- a wild wolf-dog is forced to become the possession of men, mostly cruel ones
- beatings from men & injuries from other dogs result in fierce strength, expert cunning, and powerful speed
- convo: many difficult descriptions for readers sensitive to animal cruelty, humans referred to gods throughout (from the wolf’s perspective), deaths happen (of animals & humans)
- language: damn x9, darn x2, dang x1, shut up x2, niggardly x1 (as in, grudgingly mean), hell x5, devil x5, gosh x4, my G*d x1
Type: chapter book
Ages: mature 12+
Author: Jack London
Jack London is a phenomenal communicator. His stories are filled with perfectly-crafted descriptions that envelope readers into the scene. We feel the cold, see the bleak, hear the animals, smell the blood. White Fang is like a mirror of The Call of the Wild (reviewed here)–the main character transitions from wild to tame instead of the opposite in the latter–but it is longer and holds more sophisticated commentary.
The POV changes a few times between humans and the main wolf-dog, White Fang. He has a sweet beginning to life with his mother but is soon thrust too quickly into the rough life of sled dogs. He’s forced into frequent “kill or be killed” type situations and eventually becomes almost a legend in intelligence and skill.
This is not a children’s book. Like I labeled above, I think mature 12-year-olds could handle it if discussed on occasion during the reading, but older ages will get a lot more out of it. None of London’s philosophical tangents are very long, but they give incredible thought fodder. For example, he explores what someone might notice or think in his last minutes before being mauled by a pack of wolves (in this case, there was no actual mauling). At other times, he considers human emotions: “…for the unknown was one of the chief elements that went into the making of fear.”
Christians should realize (and it will be obvious) that Jack London held naturalistic, atheistic views of the world. There is a dismally sad undertone throughout the story. It’s smothered with hopelessness. Readers should explore this, let London have his say, respect him by listening, and then compare it to their own worldviews. Contrast them by looking at both their foundations and their consequences.
I’ve slightly veered from a straight-up review here, but there is a case for reading hard stories like this one. If old enough, I’d definitely consider widening your world with White Fang. The disturbing parts are tempered with better ones, and the ending is quite satisfying. Let me know if this review helps!