In the beginning, Buck lived the life of a king with a royal life and enjoied it because he knew nothing else except respect. Buck was happy and content without knowing about real love care. “And over this …show more content…
Buck has never experienced love, but when he does with Thornton he hears mean words as love words, strong strokes as love pets, and the other dogs as threats. “He had a way of taking Buck’s head roughly between his hands, and resting his own head upon Buck’s, of shaking him back and forth, the while calling him ill names that to Buck were love names.” (London ch. 6 pg. 2) Since Buck is experiencing love for the first time, he takes everything from John Thornton as a love gesture because he sees Thornton as love. Buck becomes very protective of Thornton, not letting him leave his sight and keeping anyone he doesn’t like away from Thornton. “...Buck did not like Thornton to get out of his sight. From the moment he left the tent to when he entered it again, Buck would follow at his heels.” (London ch. 6 pg. 2) Buck does this because he is afraid of losing him and having to go back to his old life. Buck saved John Thornton's life multiple times, defending him in a bar fight and dragging him out of a river. “Burton struck out, without warning… Thornton was sent spinning… they saw Buck’s body rise up in the air as he left the floor for Burton’s throat.” (London ch. 6 pg. 3) Buck would die for Thornton to live because Buck has his own love and it is so strong that he could move one thousand pounds. After leaving a decent owner then going through many terrible and harmful owners, Buck finally finds a great owner that he is determined to