White Fang
By Jack London
Junior Fiction
White Fang by Jack London is a book full of ups and downs, character progression, and harsh reality checks. The plot is essentially just the life of a wolf from beginning to end. The story starts out with the events leading up to the birth of White Fang, and then tells the story in his own perspective after he is born. The wolf lives a free life out in the wilds with his mother early on, but after he is captured by Native Americans, he loses his freedom. He begins a life much more difficult than before. After a series of brutal events that make him more aggressive and violent, a man named Scott finally saves White Fang. He breaks free from a terrible cycle of hatred and pain and begins to live a more peaceful life. This allows him to learn to love and trust others in Scott’s household. His loyalty grows and is demonstrated near the end of the book when he saves Scott’s father from a violent criminal.
The book itself is quite engaging. Though there aren’t any fictional elements that make any action scene in the book super flashy, the story is quite heartwarming when you finish it. What I like about the book is that it ends happily, but the trials and hardships that White Fang goes through are structured in a logical sequence of events. This is believable and makes the reader sympathize and gain a heightened level of immersion with the book. Themes such as freedom over quality of life, trust, and loyalty are also found in this book. White Fang is both engaging and thought provoking. A great read!
Book Review by Timothy, OTLC member
