Naturalism in Jack London's "The Call of the Wild"
             Naturalism is a sect of literature that endeavors to apply the scientific principles of detachment and objectivity to the study of human nature. It is a subset of realism, but does not focus primarily on literary technique. Its main focus is the scientific laws behind a characters actions and resolutions. This style of literature not only concerns itself with how a character develops, but also with the forces that drive the character ("Naturalism").
             Jack London was born in 1876 to an unmarried mother. He was raised by an ex-slave throughout most of his childhood because his mother, Flora Wellman, was ill. During his youth, London worked many different jobs, including oyster fishing and patrolling for fish poachers. He also sailed on a ship in the Pacific Ocean, train hopped around America, and then finally returned to attend high school at the age of nineteen (Stasz).
             After a winter in the Yukon, London began producing a few stories for the Overland Monthly. After this small success, he became a disciplined and successful writer. He went on to produce hundreds of short stories and the two books that brought him lasting fame, The Call of the Wild, and White Fang (Stasz).
             In the years following his fame, London spent most of his time building a farm that would allow him to live off of nature. His love for the natural world was deep, and when he wasn't writing, he spent his time sailing and building his farm. After his farm mysteriously burned down, London never fully recovered. He died on November 22, 1916, from renal failure (Stasz).
             The Call of the Wild is probably one of the most recognizable works written in the naturalistic style. London takes an "aristocratic" and civilized dog named Buck and drops him into some of the most savage and extremely harsh conditions on earth. During the story, Buck slowly transforms into a dog drive...