What is the role of themes and author’s figurativeudlanguage in representing the process of change of the main characters in ‘White Fang’ and ‘The Call of the Wild’?

摘要

In Jack London’s two well-known novels, ‘White Fang’ and ‘The Call of the Wild’,uddogs that are trying to adapt themselves to new environmental conditions by using theirudhereditary qualities, are the main characters. Jack London creates two reverse processesudof change. In ‘White Fang’, the wild wolf dog White Fang becomes civilised and tameudin order to survive in his new life with humans. On the other hand in ‘The Call of theudWild’ tame half-breed Buck discovers his atavistic instincts and becomes a wild dog inudorder to survive in harsh conditions of nature. So, this essay investigates the followingudresearch question:ud‘What is the role of themes and author’s figurative language in representing theudprocess of change of the main characters in ‘White Fang’ and ‘The Call of theudWild’?udThe scope of my investigation is to make an analysis of these two opposite processesudand show how Jack London supports them with themes and figurative language.udHeredity is one of the major themes in both of the novels. White Fang and Buck manageudto survive despite the new hard conditions because they carry the necessary qualities.udThe other major theme is survival of the fittest. White Fang and Buck survive becauseudof their abilities to adapt themselves to new conditions and quick-learning.udThe figurative language is also very significant in representation of these two oppositeudprocesses. Nature imageries, personifications and Jack London’s diction support theseudprocesses of change.udHowever, although White Fang and Buck’s processes are opposite to each other, JackudLondon doesn’t give any priorities to them. By creating two very similar plots, heudactually shows that two processes are equally difficult. He tries to point out that heredityudand adapting ability play the key roles in survival.