White Fang, Jack London (4)
It likely comes as no surprise that the group gave this book a ‘4’ rating. It is considered a classic for good reason. It is hard for one to pick the best Jack London book, but this is certainly a good place to start, particularly to experience the unique voice Mr. London has given to a wild creature. While we may never know if it is accurate, his vision of the world through the eyes of a wolf is fascinating. We all agreed that the most interesting scene and interpretation were of the newborn pup’s view of his world in the cave where he was born. He knows there are 3 hard dark walls and 1 wall of light, from which his father appears and disappears. Imagine his feeling when he eventually finds that wall of light is not hard like the other walls. We had only a few criticisms. Many of the group found it hard to read the gruesome scenes of dog/wolf fights and had no interest in going to the Great North in all its harshness, though we agreed these were all essential elements to understanding the tough life that made White Fang what he was. Some of us (ok, mainly me) found the fact that a male wolf who only procreated at the very end quite odd. I chalked it up to Mr. London not wanting to sully our view of the protagonist! Also while everyone appreciated that White Fang eventually gets a loving home, we did find his use of ‘Love Master’ a bit over the top. Jack London writes an amazingly fast reading action story all from the view of a wild animal, pretty revolutionary for 1906.
No comments:
Post a Comment