Text Complexity Analysis of The Call of the Wild by Jack London
Qualitative Measures
Levels of Meaning/Purpose:
The novel has multiple levels of meaning as well as multiple levels to the storyline.
Set primarily in Alaska during the Klondike Gold Rush of 1896-97, the main character
Buck, a 140 pound dog, was kidnapped from a civilized life in California and sent
north to learn to survive in the hostile Northland as a sled dog. It is during these
struggles that he must learn to adapt to the harsh realities of survival in his new
environment.
Structure:
The story is told chronologically, using the 3rd person omniscient point of view. This is
significant because the characters are primarily dogs. This allows a greater sense of
realism to the story, and the dogs begin to assume many human qualities.
Though somewhat unconventional because the protagonist is not human, this book
can be viewed as a coming of age novel since Buck needs to complete a
transformation of setting, lifestyle, and personal morality to survive. Flashbacks are
present throughout the novel for Buck to reflect on his personal development.
Language Conventionality and Clarity:
This story is written in a very sophisticated and formal style. It features highly
complex sentence structure throughout the novel which, coupled with difficult
vocabulary and extensive use of figurative language, make close readings of the text
compulsory. Finally, the dialect of the human characters of French-Canadian descent,
or of German descent, or of Upper Class American descent further complicates the
text.
Knowledge Demands:
While on the surface The Call of the Wild is an exciting adventure story, there is far
greater depth to the storyline as a whole. Set during the Klondike Gold Rush or
1896-97, which greatly impacted the West Coast of the United States, the basic
theme is of “survival of the fittest.” However, the underlying themes provide a depth to
the story and require the reader to think globally as well as reflect on one’s own
personal philosophy of life. Since many consider this novel to be an autobiography of
London’s own philosophy and life experiences, it is recommended that a reasonable
amount of time be devoted to examination of London’s personal life and how he was
impacted by the following 19th century philosophers: Englishmen Charles Darwin,
with his theory of “the struggle for existence” and Herbert Spencer with “only the
strong survive,” and German, Freidrich Nietsche, with his “might makes right”
philosophy.
Quantitative
QualitativeMeasures
Measures
The lexile is 1010 which is 7.8 grade level.
Reader-Task Considerations
It is recommended that this novel be used in eighth grade because of the complexity
of the writing. It serves as an excellent model for the teaching of writing complex and
compound sentences teaching and reinforcing figurative language, literary allusions,
symbolism, and the essential elements of a novel.
Additionally, the Common Core State Standards are directly addressed when a film
adaptation is shown after a thorough study of the novel.
Recommended Placement
The qualitative measures and reader and task considerations indicate that the novel
is best placed at the 7th-8th grade complexity band. The quantitative measures clearly
place this novel in7th-8th grade as well.