Chapter 2: The Law of Club and Fang
Discussion Questions:
1.) What are the "laws of club and fang" that Buck learned in Chapter 2? How are these laws different from what Buck was used to?
The ''law of club and fang'' that Buck learned in Chapter 2 is to obey. These laws are different from what Buck was used to because he was able to eat as much as he can, he had a family, he was treated well, and his life was easy.
2.) What is the one thing that Dave and Sol-leks live for? Why do you think they are like this? How do you think they got this way? Can you think of examples of other animals or humans that show these traits? What does this tell you about animal and human nature?
Dave and Sol-elks lived to be left alone. I think they are like that because they don't like anybody. They got that way because they had a bad time. An example of other animals or humans that show that they want to be left alone are my parents and I and also my dog. This tells me that everyone feels the same sometimes were the get to the point were they just want to be left alone.
3.) If you were Buck, which of the other sled dogs would you choose to be your teacher and why? How is this dog like or unlike Francois as a teacher?
If I were Buck I would chose Dave to be my teacher because he likes to be left alone. Dave is very unlike Francois because he is always lonely and likes to be doing his own stuff Francois is very strict and wants to get over the work the dogs have to do.
4.) What trait insures that Buck will survive in the north? How is this aspect of his character shown in the story? How would this trait be accepted in his former life? What does this say about the differences in the two worlds?
The way that I think that Buck will survive in the north by catching on to things like eating his food fast before the other dogs get it. The aspect of this character is shown in the story because Buck notices that if he doesn't eat fast enough the other dogs will eat it so basically he can't eat slow as he did when he lived with Judge. This would be a trait to Buck's former life because he doesn't have the things he has anymore with the other dogs for example the meals he has smaller meals than usual, he doesn't have a comfortable bed to sleep in he has to sleep in the snow, and he doesn't have a family as much. The difference in the two worlds are that Buck doesn't have the same things as he did when he lived with Judge.
5.) Explain the meaning of the following quotation:
"And not only did he learn by experience, but instincts long dead became alive again. The domesticated generations fell from him. In vague ways he remembered back to the youth of the breed, to the time the world dogs ranged in packs through the primeval forest and killed their meat as they ran it down...Thus, as a token of what a puppet thing life is, the ancient song surged through him and he came into his own again."
The meaning of the quotation is saying that dogs can learn new things if they try them, that it may be hard for them to get used to it and they don't like it but once they learn how to do the work and all it's easy for them and they end up getting used to it.
6.) In adapting to his new world, has Buck developed or retrogressed? Defend your answer.
Buck has developed because he learns new ways to eat and sleep but he may not like it but he gets used to eat for example he knows that if he doesn't eat his food fast enough the other dogs will end up eating it and another example is that he learned by himself on how to sleep because he saw another dog digging through the snow and sleeping warmly.
Vocabulary:
Primordial - existing at or from; “heart of civilization and flung into the heart of things primordial." Pg.17
Reproof - blame or disapproval; “he growled sharp reproof now and again." Pg.19
Tuition - the sum of money charged for teaching; “Buck learned easily, and under the combined tuition of his two mates and Francois made remarkable progress.” Pg.19
Appeasingly - demands; “appeasement was of no avail, and cried (still appeasingly)." Pg.19
Diabolically - devil in an evil manner; “laid back, lips writhing and snarling, jaws clipping together as fast as he could snap, and eyes diabolically gleaming." Pg. 20
Disconsolate - without consulate or comfort; "miserable and disconsolate." Pg.21
Gee - surprise; "francois, guiding the sled at the gee-pole, sometimes exchanged places with him, but not often.” Pg.24
Haw - red fruit;
Activities: (Choose one of the activities listed below to complete)
1.) Write about a time you were in a completely new situation. How did you feel? Did you become more comfortable over time? If so, how? If not, why not?
2.) Draw a picture of Spitz as a person. How would his "personality" translate into human behavior?
3.) Illustrate the sled team as described in Chapter 2, paying close attention to the order of the dogs in relationships to the sled and each other.
4.) How fair is the division of food among the dogs? Argue for the plan or for an alternate method, giving reasons for your argument.
I think that the division of food among the dogs is actually fair because if another dog is trying to get another dogs food the owner shouldn't hit or do anything to the dog that didn't take any food and that it wasn't his/her fault it was the other dog that wanted to take to other dogs food which in this case in the story Spitz was trying to take Buck's food but he wasn't able to because Perrault stopped him from getting Buck's food and hit him with the club.
5.) What qualifies as "moral" or "immoral" in Buck's new world? Create a collage that represents the "more fundamental and primitive code" and contrast it with the moral code of the Judge.
6.) Looking at the titles of the first three chapters, make predictions about what will happen to Buck in the rest of the novel.
