White Fang By: Jack London

1. White FangBy: Jack London Presentation by: Ronald Girard

2. Jack London

3. Thesis • Jack London grew up during the late 1800’s to the early 1900’s and naturalism was big then, and so his writing reflects the speech patterns of that time and it also includes naturalist views, making his writing different from the stories people write today.

4. White Fang summary:Part 1 • After terrorizing a dog musher by killing his dogs and causing him to shoot and kill his friend, a she-wolf named Kiche and an older wolf named One-eye split from their pack and travel, eventually stopping and having cubs in a cave. One of them is born gray, unlike the others. He would eventually be named White Fang. He grow and grows, losing his father and brothers/sisters in the process. He learns some ways of the wild, but is soon, along w/ his mom, taken in by an indian named Gray Beaver. He is constantly attacked by a dog named Lip-lip. His mom is eventually given away to another indian, so he loses his only protection against Lip-lip.

5. White Fang summary:Part 2 • White Fang grows into an adult at the camp and has become vicious and cruel now that he no longer had his mom to grow up with. He masters several tricks that will later help him. He sneaks away once but rejoins Gray Beaver. When the indians join another camp of indians, White Fang finds his mom, who has forgotten him. One day, White Fang sneaks away again and travels back to where he grew up with his mom. He later, again, rejoins the indians. When a man named Beauty Smith takes interest in White Fang, he buys him from Gray Beaver and forces him into dog fights.

6. White Fang summary:Part 3 • After constant fights, White Fang meats his match when a dog named Cherokee fights him and would’ve killed him, had he not been rescued by a man named Weedon Scott who also takes him into his possession. Scott shows White Fang love and friendship, something White Fang never really knew. White Fang bonds with the man and cares for no one but him. The two eventually leave the Klondike and go to California, where White Fang meets Scotts family, and a dog named Collie who constantly bugs him. White Fang gets used to the family and is nicknamed Blessed Wolf after he saves the life of Scotts dad.

7. Jack London’s Life • Born: January 12, 1876; Died: November 22, 1916 • Mom: Flora Wellman; Dad: William Chaney • 1889: became an oyster pirate after working 12-18 hrs. at Hickmott’s Cannery. • 1893: sailed to Japan • After returning from Japan, London worked grueling labor jobs and became a tramp and hobo. • He managed to go finish high school and studied at Heinold’s First and Last Chance. (later nicknamed Jack London’s Rendezvous) • Went to the Klondike for the Gold Rush when he was 21 on July 12, 1897 w/ his sisters husband, Captain Shepard. (also where he got scurvy) • Married: Elizabeth “Bessie” Maddern on 4-7-1900 but divorced her on 11-11-1904 • Had 2 children: Joan and Becky • Later married again: Charmian Kittredge in 1905, who he cruised to Hawaii and Australia w/ on the Snark • Purchased a ranch in 1905 named Beauty Ranch, but it was an economic failure and the stone mansion he built on it burned down. • London was accused of plagiarism as some of his books, especially “The Iron Heel”, are very similar to other books that came out soon before or at the same time as his books • Death: died in a sleeping porch in a cottage on his ranch and many people believe it to be suicide, however his death certificate says he died of kidney failure. (specifically uremia, the illness accompanying kidney failure)

8. Additional Information • He has been honored in several places including Mount London and Jack London Square • Jack London Credo: I would rather be ashes than dust. I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry rot. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet. The function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use my time.

9. Life influence on writing • Jack London lived seeing the dirty and ugly side of life and that influenced his writing in that he writes stories that clearly put gruesome views in your mind and aren’t afraid to show very bad things. Another influence on his writing was his visit to the Klondike. Many of his stories take place there including “White Fang”, “The Call Of The Wild”, and “To Build A Fire”. (The last one was inspired by the hardships he faced when he got scurvy in the Klondike.)

10. Style and Technique • London writes his stories in a naturalist view because, in my opinion, his life was somewhat like a naturalist story. Naturalism is evident in his character development as he keeps the characters very primitive and beastly and natural, even the humans; specifically humans in White Fang. The humans are also referred to as animals in some ways and nothing more, as these primitive humans are very natural, like when it says, “In dim ways he recognized in man the animal that had fought itself to primacy over the other animals of the wild.”

11. Conclusion • Overall, White Fang was a great book to read about a wolf growing up and learning how to survive and how to love and it directly relates to Jack London’s life. I recommend reading it as you will be pulled into it.

12. Works Cited • N/A. “Jack London.” WIKIPEDIA THE FREE ENCYCLOPEDIA. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 23 May, 2011. 22 May, 2011. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_London • N/A. “1906 San Francisco earthquake.” WIKIPEDIA THE FREE ENCYCLOPEDIA. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 23 May, 2011. 22 May, 2011 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1906_San_Francisco_earthquake

13. Works Cited cont. • N/A. “Klondike Gold Rush.” WIKIPEDIA THE FREE ENCYCLOPEDIA. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 22 May, 2011. 22 May, 2011. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klondike_Gold_Rush