Dog Protagonists In The North Tales--Jack London's Humanization Of His Dog Characters

Jack London (1876-1916), a self-made author, enjoys a significant and lasting position in American literature. Among his numerous novels and short stories, he rests his reputation chiefly on his North Tales, especially on the three dog stories – The Call of the Wild, White Fang and "Batard". Not surprisingly, these tales are often the focus of critical discussion, and among a large variety of topics, the most controversial one is whether those dog heroes are "men in fur". No consensus has yet been reached. Given that, this thesis attempts to provide evidence and add some arguments to the claim that Jack London was largely telling human stories and his purpose was better achieved by making use of his dog characters. The paper focuses on three aspects of humanization of London's canine heroes, each in one chapter: faith, self-respect, and intelligence, the most distinguishing human qualities which London regarded highly and endowed his dog protagonists with. In the conclusive chapter, the paper aims at digging out and analyzing the reasons underlining London's humanization of the animals, such as the milieu of London's time, the influence of naturalism, the literary need of his temporary readers and publishers, his own experiences, his affection towards canine. It is precisely the human qualities of London's dog protagonists that enable his North Tales to transcend from mere children's tales or animal tales to serious literature with their lasting values.