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During a close reading of the text, answer the following questions. Be sure to answer each question in its entirety. Use complete sentences, proper spelling, proper punctuation, and specific references to the text. These questions are due the first week of school.
Chapter One
1. From whose perspective is part of this chapter told and why is this perspective unusual?
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2. London describes Buck as, “king over all…things of Judge Miller’s place, humans included.” (Pg.12) Since he is not really a king, why does the narrator refer to him in that way?
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3. Buck’s temperament has changed dramatically, and he has developed a hatred for man. Find a quote that shows his transformation and explain its relevance and its significance to Buck’s transformation.
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4. Buck learns a lesson from the man with the club that he never forgets. What lesson does Buck learn and what theme is being developed within this lesson?
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Chapter Two
5. London says after watching Spitz that “from that moment Buck hated (Spitz) with a bitter and deathless hatred.”
(Pg.20). What event triggered Bucks’ hatred and what does this reveal about Buck’s character and Spitz’s character?
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6. From this point on, the story is set in the Yukon Territory in northwest Canada, in 1897. As the plot develops, so do other characters. What characters are developed in this chapter and what purpose do they serve? Consider the affect these characters have on theme development, plot development, and character development.
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7. Buck learns another specific lesson in this chapter. What lesson does Buck learn and why is it relevant to the plot? Use evidence from the text to support your response.
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8. Re-read the last paragraph of this chapter. What is implied about Buck and how does it relate to the title?
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Chapter 3
10. Read the following lines from this chapter.
“Is it a bright moonlit night; a circle of dogs surrounds two others within the center; the purpose is to battle until one is
dead.” Identify and explain the two types of rhetorical devices used in these lines. (Hint: one of these devices is used to predict future events).
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Chapter 4
11. Re-read the last paragraph in this chapter, what may we infer happens behind the river trees? How will this event affect the rest of the story?
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Chapter 5
12. Read the following line.
“The congested mail was taking on Alpine proportions.”
Identify the type of rhetorical device used within the line and explain its purpose and value to the reader and to the plot.
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13. London sometimes tends to be wordy. Re-write the sentence below to make it more simple and straightforward.
“Both men were manifestly out of place, and why such as they should adventure the North is part of the mystery of things that passes understanding.” (Pg. 46)
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14. How do people change in the course of the trip? What tragic flaw do these people possess that bring on disaster?
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15. Re-read the following line from this chapter and explain its significance and value to the plot, the characters, and the theme.
“If you strike that dog again, I’ll kill you.”
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Chapter 6
16. In this chapter, what do “fire” and “fire and roof” symbolize. What could these symbols foreshadow?
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17. Read the following lines.
“Kill or be killed, eat or be eaten, was the law; and this mandate, down out of the depths of Time, he obeyed.”
In literature, authors use specific language and sentence structure for a particular purpose. This purpose could be to develop the theme, to develop characters, and/or to develop the plot. What dual purposes does this line serve? Use evidence from the text to support your response.
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Chapter 7
Summarize the last chapter of the book. After your summary, analyze essential rhetorical devices that London used to develop the major themes of the work. Use evidence from the text to support your response. Hint: Be specific and purposeful. Use the text.
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After a close reading of the text, answer
ONE the following questions. Be sure to answer the question in its entirety.
Use complete sentences, proper spelling, proper punctuation, and specific references to the text.
A. Trace throughout the novel and cite those comments and incidents that support the following claim: A major theme in The Call of the Wild is that a domesticated creature can be drawn back to its primitive roots.
B. Rhetorical devices and literary techniques are closely related to an author’s tone and style. In fact, an author’s style partly consists of selecting and using certain devices; an author’s tone is partially determined by the type of techniques an author uses. Trace throughout the novel specific rhetorical devices or literary techniques that London uses. How do these devices shape the theme and tone of the work? Use evidence from the text to support your response.
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