Perhaps you’ve experienced such challenging times:
- Working tirelessly and fearfully every day, facing the reproach of your boss and the indifference of colleagues;
- With each passing day, what remains stagnant is the number in your savings account and your stagnant career path.
The present life exhausts both your mind and body, while the path ahead seems bleak.
If life has tossed you aside, I encourage you to read ‘The Call of the Wild’.
Author Jack London, through the journey of a dog named Buck, provides solace and liberation to countless lost souls.
This elegant and proud pet dog, overnight, becomes homeless and ends up being a sled dog for gold prospectors.He endures the harsh conditions, the competition and rivalry among peers, and the tragic death of his beloved human companion, eventually evolving into a strong and independent beast.
‘The Call of the Wild’ may take place in a distant frigid land, yet many scenes reflect our current reality. The dog-eat-dog world and the troubled, lost protagonist resonate profoundly with real life scenarios.
Upon finishing this book, you’ll realize:
The lower one’s spirits, the more essential it is to rejuvenate oneself.
1. Self-Discovery Begins by Breaking Boundaries
The story commences with a sharp twist in Buck’s fate.
Buck was initially a cherished pet of Judge Miller, well-taught in civility, living in a warm valley in the southern United States.
His life had been smooth sailing, akin to a canary kept in a cage; a life of comfort yet of monotonous indifference.
Until one unexpected incident, Buck is stolen by a gambling-addicted servant from home, sold to a dog dealer, and ends up as a sled dog in the harsh Alaskan gold rush territory.
From here, Buck’s life takes a dramatic turn, the once comfortable and leisurely existence is vanished:
He was the “King of Animals” in the warm southern estate, where no animal dared to defy him.
Now, to survive, he had to cower under the ferocious lead dog, suppressing his true nature.
To adapt to the harsh Alaskan conditions, he sheds his former pride and dignity, learning to wrestle with deceit, cruelty, and stupidity.
The bitter hardship molds him, yet what Buck experiences isn’t merely the struggle of survival. As the boundaries of life are broken, a new self gradually awakens within him.
The daily strenuous physical labor strengthens his once soft muscles.
The long-term exposure to the unpredictable wild sharpens his mind.
The once headstrong Buck becomes strategic in his confrontations with the lead dog.
At this moment, Buck suddenly realizes, a new self has emerged unbeknownst to him, and as the walls of the greenhouse fall, his life expands infinitely.
Isn’t the life of an adult abiding by a similar law?
Sticking to a mundane job, squandering future time in repetitive boring days.
There is a strong desire within, yet a fear to make a fresh change in action.
In reality, the future you yearn for stems from small attempts.
Try a long-desired experience, you might discover a lifetime hobby.
Or, persist in a seemingly insignificant side hustle, it may blossom into a grand venture.
What truly binds us is the attachment to familiarity and comfort, driving us away from the astonishment and curiosity towards the unknown.
Robert Browning once said, humans should strive to reach beyond their grasp, otherwise, what’s a heaven for?
In the process of breaking through, although you may lose the former self, only by shattering the shackles of achievement can a glimmer of hope emerge.
As long as you keep trying, one day you’ll thank the relentless, breakthrough-seeking self.
2. Personal Growth Begins with Continuous Learning
Buck’s second owner was the foolish Hal family who, along with a group of dogs, were swept up in the gold rush fever, traveling from the US to Canada in search of fortune. This trio was extremely obstinate, lacking outdoor survival skills and unwilling to learn.
When well-meaning locals advised them to discard their tent, they dismissed the advice arrogantly. They did not inquire in advance about the amount of food required for the journey across icy terrains, leading to the dogs suffering from hunger and cold. Even when the ice was about to melt, they forced the dogs to drag heavy sleds. Their foolishness was rewarded aptly—they perished in the cold northern rivers. The demise of Hal’s family deeply impacted Buck. In the harsh Alaskan winds, survival chances were as sparse as warmth, punishing any reluctance to learn. Only through continuous learning and updating one’s knowledge could one navigate the challenges of a volatile environment. Realizing this, Buck shed the laziness and arrogance from his days as a pet, soaking up any knowledge available in the new setting. Lacking wilderness survival skills, he observed other animals’ behaviors, learning to hunt, dig dog holes, and pull sleds. When striving for the alpha dog position, he kept learning how to get along with teammates, win hearts, and improve his standing.
Thus, by continuously learning and evolving, biding his time, Buck amassed strength to ensure his survival. Through relentless self-improvement, Buck gradually became a leader and a force within the dog pack, earning respect and glory through sheer strength.
3. Self-Completion Begins with Embracing Solitude
Once, Buck had a judge as his owner, providing a carefree material life. Later, he was sold by dog traders and never saw the judge again. He was then sold to the inexperienced Hal family, suffering a nightmarish time under their foolish cruelty. After their demise in the wilderness, Buck was left alone once more. Eventually, Buck met his beloved owner, John Thornton, who unlike any previous owners, genuinely loved and cared for Buck. His arrival ignited a spark in Buck’s icy heart, and they shared a deeply cherished time together. Unfortunately, John was killed by indigenous people, and despite their deep bond, death separated them, leaving Buck alone again.
Owners and companions came and went in Buck’s life, yet in the end, he faced the bleak, cold, hard labor alone. Loneliness seemed like an unbreakable curse, haunting Buck regardless of whether companions were foes or loved ones, all would depart from him one way or another. Through the excruciating loneliness, Buck’s understanding became clear. No matter how many times he returned to human society as a companion, eternal companionship was unattainable. Nobody should be expected to accompany anyone forever. In the wilderness, dangers and challenges were to be tackled by his own wits. John was Buck’s love; he would die for John but couldn’t live as a mere accessory to humans. The Buck of old was either a “noble house dog” or a laboring sled dog for humans. To pursue independent spiritual growth, Buck had to relinquish any identity defined by humans. Buck stopped fantasizing about companionship and ceased seeking a place among human social groups. Instead, he rushed into the wild, becoming a truly free spirit.
All relationships in life were temporary companionships. A sign of maturity is understanding that all goodbyes are inevitable, and in the end, the only one who will accompany you is yourself. Instead of resisting loneliness or desperately seeking meaningless bustle, it’s better to embrace solitude, find and improve the real self-amidst destined regrets, and bloom uniquely in adversity.
In Conclusion
Hermann Hesse once said, “Everyone goes through this crisis, usually marking a critical point in one’s life. At this point, the fiercest conflict arises between individual life needs and surrounding circumstances, requiring one to face the toughest challenges to find a way forward.”
Life isn’t always colorful as we hope, nor is it as dreary as we fear. It might be dull for a while, but someday it will shine with a different light. No matter the circumstances, like a pine tree in the snow, we should break free bravely, stand tall and pursue the endless journey ahead.
