In White Fang, London reveals the brutal power of the wild. The difficulty of life in the wild informs the novel’s conflicts. The Yukon is a setting characterized by brutal cold, unforgiving storms, and a lack of food. Humans and animals who live in the wild are subject to many elements beyond their control. No matter how good a hunter a wolf or a human may be, if there’s nothing to hunt, then they will go hungry. Animals and humans compete over resources in the wild, fighting to the death for the opportunity to survive.

London introduces this theme in Part 1. The primary conflict for Henry is his fight to survive against the merciless wild. Though Henry is strong and pragmatic, his human body is no match for the cold, the lack of resources, and the constant threat of the wolf pack. He experiences distinct moments of crisis, in which he imagines his body succumbing to the cold or being attacked by the wolves. Part 1 emphasizes human beings’ weakness in the grand scheme of the natural order, which is a direct challenge to humanity’s belief that it is a superior species.