Jack London Lesson Plan: Comparing The Call of the Wild & White Fang

Engage your students in a deep literary analysis of Jack London's masterpieces with this comprehensive lesson plan for The Call of the Wild and White Fang. This resource guides students through a comparative study of the parallel journeys of Buck and White Fang, exploring the central theme of civilization vs. the wild. Students will act as literary detectives, analyzing London's powerful, poetic prose and identifying devices like personification and imagery. The lesson culminates in a creative writing project where students emulate London's distinct style by writing a narrative from an animal's perspective. Perfect for middle school and high school ELA, this plan covers character arc, thematic analysis, and stylistic imitation.

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Echoes of the Wild: A Comparative Study of Jack London's Masterpieces

Materials Needed

  • Copies of The Call of the Wild and White Fang by Jack London
  • A notebook or digital document for writing assignments
  • Highlighters and pens/pencils
  • Access to the internet for optional extension activities

Lesson Overview

This lesson explores the profound duality in Jack London’s work by comparing and contrasting the journeys of Buck and White Fang. Instead of simply reading for plot, you will act as a literary analyst, dissecting London's craft to understand how he builds worlds, develops characters, and uses prose with the precision of a poet. The final goal is to step into London’s shoes and create a piece of writing that echoes his powerful style.

Learning Objectives

  • Analyze the contrasting character arcs of Buck and White Fang as parallel narratives of civilization vs. wildness. (Grammar of Literature)
  • Identify and evaluate Jack London's use of poetic devices (e.g., imagery, personification, rhythm) in his prose to create a powerful tone. (Poetry of Literature)
  • Create a short narrative scene from an animal's perspective that emulates London's distinct literary style. (Writing of Literature)

Part 1: The Philosophical Compass (15-20 minutes)

Introduction & Hook

Jack London's stories constantly explore the tension between two powerful forces: Civilization and The Wild. Before diving into the books, let's explore this theme personally.

  1. In your notebook, draw a simple line. Label one end "Complete Civilization" (representing rules, society, comfort, safety) and the other end "Complete Wildness" (representing instinct, freedom, danger, nature).
  2. Place an 'X' on the line where you feel most comfortable or where you think humans truly belong.
  3. Write a short paragraph explaining your choice. Are we meant to be tamed, or are we inherently wild? Is one better than the other? There is no wrong answer; this is to get you thinking about the central theme of the novels.

Part 2: The Two-Sided Coin (60-90 minutes)

Grammar of Literature: Character Arc & Thematic Structure

Buck and White Fang are mirror images of each other. Buck, a domesticated dog, is thrust into the wild and answers its call. White Fang, a wild wolf-dog, is slowly brought into the world of man. Your task is to map these inverse journeys.

  1. Create a T-Chart: In your notebook, create a T-chart. Label the left column "Buck's Journey (Civilization → Wild)" and the right column "White Fang's Journey (Wild → Civilization)".
  2. Map Key Turning Points: Under each column, identify 3-5 critical events or relationships that pushed the character further along their path. Think about...
    • Key Mentors/Masters: How did figures like John Thornton (for Buck) or Weedon Scott (for White Fang) influence their transformation?
    • Key Antagonists: How did characters like Spitz (for Buck) or Beauty Smith (for White Fang) shape their understanding of the world?
    • Defining Moments: What specific event marked an irreversible step in their journey? (e.g., Buck's first kill, White Fang learning not to bite the "gods".)
  3. Synthesize: Below your T-chart, write a concluding thought answering: What message do you think London is sending by telling these two opposite stories? Does he favor one world over the other?

Part 3: Prose Forensics (45-60 minutes)

Poetry of Literature: Analyzing London's Style

Jack London wrote prose, but his language is incredibly poetic. He uses sound, rhythm, and imagery to make you feel the cold and hear the howl. You are now a literary detective. Your mission is to find the evidence of his poetic craft.

  1. Select Passages: Choose one powerful chapter from each book. Recommended: Chapter 7 ("The Sounding of the Call") from The Call of the Wild and Part 3, Chapter 4 ("The Trail of the Gods") from White Fang.
  2. Hunt for Devices: Read through the passages with a highlighter. Find and mark at least two examples of each of the following devices.
    • Personification: Giving human qualities to animals or inanimate objects. (e.g., "the stars leaped and danced")
    • Powerful Imagery: Language that appeals to the five senses (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste). Highlight phrases that make you see the frost or feel the bite.
    • Alliteration/Consonance: Repetition of consonant sounds to create rhythm and emphasis. (e.g., "a wild beating of wings")
    • Rhythm & Sentence Structure: Notice how he uses short, sharp sentences for action and long, flowing sentences for description. Make a note in the margin where you see this happening effectively.
  3. Analyze the Effect: For one example you highlighted, write a brief explanation of how the device contributes to the mood or meaning of the passage. How does it make you, the reader, feel?

Part 4: The Echo Chamber (60 minutes)

Writing of Literature: Application & Creation

This is your chance to apply what you've learned. You will write a short, descriptive scene (1-2 paragraphs) from the perspective of an animal, emulating Jack London's style.

The Task:

  1. Choose Your Subject: Select an animal you can observe or imagine clearly. It could be your own pet, a bird outside your window, or a deer in the forest.
  2. Choose a Simple Scenario: Don't try to write a whole story. Focus on a single, sensory moment. Examples:
    • A house cat stalking a toy.
    • A dog experiencing a thunderstorm for the first time.
    • A squirrel trying to get to a bird feeder.
  3. Channel Jack London: As you write, you must consciously use at least three of the poetic devices you studied in Part 3 (e.g., personification, strong imagery, alliteration, varied sentence rhythm). Think from the animal's perspective. What are its instincts? What does it smell, hear, and feel? Avoid using complex human emotions; focus on primal drives: fear, hunger, loyalty, curiosity.

Assessment Rubric for "The Echo Chamber":

  • Point of View (Excellent): The narrative remains consistently and believably within the animal's perspective, focusing on instinct and senses.
  • Use of Poetic Devices (Excellent): At least three literary devices are woven seamlessly and effectively into the prose, enhancing the tone and imagery.
  • London-esque Tone (Excellent): The writing captures the serious, primal, and vivid tone characteristic of Jack London's work.
  • Clarity & Grammar (Excellent): The piece is well-written, clear, and free of errors.

Differentiation & Extension

  • For Support: Before writing, create a "word bank" of sensory words (e.g., bristled, snarled, crisp, pungent, whining) related to your chosen animal and scenario.
  • For a Challenge: After writing your scene, write a second, parallel scene describing the exact same moment but from a human's point of view. Reflect on how the perception of the event changes dramatically between the two perspectives.
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