A central theme is Buck’s "retrogression" or return to his ancestral roots. As he adapts to the Yukon, dormant instincts for hunting and survival awaken, eventually leading him to answer the "call" and join a wolf pack.
London’s work is a hallmark of Naturalism , a movement emphasizing how environment and heredity determine character. The wilderness is portrayed as an indifferent, often hostile force that strips away the "veneer of civilization" to reveal the raw drive to survive.
Narrative Goal. The Call of the Wild traces Buck's transformation from pampered pet to wild creature. Structurally, it's a coming- The Darling Axe The Call of the Wild: Themes | SparkNotes