1.) What are the "laws of club and fang" that Buck learned in Chapter 2? How are these laws different from what Buck was used to?
The ''law of club and fang'' that Buck learned in Chapter 2 is to obey. These laws are different from what Buck was used to because he was able to eat as much as he can, he had a family, he was treated well, and his life was easy.
2.) What is the one thing that Dave and Sol-leks live for? Why do you think they are like this? How do you think they got this way? Can you think of examples of other animals or humans that show these traits? What does this tell you about animal and human nature?
Dave and Sol-elks lived to be left alone. I think they are like that because they don't like anybody. They got that way because they had a bad time. An example of other animals or humans that show that they want to be left alone are my parents and I and also my dog. This tells me that everyone feels the same sometimes were the get to the point were they just want to be left alone.
3.) If you were Buck, which of the other sled dogs would you choose to be your teacher and why? How is this dog like or unlike Francois as a teacher?
If I were Buck I would chose Dave to be my teacher because he likes to be left alone. Dave is very unlike Francois because he is always lonely and likes to be doing his own stuff Francois is very strict and wants to get over the work the dogs have to do.
4.) What trait insures that Buck will survive in the north? How is this aspect of his character shown in the story? How would this trait be accepted in his former life? What does this say about the differences in the two worlds?
The way that I think that Buck will survive in the north by catching on to things like eating his food fast before the other dogs get it. The aspect of this character is shown in the story because Buck notices that if he doesn't eat fast enough the other dogs will eat it so basically he can't eat slow as he did when he lived with Judge. This would be a trait to Buck's former life because he doesn't have the things he has anymore with the other dogs for example the meals he has smaller meals than usual, he doesn't have a comfortable bed to sleep in he has to sleep in the snow, and he doesn't have a family as much. The difference in the two worlds are that Buck doesn't have the same things as he did when he lived with Judge.
5.) Explain the meaning of the following quotation:
"And not only did he learn by experience, but instincts long dead became alive again. The domesticated generations fell from him. In vague ways he remembered back to the youth of the breed, to the time the world dogs ranged in packs through the primeval forest and killed their meat as they ran it down...Thus, as a token of what a puppet thing life is, the ancient song surged through him and he came into his own again."
The meaning of the quotation is saying that dogs can learn new things if they try them, that it may be hard for them to get used to it and they don't like it but once they learn how to do the work and all it's easy for them and they end up getting used to it.
6.) In adapting to his new world, has Buck developed or retrogressed? Defend your answer.
Buck has developed because he learns new ways to eat and sleep but he may not like it but he gets used to eat for example he knows that if he doesn't eat his food fast enough the other dogs will end up eating it and another example is that he learned by himself on how to sleep because he saw another dog digging through the snow and sleeping warmly.
Vocabulary:
Primordial - existing at or from; “heart of civilization and flung into the heart of things primordial." Pg.17
Reproof - blame or disapproval; “he growled sharp reproof now and again." Pg.19
Tuition - the sum of money charged for teaching; “Buck learned easily, and under the combined tuition of his two mates and Francois made remarkable progress.” Pg.19
Appeasingly - demands; “appeasement was of no avail, and cried (still appeasingly)." Pg.19
Diabolically - devil in an evil manner; “laid back, lips writhing and snarling, jaws clipping together as fast as he could snap, and eyes diabolically gleaming." Pg. 20
Disconsolate - without consulate or comfort; "miserable and disconsolate." Pg.21
Gee - surprise; "francois, guiding the sled at the gee-pole, sometimes exchanged places with him, but not often.” Pg.24
Haw - red fruit;
Activities: (Choose one of the activities listed below to complete)
1.) Write about a time you were in a completely new situation. How did you feel? Did you become more comfortable over time? If so, how? If not, why not?
2.) Draw a picture of Spitz as a person. How would his "personality" translate into human behavior?
3.) Illustrate the sled team as described in Chapter 2, paying close attention to the order of the dogs in relationships to the sled and each other.
4.) How fair is the division of food among the dogs? Argue for the plan or for an alternate method, giving reasons for your argument.
I think that the division of food among the dogs is actually fair because if another dog is trying to get another dogs food the owner shouldn't hit or do anything to the dog that didn't take any food and that it wasn't his/her fault it was the other dog that wanted to take to other dogs food which in this case in the story Spitz was trying to take Buck's food but he wasn't able to because Perrault stopped him from getting Buck's food and hit him with the club.
5.) What qualifies as "moral" or "immoral" in Buck's new world? Create a collage that represents the "more fundamental and primitive code" and contrast it with the moral code of the Judge.
6.) Looking at the titles of the first three chapters, make predictions about what will happen to Buck in the rest of the novel.