Chapter 6: For the Love of a Man
Discussion Questions:
1.) How did Buck's relationship with John Thornton differ from his relationships with his previous masters? How does London illustrate Buck's intense feelings for Thornton? How is this in keeping with his new, more primitive self? How does Buck balance his love for Thornton with his more primitive self?
His relationship with John refers to his previous masters because he is not treated VERY nicely but he is treated strictly as the other masters treated him. London illustrates Buck's feelings for Thornton by following Thornton around.
2.) What does London mean by the following quotation: "He was older than the days he had seen and the breaths he had drawn."
What I think "He was older than the days he had seen and the breaths he had drawn." means is that he has seen so many things and he is not even that old, and that he has taken so many breaths.
3.) How does Buck's love for Thornton compare to Dave's love of toiling in the traces?
Buck's love for Thornton compares to Dave's love because Dave would do the same things that Buck is doing right now.
4.) Explain the meaning of the following quotation:
What I think this quotation means is that everything keeps dispersing from him, and that he keeps hearing something that wants him to become wild again, and leave into the forest but he loves Thornton to much to leave him.
Each day mankind and the claims of mankind slipped farther from him. Deep in the forest a call was sounding, and as often as he heard this call, mysteriously thrilling and luring, he felt compelled to turn his back upon the fire, and to plunge into the forest...But as often as he gained the soft unbroken earth and the green share, the love of John Thornton drew him back to the fire again.
Vocabulary:
Eloquent - fluent or persuasive in speaking or writing.
“And when, released, he sprang to his feet, his mouth laughing, his eyes eloquent, his throat vibrant with unuttered sound, and in that fashion remained without movement, John Thornton would reverently exclaim, "God! you can all but speak!”(pg.124)
Nudge - prod (someone) gently, typically with one's elbow, in order to draw their attention to something.
“Unlike Skeet, who was wont to shove her nose under Thornton's hand and nudge and nudge till petted, or Nig, who would stalk up and rest his great head on Thornton's knee, Buck was content to adore at a distance.”(pg.125)
Reverently - with reverence; in a reverent manner
“And when, released, he sprang to his feet, his mouth laughing, his eyes eloquent, his throat vibrant with unuttered sound, and in that fashion remained without movement, John Thornton would reverently exclaim, "God! you can all but speak!”(pg.124)
Feigned - simulated or pretended; insincere.
"her eyes widened with feigned shock"“And as Buck understood the oaths to be love words, so the man understood this feigned bite for a caress.”(pg.124)
Transient - lasting only for a short time; impermanent.
“His transient masters since he had come into the Northland had bred in him a fear that no master could be permanent.”(pg.125-126)
Aroused - awaken someone from sleep
“But in spite of this great love he bore John Thornton, which seemed to bespeak the soft civilizing influence, the strain of the primitive, which the Northland had aroused in him, remained alive and active.”(pg.126)
Tenderfoot - a newcomer or novice, esp. a person unaccustomed to the hardships of pioneer life.
“Black" Burton, a man evil-tempered and malicious, had been picking a quarrel with a tenderfoot at the bar, when Thornton stepped good-naturedly between.”(pg.131)
Contagion - the communication of disease from one person to another by close contact.
“He had caught the contagion of the excitement, and he felt that in some way he must do a great thing for John Thornton.”(pg.142)
Conjuration -
“It seemed like a conjuration.”(pg.144)
Activities (choose one):
3.) Find a video clip representing the law of the wilderness as details in the story.
1.) How did Buck's relationship with John Thornton differ from his relationships with his previous masters? How does London illustrate Buck's intense feelings for Thornton? How is this in keeping with his new, more primitive self? How does Buck balance his love for Thornton with his more primitive self?
His relationship with John refers to his previous masters because he is not treated VERY nicely but he is treated strictly as the other masters treated him. London illustrates Buck's feelings for Thornton by following Thornton around.
2.) What does London mean by the following quotation: "He was older than the days he had seen and the breaths he had drawn."
What I think "He was older than the days he had seen and the breaths he had drawn." means is that he has seen so many things and he is not even that old, and that he has taken so many breaths.
3.) How does Buck's love for Thornton compare to Dave's love of toiling in the traces?
Buck's love for Thornton compares to Dave's love because Dave would do the same things that Buck is doing right now.
4.) Explain the meaning of the following quotation:
What I think this quotation means is that everything keeps dispersing from him, and that he keeps hearing something that wants him to become wild again, and leave into the forest but he loves Thornton to much to leave him.
Each day mankind and the claims of mankind slipped farther from him. Deep in the forest a call was sounding, and as often as he heard this call, mysteriously thrilling and luring, he felt compelled to turn his back upon the fire, and to plunge into the forest...But as often as he gained the soft unbroken earth and the green share, the love of John Thornton drew him back to the fire again.
Vocabulary:
Eloquent - fluent or persuasive in speaking or writing.
“And when, released, he sprang to his feet, his mouth laughing, his eyes eloquent, his throat vibrant with unuttered sound, and in that fashion remained without movement, John Thornton would reverently exclaim, "God! you can all but speak!”(pg.124)
Nudge - prod (someone) gently, typically with one's elbow, in order to draw their attention to something.
“Unlike Skeet, who was wont to shove her nose under Thornton's hand and nudge and nudge till petted, or Nig, who would stalk up and rest his great head on Thornton's knee, Buck was content to adore at a distance.”(pg.125)
Reverently - with reverence; in a reverent manner
“And when, released, he sprang to his feet, his mouth laughing, his eyes eloquent, his throat vibrant with unuttered sound, and in that fashion remained without movement, John Thornton would reverently exclaim, "God! you can all but speak!”(pg.124)
Feigned - simulated or pretended; insincere.
"her eyes widened with feigned shock"“And as Buck understood the oaths to be love words, so the man understood this feigned bite for a caress.”(pg.124)
Transient - lasting only for a short time; impermanent.
“His transient masters since he had come into the Northland had bred in him a fear that no master could be permanent.”(pg.125-126)
Aroused - awaken someone from sleep
“But in spite of this great love he bore John Thornton, which seemed to bespeak the soft civilizing influence, the strain of the primitive, which the Northland had aroused in him, remained alive and active.”(pg.126)
Tenderfoot - a newcomer or novice, esp. a person unaccustomed to the hardships of pioneer life.
“Black" Burton, a man evil-tempered and malicious, had been picking a quarrel with a tenderfoot at the bar, when Thornton stepped good-naturedly between.”(pg.131)
Contagion - the communication of disease from one person to another by close contact.
“He had caught the contagion of the excitement, and he felt that in some way he must do a great thing for John Thornton.”(pg.142)
Conjuration -
“It seemed like a conjuration.”(pg.144)
Activities (choose one):
3.) Find a video clip representing the law of the wilderness as details in the story.