Capricorn Anderson

Justin Johal
3/6/13 3 Per.
Final Draft
Have you ever been forced into something you did not want to do? Capricorn Anderson, from the book Schooled by Gordon Korman, and Buck, from The Call of the Wild by Jack London, were both forced into new environments without a choice and were forced to adapt. How did Buck and Capricorn successfully adapt to the new lifestyle and new environments. How did they change as characters as the story went on.
When Buck and Cap were forced into leaving their original environments, they also learned how to adapt to their new lifestyle. Even though they were in different places they both had ways of coping to new lifestyle. Buck coped to the new environment by learning from others and past experience. Buck learned the Law of Club when the man in the red sweater beat him and Buck never forgot about that. Buck also learned from Curly that once you are struck down you cannot get up and that is the end of you, Law of Fang. The Law of Fang stated “Once down, that is the end of you. Well, he would see it that he never went down.” (Pg.15 P=2) Capricorn asked questions and, even though he was fed lies Cap adapted to his new lifestyle. Asking questions helped because it taught him what to do, what not to do ect, making it easier on him. Cap also adapted by using coping and calming techniques from Rain such as meditating and Tai Chi. This helped Cap adapt by relieving him off all the new things he had to do such planning the dance and being told to learn everyone’s name at the school. Both Buck and Cap changed as they adapted and as the stories progressed. At first, Perrault made him booties for his feet because he wasn’t used to the new terrain. The booties also gave him more endurance and as time progressed he did not need them anymore. As he adapted he got into better physical shape, became more wild and “dog smart.” An example of him becoming more dog smart was when he learned to never mess with anyone with a club and if he does he will be beaten with the club. Cap was greatly affected because his attitude of school and modern life changed from hating it to wanting to stay in a public school. You know this because he told Rain he wanted to stay at Claverage when Rain picked up from school the day she got out. The environment was also greatly affected by Buck and Cap’s influences. Cap’s environment was changed because everyone at Claverage judged Cap in the beginning. In the end, everyone enjoyed Cap and learned not to judge as quickly. The students all learned not to judge him because they realized once you get to now Cap he isn’t so bad. Buck’s environment was changed because after he killed all the Yeehat’s, the native tribe never went back to that valley; it became a taboo. It became a taboo because the Yeehats remembered that Buck had killed several of their people. Buck also left his physical changes to his environment because when he joined the wolf pack and became part of “the family” his physical traits were passed on to his descendants. “The years were not many when the Yeehats noted a change in the breed of timber wolves; for some were seen with splashes of brown on the head and muzzle, and with a rift of white centering down the chest.’’(Pg.104 P=2) As you can see Buck and Capricorn both successfully adapted to the new lifestyle and new environments and both changed as a character as the story went on. Cap changed but not as much because he believed in who he was. Buck on the other hand changed drastically. They both adapted to their environments and lifestyles in different and similar ways. In the end Buck and Cap did end up enjoying their new environments even though they did not like them in the beginning.