Some other scholars think that Buck is the reflection of readers’ own nature which pursues the spiritual integration, a process of inpiduation。 Such scholars believe that the path Buck takes is the imagination of readers to discuss motivations in the depth of human soul。 According to them, the more civilized we are, the more scared we become--- scared that the happiness we are born into might disappear。 论文网
Based on their studies, my work looks for something different。 Many people think Buck’s final return is the symbol of the author’s yearning for freedom。 I analyze Buck’s self-contradiction from his behaviors when he stays with different masters。 The dynamic wildness in his blood makes his ambivalence vary from time to time。 When he stays with his first master---the Judge, the wildness is at its weakest, when he enjoys the comfort of civilization, showing his unruliness only in some vigorous games -- in other words, he is human beings’ best friend at the time。 When he is kidnapped, he starts to fight fiercely, and the call of wild begins to grow louder。 When he meets his second masters and joins a pack of new dogs, the call of the wild falls and rises with the change of the environment: in order to survive he learns to control himself at first and then he learns to flash his teeth and claws。 When Buck meets Thornton, who is loving and adorable, the call of the wild in him is most suppressed, as he becomes Thornton’s good friend。 But ultimately, with the death of Thornton, the power of the wildness breaks out and Buck becomes a wolf。
From a dog to a wolf, Buck kept struggling。 To enjoy the comfort of civilization or to answer the call of the wild---that is the question for Buck, which causes his self-contradiction。 It is necessary to see that Buck’s self-contradiction or the call of the wild is dynamic, which means at different times, the influence of the call of civilization or the wild changes。
2。 The dynamic Process of Buck’s Self-contradiction
Buck’ self-contradiction changes as the call of the wild shifted。 At different stages, he behaves differently。 If one draws a line chart for this process, it must be a curving line。 Buck acts toward the change of natural and social environment about him, which causes the intensity of the calling of the wild to change with it all the time。 Thus not only does Buck have a self-contradictory character, civilized and brutal at the same time, but this self-contradiction is dynamic and keeps changing。
2。1 Buck’s Self-contradiction
Buck’s self-contradiction can be examined from three perspectives。
The first and most obvious contradiction lies in the fact that he is struggling between civilization and wild。 He hates to part with civilized life-style for it was easy and cozy, but at the same time he could not ignore the call of the wild, as forests and grassland strongly attracts him。 The closer to the forest, the more self-contradictory he is, because it is the time when the civilization shows her strongest force。
This contradiction is deeply rooted in his blood。 As the progeny of a wolf, he was born to be fond of some wild games sports and loves howling and running because those are his natural instincts。 But he was also born to be a domestic dog。 With his first master being a gentleman---a Judge, he is also a dog with good manners。 He looks after little babies and accompanies the Judge during a long and boring day。 He is docile。 He longs for free life with passion but he rests contented with decent life。 文献综述
Buck is also contradictory in his attitude towards human beings。 Buck trust human beings, as the way he lives was first of all learned from people around him, and he depended on them when he was young。 However, after he was kidnapped, he saw more of the dark side of human beings, who sold him, whipped him and enslaved him。 He tried to fight them but failed。 However, if people treat him a little better, he forgets the torment。 He is often hesitating as to whether to count on people as friends and family or to revolt against them as deadly enemies。 。