TEACHER'S GUIDE JACK LONDON'S The Call •W . -INSTITUTE of , ., MuseurriandLibrary :•/.. /?• SERVICES Wild of the NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS * Ul READ JACK LONDON'S The Call Wild of the TEACHER'S GUIDE The National Endow—ment for the Arts is a publi—c agency dedicated to supporting excellence in the arts both new and established bringing the arts to all Americans, NATIONAL and providing leadership in arts education. Established by Congress in 1965 as an ENDOWMENT independent agency ofthe federal government, the Endowment is the nations largest FOR THE ARTS annual funder ofthe arts, bringing great art to all 50 states, including rural areas, inner cities, and military bases. MuseunriandLibrary The Institute ofMuseum and Library Services is the primary source offederal support for :•.. •V: SERVICES the nations 122,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The Institutes mission is to create strong libraries and museums mat connect people to information and ideas. The Institute works at the national level and in coordination with state and local organizations to sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge; enhance learning and innovation; and support professional development. Am Arts Midwest connects people throughout the Midwest and the world to meaningful arts opportunities, sharing creativity, knowledge, and understanding across boundaries. Based MIDWEST in Minneapolis, Arts Midwest connects the arts to audiences throughout the nine-state region ofIllinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. One ofsix non-profit regional arts organizations in the United States, Arts Midwest's history spans more than 25 years. Additional support for the Big Read has also been provided by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Published by National Endowment for theArts N.W 100 PennsylvaniaAvenue, 1 Washington, D.C. 20506-0001 (202) 682-5400 Sources Berton, Pierre. The Klondike Fever: The LifeandDeath ofthe Last Great Gold Rush. NewYork: Carroll & GrafPublishers, Inc., 1985. Fisher,John. Think Dog!An Owner's Guide to CaninePsychology. Chicago: Trafalgar Square Publishing, 1991. London,Jack. The Callofthe Wild. 1903. NewYork: Aladdin Paperbacks, 2003. — - The PortableJack London. Ed. by Earle Labor. NewYork: Viking, 1994. . Millan, Cesar. Cesar's Way: The Natural Everyday Guide to Understandingand Correcting Common Dog Problems. NewYork: Harmony Books, 2006. Walker, FxwcMm.Jack London andthe Klondike. San Marino, CA: The Huntington Library, 1966. Acknowledgements David Kipen, NEA Director ofNational Reading Initiatives Sarah Bainter Cunningham, PhD, NEA DirectorofArts Education Writers: Erika Koss and Dan Brady for the National Endowment for theArts, with a preface by Dana Gioia Series Editor: MollyThomas-Hicks for the National Endowment for theArts Graphic Design: Fletcher Design/Washington D.C. Image Credits © Cover Portrait: John Sherffius for the Big Read. Page iv: Photo Paul Souders/Corbis, book cover & courtesy ofSimon Schuster, Inc. Page 1: Caricature ofDana Gioia byJohn Sherffius. Inside back cover: © Bettman/Corbis. 8 Contents Table of Introduction 1 Suggested Teaching Schedule 2 Lesson One: Biography 4 Lesson Two: Culture and History 5 Lesson Three: Narrative and Point ofView 6 Lesson Four: Characters 7 Lesson Five: Symbols and Metaphors 8 Lesson Six: Jack London's Writing Style 9 Lesson Seven: Character Development 10 Lesson Eight: The Plot Unfolds 11 Lesson Nine: Themes ofthe Book 12 Lesson Ten: What Makes a Great Book? 13 EssayTopics 14 Capstone Projects 15 Handout One: The Klondike Gold Rush 16 Handout Two: Pack Mentality 17 Handout Three: Jack London and Naturalism 1 Teaching Resources 19 NCTE Standards 20 "There an ecstasy that is marks the summit of life, and beyond which life cannot And such rise. is the paradox of living, this ecstasy comes when one is most alive, and it comes as complete forgetfulness that one is alive.This ecstasy... came to Buck, leading the pack, sounding the old wolf- cry, straining after the food that was alive and that fled swiftly before him through the moonlight." —from The Callofthe Wild # * **ff" fty*H *^* IV * THE BIG READ National Endowment for the Arts Introduction Welcome to the Big Read, a major initiative from the National Endowment for the Arts. Designed to revitalize the role of literary reading in American culture, the Big Read hopes to unite communities through great literature, as well as inspire students to become life-long readers. This Big Read Teacher's Guide contains ten lessons to lead you through Jack London's classic novel, The Call oftheWild. Each lesson has four sections: a focus topic, discussion activities, writing exercises, and homework assignments. In addition, we have provided capstone projects and suggested essay topics, as well as handouts with more background information about the novel, the historical period, and the author. All lessons dovetail with the state language arts standards required in the fiction genre. The Big Read teaching materials also include a CD. Packed with interviews, CD commentaries, and excerpts from the book, the Big Read presents first-hand accounts of why The Call oftheWild remains so compelling more than a century after its initial publication. Some ofAmerica's most celebrated writers, scholars, and actors have volunteered their time to make these Big Read CDs exciting additions to the classroom. Finally, the Big Read Reader's Guide deepens your exploration with We