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List of Characters
Buck
He is a strong and powerful dog who is stealthily removed from his home and sold as a sled dog in the Arctic. He encounters many hardships and is forced to adapt to a rough and tough environment. He is extremely intelligent and gives of himself loyally to his final master, John Thornton. This man's death ends Buck's desire to be a part of the civilized world and he follows his ancestral calling.
John Thornton
He is Buck's final master and a devoted friend who has developed an amazingly close relationship with the dog. Thornton rescues Buck from near death at the hands of Hal.
He is an experienced gold hunter and understands the conditions of the Arctic trails.
Spitz
He is the arch rival of Buck and the initial sled leader of Francois' dog team. He is purely interested in his own needs and has no team spirit. He likes to boss around the other dogs but finds his match in Buck.
Francois
He is an experienced mail driver who understands the conditions of the North. He purchases Buck and teaches him to become a sled dog. He is a fair master and treats Buck decently.
Perrault
He is Francois' co-worker and also knowledgeable with the conditions of the North. He fully understands how to avoid the dangers of the trail.
Hal
He is American who comes to Canada with his sister, Mercedes, and her husband, Charles looking for gold. They are inexperienced and only interested in getting rich. They buy Buck and the sled team and have a terrible relationship with the dogs.
Mercedes
She is Hal's sister and Charles' wife. She is a pampered woman whose needs and expectations are completely unsuited for the Northern wilderness.
Charles
He is Hal's brother-in-law who is also totally out of place in the Arctic environment. He basically follows Hal around and does whatever he tells him to do.
Dave
He is member of the dog team who is a devoted worker. He is obstinate and refuses to admit that he is too ill to pull the sled. He is the perfect example of a workaholic.
Sol-leks
He is an older, more experienced dog on Buck's team.
Curly
She is Buck's friend whom he meets on the boat which took him to the North. Her friendly nature causes her final demise as her overtures towards another dog are not appreciated. Her death teaches Buck his first lesson of the cruelty that prevails in this wilderness.
Judge Miller
He is Buck's original master, the owner of a large estate in California's Santa Clara Valley.
Manuel
He is a gardener's helper on Judge Miller's estate. He is in need of money and sees an opportunity for himself by selling Buck. He kidnaps the dog and with the money that he receives from this sale, pays off his gambling debts.
Billlie, Joe, Dolly, Pike, Dub
They are the other members of the dog team that is owned by Francois and Perrault. They each have different characteristics but none of them show the strength and wisdom that Buck possesses.
Nig
He is a friendly dog that is owned by Thornton.
Lone Wolf
He is the wild wolf that Buck meets when he ventures into the wilderness on his own.
Red Sweater
He is a man who knows how to discipline animals and teaches Buck the meaning of the "Club".
Saloon-keeper
He is the first man that Buck meets after being sold by Manuel. His only interest is to make as much money as possible.
Pete, Hans
They are friends of Thornton who accompany him when he goes to look for the gold mine.
Yeehats
They are an Indian tribe who ransack Thornton's camp and kill him and his companions when Buck is not in the camp. They are ultimately terrorized by Buck when he returns and a good number of them are killed by him.
"Black" Burton
He is a man in a saloon who starts a fight with John Thornton. When Buck sees that Thornton is being struck, he jumps at the man and bites his hand.
Matthewson
He is a man who bets Thornton that Buck cannot pull a sled that weighs a ton.
Jim O'Brien
He lends Thornton money to bet against Matthewson.
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