Jack London's epic tale of the transformation of a dog, Buck, is very unique. He creates an amazing story of determination and courage. Instead of monotonously telling the story, London brought it to life through a combination of his distinct diction and dramatic and stunning imagery. Not only did he tell a story but he also conveyed the strength of a bond between man and his best friend. .
When Buck first came to the North, he was beaten and nervous. But as the story went along you could tell how he was adapting and learning. London, who was an adventurer himself, knew the language of the North so he could explain the transformation quite well through the unique diction and jargon. There are many instances of broken English and dogsledding terms, like mush. Terms like "the law of club and fang" and "the dominant primordial beast" are not very common in my home, that is for sure, and London uses those often in the story to show the phases of Buck's transformation. First, he is just trying to fit into the "law" but soon he wanted to be the dominant beast and was enforcing the "law". But, London's experiences were only part of his amazing tale. The imagery in the story is so disgustingly vivid that you can picture the blood, broken bones, and even fear in your mind. London tells all here: "Buck got a frothing adversary by the throat, and was sprayed with blood when his teeth sank through the jugular. The warm taste of it in his mouth goaded him to greater fierceness." As I read that I pictured the dogs clashing with a certain madness only they can boast. The imagery and the attacks they portray not only show how powerful and fierce Buck is but also show how much he loves his last owner, John Thornton. Buck saved his life twice, and maybe even a third time through winning him lots of money. He had lost two good owners before and did not want to lose this one. The first life saving event came in a bar: "Buck loosed his teeth from the flesh of the arm and drove in again for the throat.
