An Ecocritical Approach To The Call Of The Wild

Jack London, an American adventurer and literary pioneer, is famous for his animal novels. Among them, The Call of the Wild is regarded as his best one that succeeds in raising the wilderness theme to serious art. Its publication drew immediate critical attention from the perspective of naturalism, Nietzschean hound, socio-political criticism, biographical criticism, geographical setting. As a completely new literary critical approach, ecocriticism has gradually been employed to the literary critical activity. Ecocriticism is the study of literature and environment from an interdisciplinary point of view where all sciences come together to analyze the environment and brainstorm possible solutions for the correction of the contemporary environmental situation. Reminiscence, regression and peak experience are the essential thoughts in the theoretical framework of ecocriticism. Reminiscence is a sentimental yearning for the past,reconstructing of the old experience, a value judgment and thinking about the future. Regression is to hold the correct existence attitude, to adjust human relations with nature, society and his state of mind to striking a relative balance, so that we can freely exist in the technological world with no hurt. Peak experience is joyous and exciting moments in life, involving sudden feelings of intense happiness and well-being, wonder and awe, and possibly also involving an awareness of transcendental unity or knowledge of higher truth. This article is intended to probe into The Call of the Wild from the three aspects: reminiscence, regression and peak experience.Chapter One mainly analyzes Buck's reminiscence. Four-year pampered life on Judge Miller's vast estate has revived when Buck is stuck in the miserable plight of no shelter and little food. The mercilessness of reality makes him eager to return to the past of kindness and warmth; Wolves'ancestral song and the old hairy man frequently occur to him, which leaves him in the meditation of his ancestors and his existence value judgment, and more importantly, which makes him totally desert his previous lifestyle without any reluctance and long for the life that his ancestors lived before. Buck's love for John Thornton is so intense that he has sacrificed himself to save Thornton several times, while these strong feelings haven't stopped his unceasing adventures on the way to his future. Reminiscence endows Buck not only the personal pride as the descendant of his primitive ancestors, also the longing for the depth of forests where he is destined to dwell.Chapter Two attaches its importance to Buck's regression of wilderness. The first theft and snowhole-digging mark Buck as fit to survive in the hostile environment, his adaptability and his capability to adjust himself to the changing conditions. The traces of civilization are squeezed out of his mind by his wildness: wolflike cunning, bidding the time, striving for leadership. Buck has a conspicuous ability to scent the wind and forecast it a night in advance. The harmonious relationship and unity with nature is highest level of free being and existence with no hurt in his residence.Chapter Three puts the emphasis on Buck's peak experience. Thornton's death irritated Buck into ripping the Yeehat's throat wide open one after another in the face of the law of club and fang, and at such times, he is aware of a great pride in himself– a pride greater than ever before. That knowledge of higher truth overwhelms him. Buck runs through the pale moonlight or glimmering borealis, leaping gigantic above his fellows and singing the song of the pack. At that moment, Buck develops his life into the prime time, enjoying the exultancy of the hypostatic union with nature as well as the splendid life to the great accomplishment.