CHAPTER - 4 CALL OF THE WILD

Question 1. State in your own words the departure of Francois and Perrault from
Buck’s life.
Answer: Francois and Perrault’s departure from Buck’s life signals the end of one phase in
Buck’s relationship with man. They have been wise and just masters to Buck. Francois
weeps over Buck this shows the level of deep respect and care he has towards him.

Question 2. What did Buck learn in Chapter 4 as stated by “Jack London”?

Answer: Through the team’s record run, Buck demonstrates his mastery of his work. He has
learnt how to work, now to and how to lead a pack. He is not only fit to lead the team, but he
is more than fit to survive and thrive in the wild.

Question 3. What happened to Dave in Chapter 4 ?

Answer: Dave was a supporting character. He was an experienced sled dog whose work
meant a lot to him and preferred to be left alone. The Scotsman removes Dave from the
traces putting Sor-leks in his place. Dave was sick, but refused to leave his place at the sled.
He insists on dying while pulling the sled. Finally he dies by a bullet, in order to end his
suffering.

Question 4. Why did Perrault and Francois exit from Buck’s life ?
Answer: In Skaguay, Francois and Perrault become minor celebrities for the record timing of
their run. They celebrate for a week’s time, but official order from the government forced
them to depart from the town, thereby, leaving Buck and his man behind. Francois weeps
over Buck as he and Perrault exit Buck’s life “for good”.

Question 5. State in your own words, Buck’s dream of a primitive man.

Answer: Buck’s dream of a primitive man shows that his memory is receding into a primeval
past, but also that he is looking for something more in a human master, an equality and
co-operation, that is impossible when he works for humans. Buck begins to have visions of a
“hairy”, “short legged” cave man, clad in animal skins, squatting by the fire.

Extract Based Questions

Question 1. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
It was a record run. Each day for fourteen days Perrault and Francois threw chests up
and down the main street of Skagnay and mere deluged with invitations to drink,
while the team was the constant centre of a worshipful crowd of dog-busters and
mushers.
(i) What did Buck see in the fire?
(ii) Why Buck did not want to go back in his old harness?
(iii) Describe the attack faced by Buck in the above chapter?
(iv) What did Buck see in his dreams ?
(v) What happened in the fight between Buck and Spitz?
Answer: (i) Buck loved to lie near the fire. Sometimes he thought of Judge Miller’s big house.
He often remembered the man in the red sweater, the death of Curly, and the fight with
Spitz. He also dreamt of a short and hair like man running through the woods.

(ii) Buck did not want to go back into his old harness, because he wanted to be in front of the
pack. He wanted to be the leader. In fact, he possessed leadership qualities. He was better
than most, superior attributes. He received the compliment that he was worth $ 1000.

(iii) After a long trip of 14 days, the sled-dogs including Buck, were very exhausted. Some
four or five scores of starving huskies attacked the camp. The dog team found shelter from
their attackers in the forest.

(iv) When Buck crouched, blinking dreamily, instead of the cook he saw a different man
there. The man uttered strange sounds and seemed too afraid of the darkness into which he
gazed.

Question 2.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
It was a hard trip, with the mail behind them, and the heavy work wore them down.
They were short of weight inpoor condition when they made Dawson and should have
had a ten days’ or a week’s rest at least. But in two days time they dropped down the
Yukon bank from the Barracks, loaded with letters for the outside. The dogs were
tired, the drivers grumbling, and to matters worse, it snowed every day.
(i) What was the amount of food that was given to the sled dogs?
(ii) How does Buck perform when he succeeds Spitz as lead dog?
(iii) What condition were the dogs in when they arrived at Skagway from Dawson?
(iv) What happened to Dave in ‘the Call of the Wild’?
(v) What did Buck do in the end ?

Answer: (i) The incompetent humans did not know that they had too many dogs. Sometimes
they overfed them and at times they underfed them. Charles and Hal had no idea what they
were doing. To them it made sense to have as many dogs they could get.

(ii) In chapter 4 of the novel, ‘the Call of the Wild’, written by Jack London, Buck performs
exceedingly well when he succeeds former lead dog, Spitz. At first, the drivers wanted to use
another lead dog, but Buck refuses to allow it and finally succeeds.

(iii) The condition of the dogs was miserable, as the dogs and their drivers arrived at
Skagway after a thirty day trek from Dawson. They were exhausted and down in weight,
because they had not had a proper rest as well as proper food.

(iv) Dave was very weak and fell repeatedly in the traces, when they reached Cassiar. Since
he was to die anyway, he wanted to die content in the traces. He howled mournfully and took
his last breath.

(v) Buck made no effort. The last whip bit into him again and again, but he neither whined
nor struggled. Buck had made up his mind nor to get up. Hal exchanged the whip for the
club, and then suddenly without warning, John Thornton sprang upon him.