their dogs.“Also, the dog-driver rubbed Buck's feet for half an hour each night after supper, and sacrificed the tops of his own moccasins to make four moccasins for Buck.”(pg.54)
3.) How does Buck begin to undermine Spitz's authority in this chapter? What were the effects of Buck's actions? What does this say about Buck's transformation from a "southland dog"?
Buck begins to undermine Spitz when Buck growls at Spitz because he is not afraid anymore, and also he starts fights with him because Buck knows that he is the boss of himself . The effects on Bucks actions were that after he killed Spitz there was no lead dog so the whole team lost control and didn't care anymore. This says that Buck is becoming more of a wolf.
4.) In the following quotation what does London mean by the "dominant primordial beast"?
"A pause seemed to fall. Every animals was motionless as though turned to stone. Only Spitz quivered and bristled as he staggered back and forth, snarling with horrible menace, as though to frighten off impending death. Then Buck sprang in and out; but while he was in, shoulder had at ast squarely met shoulder. The dark circle became a dot on the moon-flooded snow as Spitz disappeared from view. Buck stoof and looked on, the successful champion, the dominant primordial beast who had made his kill and found it good." (p. 31)
She means that Buck is now the leader because he killed the lead dog, and he is not afraid to fight or use his imagination.
5.) What traits have helped Buck thrive in his new world? Of them, why do you think is most important? Why?
He has imagination and he thinks of different ways to fight so that he would be able to win. He is also very brave because he is not afraid to fight back . I think that imagination is most important because it helps him win fights and survive.
Vocabulary:
Malingerer - Fake illness to skip work or duty.
“Pike, the malingerer, leaped upon the crippled animal, breaking its neck with a quick flash of teeth and a jerk, Buck got a frothing adversary by the throat, and was sprayed with blood when his teeth sank through the jugular.”(pg.48)
Marauders - A person who marauds; a raider.
Covert - Not openly acknowledged or displayed.
“In the days that followed, as Dawson grew closer and closer, Buck still continued to interfere between Spitz and the culprits; but he did it craftily, when Francois was not around, With the covert mutiny of Buck, a general insubordination sprang up and increased.”(pg.59-60)
Insidious - Proceeding in a gradual, subtle way, but with harmful effects.
“The insidious revolt led by Buck had destroyed the solidarity of the team.”(pg.63)
Travail - Painful effort
“With the aurora borealis flaming coldly overhead, or the stars leaping in the frost dance, and the land numb and frozen under its pall of snow, this song of the huskies might have been the defiance of life, only it was pitched in minor key, with long-drawn wailings and half-sobs, and was more the pleading of life, the articulate travail of existence. It was an old song, old as the breed itself—one of the first songs of the younger world in a day when songs were sad.”(pg.61)
Placatingly - Make (someone) less angry or hostile.
“And even Billee, the good-natured, was less good-natured, and whined not half so placatingly as in former days.”(pg.63)
Inexorable - Impossible to stop or prevent.
“There was no hope for him. Buck was inexorable.”(pg.71)
Activities (Choose one):
2.) Draw the fight between Buck and Spitz. Create human dialogue for each of the characters showing their emotional and mental states.