Comparing Darwin, Frazer, And Jack London

Throughout the years, authors have studied the interactions between the species of the earth and have conveyed their findings through their literary works. Authors, such as, Charles Darwin, Sir James George Frazer, and Jack London, all have published works in this area. These three authors have several points that are similar to each other, as well as their differences also. The points are: the relationships between humans and animals, the competition for life in all species, and the instincts that animals possess. Also, the main goal of life, which is survival, is deeply embodied in each of these works. First, animals and humans have interacted with each other for numerous years. Examples of these interactions can be found within the works of Frazer and London. In the chapter titled “Killing the Divine Animal” of Sir James George Frazer’s work The Golden Bough, he writes about indigenous tribes who worship animals and think of them as gods. These tribes consider them to be equal or higher than humans in the world and they believe that humans were derived from animals, which ties into the theory of evolution. In contrast, the book The Call of the Wild by Jack London has quite different human and animal interactions. The humans believe that they are above animals in the world and that they control them. In the book, the main character, Buck, encounters a wide variety of owners and sees firsthand the cruelty and kindness of the human race. At times, he was beaten into submission by several humans who strived to dominate the animals, while at other times, he felt the compassion and friendship that his human owner provided him. The complex relationship between humans and animals was expertly captured in both of these works. Second, the works of all of the authors show the competition for life in all species. …show more content…
The chapter titled “Struggle for Existence” in the work On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin, talks about the process of natural selection and adaptation. Natural selection is the way of nature to choose the strongest of the species to survive so that the bloodline can be carried on. Several factors attribute to natural selection, such as, climate and the fight for resources against other species. These factors also provide a reason for adaptation, or change, in order to avoid death. In The Call of the Wild, Buck is forced to adapt to the harshness of Alaska and its humans in order to maintain his existence. Buck underwent many adaptations in the story; he had to become dominant to survive attacks from the other dogs, he needed to watch the ways the dogs found shelter and other resources, and he was required to learn the law in which his owners governed in order to avoid being beaten. In the work of Frazer, the tribes must kill the animals for meat and supplies in pursuance of their survival. Certain tribes would kill the animals before they grew old and weak, which is an example of natural selection, because of the belief that the animals were reincarnated after death. The constant battle between the species of the earth is shown in the works of Darwin, London and Frazer. Lastly, the idea of instincts that animals possess can be seen in the works of Darwin and London. In the chapter “Instinct” of On the Origin