For years, both humans and animals have relied on natural instincts to adapt and survive. The book Call of the Wild by Jack London centers on a dog named Buck. Buck is a large mixed bread who learns to use natural instincts to survive harsh conditions during the Klondike Gold Rush in Alaska in 1897. The Klondike Gold Rush of 1897 is an example of the back-to-nature movement. The back-to-nature movement was started by President Roosevelt. He felt America was too dependent on technology. Returning to nature was generally a survival experience. He felt that if people could not survive in the wild, then they would become weak. The book highlights Buck's separation from civilization and his entry into a more primitive world. Jack London tries to show the contrast between civilized life and primitive life. This contrast is prevalent throughout the novel. The story of Buck's travels in the Klondike shows how he gradually loses all the characteristics that defined his previous life in human society and becomes a wild creature. Throughout Jack London's book, the ideas of Social Darwinism and the back-to-nature movement come to mind because physical strength, as well as dominance, are necessary to truly embrace nature and survive. The theme of man versus nature is present in the book. The Klondike Gold Rush of 1897 is an example of the back-to-nature movement. Set in the wake of the Gold Rush, the story shows how Americans found themselves moving north in search of gold. They had to live in their civilized environment and adapt to the harsh cold of the north, where survival was only imperative. Man had to rely on basic instincts to survive far from civilization. For example, men like John Thornton were a...... middle of paper......king. People usually regain natural instincts in the process. It generated the idea that if humans returned to nature, they would become stronger and more self-sufficient. In the wake of the gold rush, man had to venture into the bitter cold (return to nature). People like John Thornton thrived because they could tap into their natural instincts. Jack also pointed out that over-reliance on civilization makes one weak. This is demonstrated when Hals, Charles, and Mercedes die because they were unable to use instinct to deal with harsh situations in nature. Because of this, Buck was able to transition from a lovable playmate to a skilled hunter. By getting in touch with his natural instincts, he was able to change his way of living and surviving in the environment he found himself in. Buck goes wild and uses social Darwinism and survival of the fittest to survive.