Buck's five owners

The five owners of the dog Buck

The first was Judge Miller, who provided Buck with enjoyment materially and spiritually. Buck’s morals were cultivated during this period. Although ‘Buck was neither house dog nor kennel dog’, he lost the foundational freedom as part of nature. Glories and civilization had become his fetters and blocked him from backing to nature.

The second and third owners were Perrault and Francois, together with the Scotch half-breed diver. They saw Buck as an outstanding workmate and took care of him due to his excellent capacity for sledding. This kind of care was out of responsibility more than love from bottom of their hearts. One typical scene is that Perrault and Francois looked on the fight between Buck and Spitz with cold indifference.

Then Hal, Charles and Mercedes were the fourth. They were the representatives of exploiters in the capitalist society, who took dogs as tools and consumables without a little sympathy. This sort of relationship between human and dogs was full of contradictions and conflicts hidden behind it would break out one day. Selfishness and brutality were shown in the three’s behaviors during the painful track while endurance and persistence were reflected on the sled dogs.

The last master is John Thornton who was a real dog lover. He came to Buck's rescue in an emergency, and treated Buck with genuine passionate love. It is the first time that Buck felt the true love away from the civilization. As a result, Thornton got Buck’s adoration in return and became the last tie between Buck and human society. This harmonious relationship in which each creature respect and love each other is beyond dispute the role model of modern relationship between human and nature, especially in the era when our attitude towards nature is being rethought.

2019-12-23

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