The primary conflict in The Call of the Wild centers on Buck being thrown into the wilds of the Arctic. The challenges he faces, and the lessons he learns, showcase the characteristics necessary to survive and thrive in the wild. Buck hardly has time to bask in the sun in the idyllic Santa Clara Valley before he’s sold by Manuel’s gambling-addicted farmhand in Chapter 1. From that point on, every moment presents a new struggle for Buck. He’s caged, beaten, attacked, and forced to pull a sled, all while being in the cold and unforgiving North. In Chapter 2, Buck can’t even sleep because of the cold, and he finds respite only after Billee shows him how to make shelter. Often, London uses the setting—the wilderness—to give the narrative more drama, associating the natural world with intense hardship. Because of the hostile environment they find themselves in, other characters Buck meets are cruel and unforgiving. Spitz only cares for himself, and countless wild huskies attack Buck’s camp with no remorse. Given the natural world Buck has come to know, he accepts this behavior as necessary to survive:

He had lessoned from Spitz, and from the chief fighting dogs of the police and mail, and knew there was no middle course.