interviews, booklists, timelines, and historical information. hope this guide and syllabus allow you to have fun with your students while introducing them to the work of a great American author. From the NEA, we wish you an exciting and productive school year. "^UAU H$l&H^ Dana Gioia Chairman, National Endowment for the Arts National Endowment for the Arts THE BIG READ • | edule HBBI 4 1 Day One Day Four FOCUS: Biography FOCUS: Characters Activities: Listen to the Big Read CD. Discuss Activities: Discuss HandoutThree. Analyze Reader's Guide essays. Have students write each dog's personality and place in the pack. about their work experience and reading Write an essay considering the importance of habits. the fight between Buck and Spitz. Homework: Read Chapter ."Into the I Primitive" and Handout One. Homework: Read Chapter 4:"Who Has Won to Mastership." 2 5 DayTwo Day Five FOCUS: Culture and History FOCUS: Symbols and Metaphors Activities: Discuss the Klondike and the gold seekers' arduous journey across theYukon Activities: Discuss the symbolic meaning of Territory. Map Buck's journey. the "mysterious song" Buck hears as he Homework: Read Chapter 2:"The Law of adjusts to life in Alaska.Write an essay about the man Buck "sees" squatting by the Club and Fang." campfire. 3 Homework: Read Chapter 5:"TheToil of Trace and Trail" and HandoutThree. Ask DayThree students to select a favorite passage from the book, and note three characteristics of FOCUS: Narrative and Point of View London's writing style. Activities: Discuss the book's narrative point of view. Analyze passages that reveal Buck's perspective.Write a story from the perspective of an animal. Homework Read Chapter 3:"The Dominant Primordial Beast" and HandoutTwo. 2 • THE BIG READ National Endowment for the Arts 6 8 Day Six Day Eight FOCUS: Jack London's Writing Style FOCUS:The Plot Unfolds Activities: Discuss Naturalism. Analyze Activities: Discuss the book's turning points favorite passages to better understand and what we learn about Buck during those London's style.Write an essay considering the moments. Write an essay on the novel's parallel London makes between the artist, conclusion. soldier, and Buck. Homework: Consider whether Buck's actions Homework: Read Chapter 6: "For the Love would have differed ifJohn Thornton had of a Man." survived. 7 9 Day Seven Day Nine FOCUS: Character Development FOCUS: Themes of the Book Activities: Discuss the parallels between the Activities: Discuss themes of Nature and human characters and the dogs. Discuss Civilization.Write an essay about the novel's London's view of humans and animals. epigraph. Homework: Read Chapter 7:"The Sound of Homework: Begin working on essays. the Call." 10 DayTen FOCUS: What Makes a Great Book? Activities: Explore the qualities of a great work of fiction. Homework:Work on essays. National Endowment for the Arts THE BIG READ 3 The authors life can inform and expand the reader's understanding ofa work of fiction. One practice ofexamining a literary work, biographical criticism, looks through the lens ofan authors experience. In this lesson, explore the author's life to more fully understand the book. Jack London's formal education stopped after grammar school. As a teenager, he held a variety ofjobs to help support his family, but never gave up his goal ofpursuing an education. At age 19, London enrolled as a FOCUS: freshman at Oakland High School while working there as a janitor. He quit Biography school after one year, but was eventually admitted to the University of California, Berkeley. Frustrated by the slow pace ofhis classes, he dropped out after one semester and began a life-long practice ofself-education, often reading and studying more than fifteen hours a day. His brother-in-law, Captain James Shepard, asked London to join him in the 1897 Klondike gold rush. They began the ill-fated adventure that summer. Shepard died in the Klondike, and London became stricken with scurvy that winter. London returned to San Francisco in July 1898, but this one year provided inspiration and material for many stories. Discussion Activities Listen to the Big Read CD. Have students take notes as they listen. Ask students to read the following essays from the Reader's Guide: "Jack London" and "London and His OtherWorks." Have them present the three most important points they CD learned from the and Reader's Guide. Jack London often encouraged unpublished writers to work hard, write consistently, and "have a philosophy." In a letter to one such writer, London wrote, "There's only one way to make a beginning, and that is to begin; and begin with hard work, patience, prepared for all the disappointments [. . .] which were mine before succeeded." Ask your students how this advice might apply to them as I they plan their own educations and careers. Writing Exercise Jack London belonged to the working-class poor until he achieved literary fame. Even without a high school education, he was voracious reader, spending several hours reading before he fell asleep every night Ask your students to write a one- page essay about their work experience and reading habits. Can they relate to any How part ofJack London's struggle to obtain an education? does education fit into the pursuit of their goals and dreams? Homework C3 ReadThe Call of theWild, Chapter l:"lnto the Primitive" and Handout One from this guide. Why does Manuel steal and sell Buck? What does the "man with the red sweater" teach Buck? 4 • THE BIG READ National Endowment for the Arts