White Fang Summary
Description
Here you will find a White Fang summary (Jack London's book).
We begin with a summary of the entire book, and then you can read each individual chapter's summary by visiting the links on the "Chapters" section.
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Last Updated: Monday 1 Jan, 2024
Chapters White Fang Summary Overview
In the freezing wilderness, two men find themselves in danger as their dogs are seduced and devoured by a pack of wolves, led by a she-wolf. Out of ammunition, Bill attempts to rescue one of their dogs but is tragically devoured along with the pet. The remaining man, Henry, manages to survive by keeping the wolves at bay with a fire, and eventually saved by a group of passing travelers. The wolf pack, suffering from a period of famine, is led in their desperate search for food by a few wolves and the she-wolf. When they find sustenance, the pack starts to disperse. The she-wolf mates and has a litter, but due to further famines, only one strong and spirited pup survives. This she-wolf, who is a half-dog hybrid, returns with her pup to an Indian village and is recaptured by her former owner, Gray Beaver. The she-wolf is later sold to another Indian, but her pup, White Fang, remains with Gray Beaver, who tolerates, even encourages, his vicious behavior, especially towards a local dog named Lip-lip. White Fang's increasing ferocity leads him to kill other dogs. Following a trading trip that leads Gray Beaver to develop an addiction to whiskey, White Fang is given to a cruel man named Beauty Smith, who forces him into brutal dog fights. White Fang's life takes a turn when he is rescued from a deadly battle with a bulldog by a man named Scott. Scott domesticates White Fang and brings him to California. There, White Fang grows to love his new family, proving his loyalty by saving Scott's father from a convict. Eventually, White Fang fathers a litter of puppies with Collie, another one of Scott's dogs, and settles into a contented life.
part 1
In the icy wilderness, two men, Bill and Henry, travel by dog sled, transporting the frozen body of Lord Alfred. The harsh weather tries to freeze life in its tracks, but the men press on, wolves howling in the distance. At camp, Bill senses something off with the dogs. He believes a wolf infiltrated their pack during feeding time, noting an extra fish missing. The wolf's presence unnerves Bill due to his limited ammunition. By morning, one of their dogs, Fatty, has been eaten. The journey continues, marred by another wolf-dog attempting to steal their food. Then Frog, their strongest dog, disappears. With only four dogs remaining, they press on. Using leather and sticks as a safeguard, they tie the dogs to prevent escape. They notice a wolf cunningly trying to lure One Ear, one of their dogs. Bill vows to shoot the intruder. The following day, Spanker has vanished, his leash gnawed through. Close to the camp, a doglike wolf with reddish fur inches closer. Bill attempts to shoot it but fails. Later, One Ear escapes and is attacked by the wolf pack. An anguished Bill decides to rescue him, only to be met by silence after three gunshots. Henry continues alone, maintaining a vigilant watch, fueling the fire and keeping the wolves at bay. Sensing the impending danger, he makes his bed close to the fire. Despite his efforts, the wolves circle in, readying for their meal. Exhaustion takes over, waking up to wolves hovering over him. He becomes fixated on his own mortality, throwing flaming wood at the reddish she-wolf as she approaches. Attempting to continue his journey, he is cornered by the wolf pack. He awakes from his sleep, surrounded by fire, fending off the wolves. The fire dwindles, and in his fatigue, he resigns himself to the wolves. Awakening to an empty camp, he discovers he's been saved by another group of men who chased away the wolves.
part 2
When other men approach, the she-wolf swiftly flees across the snowy landscape, accompanied by two wolves. With a senior, one-eyed wolf on her right, and a pack leader on her left, they travel together, occasionally joined by an impulsive younger wolf. Their unity is brought on by the scarcity of food, compelling them to hunt together. They manage to kill a large bull moose, providing an abundant feast that ends their famine. The pack subsequently disperses, with the she-wolf leading half of them to Mackenzie River, gradually dwindling to a group of four. The wolves inevitably fight amongst themselves, resulting in the deaths of the two younger wolves. The she-wolf and the one-eyed wolf then pair up, wandering and stealthily raiding an Indian camp for food before retreating when they're shot at. The she-wolf eventually discovers a secluded lair in the forest, where she gives birth to her pups. The one-eyed wolf hunts for food, returning with a porcupine. One of the cubs, a sturdy little gray one, is particularly curious and bold, eagerly exploring his surroundings and learning about his world. Famine returns, and the cub's siblings eventually die, leaving just him and his mother after his father gets killed in a fight with a lynx. As the cub grows, he gradually overcomes his fear of the unknown and ventures outside the cave, experiencing the dangers and excitement of the wild. He has several narrow escapes from a predatory bird and a weasel, but his mother always manages to rescue him. Despite the hazards, the cub's adventurous spirit keeps drawing him outside, leading him to develop his hunting skills. During another period of food scarcity, he helps his mother hunt and fearlessly challenges a hawk. Their famine ends when his mother brings back a lynx kitten. When the lynx mother discovers her missing kittens, she attacks the wolves, leading to a vicious fight. The cub participates in the battle, aiding his mother in defeating the lynx. They feast on the lynx meat as they recover from their injuries. Through these experiences, the cub comes to understand the harsh reality of survival in the wild: it's eat or be eaten.
