As we embark on the frosty voyage into the debut chapter of Call of the Wild, let's mull over the opening verse: "Old longings nomadic leap, Chafing at custom’s chain; Again from its brumal sleep, Wakens the ferine strain." The beautiful web of words foreshadows a primal awakening. The domesticated being yearns to return to its inherent wild state, held down by the chains of societal norms.
Our lead character is Buck, a strong, furry, canine resident of the sun-drenched Santa Clara Valley. Unbeknownst to him, a wave of change is surging along the Pacific coast. Buck, king of his domain, lives oblivious to the tide of gold seekers amassing in the North. They seek muscular, rugged dogs like him, to bear the frost and toil in the harrowing Arctic lands.
Buck's tale is imbued with rich imagery, as his tranquil existence stands on the edge of an arctic upheaval, literally and metaphorically. His regal life, amidst the spacious dwelling of Judge Miller, is described as caught in contrasting shades of serenity and grandeur. Judge Miller’s estate, teeming with life, is Buck's kingdom where he is revered, respected, and loved. He is a dignified aristocrat, but not a spoilt one. He carries a certain pride in himself but fiercely guards his roots, maintaining a balanced lifestyle with his love for hunting and water.
But comfort can be deceiving, and tranquility, fleeting. As the chapter unfolds, the reader is pulled into an undertow of deception and treachery. Manuel, doomed by his gambling, commits an unforgivable act. He transforms Buck, from a lively companion leisurely strolling through an orchard, into a shackled, gasping victim of a cold-blooded transaction.
Buck's life quickly spirals into a grim sequence of betrayals and brutalities. His world flips upside down into an unfriendly landscape of humans and iron bars. His grandeur keeps shrinking, replaced by the instinct of a survivor. He is sold and shipped, teased, and tormented. He encounters an unusual array of characters in the underbelly of human and canine societies, brimming with shabby manners and ruthless souls. But in this grimness, Buck gains a valuable insight: a man with a club is a lawgiver, a master—a grotesque but unearthed truth of the wild.
Emotions run high as we follow Buck's journey to the cold North, led by a curious fellow called Perrault. The chapter rounds off on an intensely anticipative note, with Buck caught in the mystique of his new masters, incessantly wary of his uncertain future, but ever resilient. And as we close, Buck has his first taste of snow.
