The Call of the Wild is a novel by Jack London published in 1903. The novel's central character is Buck, a domesticated dog living at a ranch in the Santa Clara Valley of California as the story opens. Stolen from his home and sold into service as sled dog in Alaska, he reverts to a wild state. Buck is forced to fight in order to dominate other dogs in a harsh climate. Eventually he sheds the veneer of civilization, relying on primordial instincts and learned experience to emerge as a leader in the wild.London lived for most of a year in the Yukon collecting material for the book. The novel's great popularity and success made a reputation for London. Much of its appeal derives from the simplicity of this tale of survival. As%2