part 3
During his explorations, the cub stumbles upon an Indian village and encounters humans for the first time. Reacting with awe and fear, he catches their attention and gets named White Fang due to his glaring white teeth. His mother, known as Kiche and recognized by the villagers, is reclaimed by her former owner, Gray Beaver. White Fang slowly adjusts to the presence of humans, despite constant bullying from other dogs, particularly Lip-lip. Living in the village, White Fang learns more about the human world and their laws. His mother is sold, leaving him alone in the harsh environment. Lip-lip continues to be a thorn in his side, causing White Fang to live like an outcast. His resilience is tested when everyone except Gray Beaver turns against him. When the villagers set out for a hunting trip in the fall, White Fang initially opts to stay behind but eventually follows them and willingly returns to Gray Beaver. During winter, he joins Gray Beaver and his family for a sled trip, during which Lip-lip is deliberately put in the front, inciting the hatred of the other dogs. White Fang gradually learns to defend Gray Beaver's property, proving his loyalty despite having little affection for his master. Upon their return to the village in spring, his confidence grows as he's now much older and larger than the other dogs. During the summer, White Fang reunites with his mother, but her new litter prompts her to drive him away. As time passes, he grows into a strong, wolf-like dog, with a peculiar sensitivity to laughter. A famine forces White Fang to survive in the woods where he encounters and kills Lip-lip. When the famine ends, he returns to the village.
part 4
White Fang, under Mit-sah's harsh treatment, evolves into an aggressive dog, often fighting with the other dogs in the pack. His viciousness becomes notorious, and Gray Beaver even declares him as the most aggressive dog he's ever seen. When they head for a trip to the Yukon, White Fang shows his prowess by attacking dogs along the way. They reach Fort Yukon during the gold rush of 1898, where Gray Beaver makes a fortune by trading his goods. In Fort Yukon, White Fang encounters his first white men, who he deems superior to the Indians. But their dogs seem weak, and White Fang easily defeats them. A man named Beauty Smith, infamous for his unattractive looks and cruel nature, resides in Fort Yukon. He wishes to buy White Fang, but Gray Beaver declines his offer. However, Beauty Smith makes Gray Beaver drink away his money on whiskey, eventually forcing him to sell White Fang. Despite multiple attempts to escape, White Fang is chained and forced to stay with Beauty Smith as Gray Beaver departs from the town. White Fang is then trained to be a fighting dog, renowned as "The Fighting Wolf." From lynxes to bulldogs, White Fang defeats them all until he faces a bulldog named Cherokee. The fight culminates with Cherokee biting White Fang's throat, and just as White Fang is about to die, two men intervene. They buy White Fang from Beauty Smith for 150 dollars. The men, Weedon Scott and Matt, aim to tame White Fang. However, White Fang remains aggressive, causing harm to another dog and to Matt. Scott contemplates shooting White Fang, but Matt persuades him to give another chance. Despite an initial misunderstanding, White Fang slowly starts warming up to Scott and even becomes helpful around the house. When Scott leaves for Circle City, White Fang becomes despondent and refuses to eat. Upon Scott's return, White Fang shows affection, indicating his attachment to Scott. Later, while Scott and Matt are indoors, White Fang attacks a man outside. It turns out to be Beauty Smith, who had come to steal White Fang, but his plans are thwarted by White Fang's loyalty and courage.
part 5
Scott is about to return to California, and White Fang is unsettled. Scott is conflicted about leaving him behind. On the day of departure, White Fang is locked up but he escapes and leaps onto the departing steamboat. Impressed by the dog's devotion, Scott decides to take him to California. Upon arrival in San Francisco, White Fang is overwhelmed by the bustling city. He rides in a car with Scott and is relieved when they leave the city behind. They encounter a man and woman who try to embrace Scott, causing White Fang to bark in fear, but Scott reassures him. Moving along, they are attacked by a sheep-dog, but White Fang manages to get past her. Nearing their house, a deer-hound confronts White Fang, who retaliates fiercely. It's only due to the intervention of the sheep-dog that the deer-hound's life is spared. In time, White Fang adjusts to his new home. He learns the rules of the house and to respect its inhabitants. However, he struggles with the chickens, attacking them and the groom who tries to defend them. Scott challenges White Fang to resist his natural instincts and refrain from killing the chickens. One night, White Fang kills several chickens. Scott catches him and punishes him by making him spend an afternoon with the chickens. For every chicken he refrains from killing, Scott's father, Judge Scott, must compliment White Fang. White Fang ends up ignoring the chickens and earns himself sixteen compliments from the Judge. White Fang becomes part of the family, learning to defend himself against other dogs and to enjoy his master's company. He even tolerates the sheep-dog, Collie. One day, when Scott is injured, White Fang successfully retrieves help. Eventually, White Fang and Collie become friends. Meanwhile, a convict named Jim Hall seeks revenge on Judge Scott for sentencing him to prison. Jim Hall enters the Scotts' property, but White Fang intervenes, getting shot in the process but saving the family. White Fang's wounds are treated by a surgeon. While recovering, White Fang has nightmares about his past life but eventually regains his health. The family begins calling him the Blessed Wolf. Collie has puppies and White Fang, basking in the sun, feels content.
