Writers often write in a way which grabs a person into there story so that they cannot put it down. In Jack London’s Call of the Wild buck a half St. Bernard half Shepard buck is torn from his “sun-kissed” home in Santa Clara to the wild Klondike. As we read as buck changes from a tame loving dog into a wild beast. Jack London writes in a way which keeps the reader intrigued. There are several instances in the novel in which the reader is filled with suspense about what is going to happen next.

Jack London uses suspense in almost every chapter. Even in the first few pages London is able to keep the reader wanting to know what is happing next. The first such example in Chapter 1” For two days and nights he neither ate nor drank, and during those two days and nights of torment, he accumulated a fund of wrath that boded ill for whoever first fell foul of him.”(P. 7). Most readers would want to find out next if he will die? Will he escape? A person will find themselves asking those questions of what will happen next and be eager to read more. This is exactly what the author wants the readers to do because it keeps them interested in the book. Another example of suspense in the first Chapter is “hat was the man, Buck divined, the next tormentor, and he hurled himself savagely against the bars. The man smiled grimly, and brought a hatchet and a club.”(P. 9) The last sentence truly is stimulating making the reader grip the book anxious to read more. Without suspense most people would have to be motivated to read a book without suspense.

An additional instance of suspense comes in the third chapter. Buck and a group of dogs are chasing a snow rabbit. In this section London writes in vivid detail but not too much to exhaust the reader. In this segment London writes “The rabbit sped down the river, turned off into a small creek, up the frozen bed of which it held steadily.”(P. 37) Chapter Three. This is very suspenseful because the reader cannot imagine what is going to happen next. Also Jack London can illustrate a picture in words for the readers to enjoy; he does this with astonishing detail and easily understandable action scene. This quote is when Buck is fighting Spitz “In vain Buck strove to sink his teeth in the neck of the big white dog. Wherever his fangs struck for the softer flesh, they were countered by the fangs of Spitz. Fang clashed fang, and lips were cut and bleeding, but Buck could not penetrate his enemy's guard.” (P. 39). This is an example of how Jack London could write in such a means that you can understand the fighting with a clear picture in the readers head. All of these ingredients are perfect for a magnificent book.

The Final and most suspenseful, as well as important moment in the book is when buck comes back from hunting to find something amiss about the camp. This is when buck catches a strange scent on his way back to camp Chapter 7 “Three miles away he came upon a fresh trail that sent his neck hair rippling and bristling, It led straight toward camp and John Thornton. Buck hurried on, swiftly and stealthily, every nerve straining and tense, alert to the multitudinous details which told a story - all but the end.”(P. 99). This remarkable section is packed with suspense. The way Jack London writes “every nerve straining and tense” foreshadows the attack of the camp from the Yee-Hats. Also when buck finally sees the body of John Thornton buck loses it and attacks the Yee-Hats Chapter 7 “e sprang at the foremost man (it was the chief of the Yeehats), ripping the throat wide open till the rent jugular spouted a fountain of blood. He did not pause to worry the victim, but ripped in passing, with the next bound tearing wide the throat of a second man. There was no withstanding him. He plunged about in their very midst, tearing, rending, destroying, in constant and terrific motion which defied the arrows they discharged at him.”(P. 102). This again captures the amazing talent that Jack London has at writing the action sequences so that one can understand and enjoy them. This is also the high point of the entire chapter the last few pages of been leading up to this attack. Using this suspense makes the peak more rewarding. This is an amazing chapter which is the climax of the entire book. This one chapter could be considered the climax of the entire book.

Every writer uses suspense however not all writers can write it well enough for the story to be enjoyed more then one hundred years. This is what Jack London was able to do. The Call of the Wild is truly a great book which can show how an animal (or a person) can change do to what fate throws in there face. This book is a wonderful book which millions of people enjoyed for years to come.