16
a. Surrender into the Law of Club
Buck is a house-dog, as a house-dog he does not know many things. One of the things, for example, is the violence a man does to dogs to force them to do
something. When Buck meets the man in the red sweater and his club and strikes, Buck experiences violence for the first time. The first internal conflict faced by
Buck is triggered by the man in the red sweater. The strikes that Buck receives from the club in the man’s hand force him to decide whether to fight back or
surrender. He saw, once for all, that he stood no chance against a man with a club. He
had learned the lesson, and in all his after life he never forgot it. That club was a revelation. It was his introduction to the reign of primitive law, and
he met the introduction halfway. Again and again, as he looked at each brutal performance, the lesson was driven home to Buck: a man with a
club was a law-giver, a master to be obeyed, though not necessarily conciliated p. 28.
The paragraph above shows Buck’s first experience with a club. After denying his own belief that he can beat a man with a club in his hand, Buck
decides to surrender whenever a club is involved. While his body is enduring a lot of pain he never feels before, Buck comes into an understanding that he cannot
fight a man with a club. He sees and feels the effect of the club’s strikes. Buck realizes that a club is a serious matter, Buck even calls a man with a club a law-
giver, and he understands that only by a club a man could simply make dogs obey him. By threatening dogs with a club and force them to obey, a man easily makes
the law. Buck also witnesses other dogs attack the man in the red sweater when they experience the strikes of the club for the first time. Fight back is a dog’s
natural response, after all. However, Buck realizes that no good outcome comes PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
17 from fighting such weapon, moreover, when getting beaten with it in the process.
Hammond 2010 states that an internal conflict is a conflict which can only be resolved by the character himself, in this conflict Buck resolves the conflict
himself by deciding to surrender under the Law of Club.
b. Survive from the Law of Fang
Buck not only learns to surrender whenever a club is involved but also learns to survive under the Law of Fang. The Law of Fang is not a law made for a
man and a dog, this law is made for a dog and another dog. This time, the trigger of the internal conflict of Buck is the tragedy which occurs to Buck’s friend
named Curly. There was no warning, only a leap in like a flash, a metallic clip of teeth, a
leap out equally swift, and Curly’s face was ripped open from eye to jaw. Thirty of forty huskies ran to the spot and surrounded the combatants in an
intent and silent circle pp. 31 – p.32. But she lay there limp and lifeless in the bloody, trampled snow, almost
literally torn to pieces, the swart half-breed standing over her and cursing horribly p. 32.
Buck watches more than thirty huskies are killing Curly, he feels bitter for losing a friend like Curly. Buck experiences an internal conflict which as
mentioned by Hammond 2010 should be resolved by Buck himself. Buck pities Curly, but cannot do anything at the same time. Buck knows he cannot defend
Curly because too many huskies are cornering her. From Curly’s tragic death, Buck learns the Law of Fang. In the Law of Fang, there is no fair play, once a dog
is down, the others will make sure of his death. The Law of Fang knows no boundaries, it does not explain what might cause it to happen. Buck sees with his
own eyes that Curly only does some friendly gestures, however, the huskies do PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
Kategori