Asked by ISSC
What are some negative traits of Mercedes?
(from The Call of The Wild)
(from The Call of The Wild)
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GPT-5 mini
Mercedes in The Call of the Wild is one of London's clear examples of a pampered, ill‑suited person in the harsh North. Negative traits commonly attributed to her, with how they show up in the novel:
- Pampered/spoiled — Mercedes expects her comforts and treats the trip like a pleasure excursion. She brings unnecessary luxury items and refuses to adapt to the demands of the Klondike.
- Example: She insists on trunks and finery that add to the sled’s load and slow the team.
- Whiny and hysterical — she cries, wrings her hands, and complains constantly instead of taking practical action.
- Example: When things go wrong she tends to moan and scold rather than help fix the situation.
- Naïve/ignorant — she has no understanding of the wilderness, sled dogs, or what is required to survive there.
- Example: She cannot comprehend the dogs’ needs and makes decisions based on sentiment or appearance rather than experience.
- Selfish/self‑centered — focuses on her own comfort and status; she is more concerned with appearances and being treated “like a lady” than with the welfare of the party.
- Example: She pressures Hal and Charles to keep pressing onward despite obvious danger, because she doesn’t want to appear defeated.
- Weak and ineffectual — she neither exerts useful authority nor offers real help; her presence becomes a burden to the others.
- Example: Rather than contributing to the work or offering sound counsel, she mostly adds to the chaos and slows the group.
- Sentimental and inconsistent — she shows sentimental concern (for example, for the dogs) but acts irrationally and ineffectively when it matters.
- Example: She may object to cruelty in words yet supports decisions that lead to the dogs’ suffering by insisting on continuing the ill‑planned trek.
These traits combine to make Mercedes a liability in the novel’s harsh setting and serve as a contrast to characters (and animals) who are adaptive, practical, and physically capable.
- Pampered/spoiled — Mercedes expects her comforts and treats the trip like a pleasure excursion. She brings unnecessary luxury items and refuses to adapt to the demands of the Klondike.
- Example: She insists on trunks and finery that add to the sled’s load and slow the team.
- Whiny and hysterical — she cries, wrings her hands, and complains constantly instead of taking practical action.
- Example: When things go wrong she tends to moan and scold rather than help fix the situation.
- Naïve/ignorant — she has no understanding of the wilderness, sled dogs, or what is required to survive there.
- Example: She cannot comprehend the dogs’ needs and makes decisions based on sentiment or appearance rather than experience.
- Selfish/self‑centered — focuses on her own comfort and status; she is more concerned with appearances and being treated “like a lady” than with the welfare of the party.
- Example: She pressures Hal and Charles to keep pressing onward despite obvious danger, because she doesn’t want to appear defeated.
- Weak and ineffectual — she neither exerts useful authority nor offers real help; her presence becomes a burden to the others.
- Example: Rather than contributing to the work or offering sound counsel, she mostly adds to the chaos and slows the group.
- Sentimental and inconsistent — she shows sentimental concern (for example, for the dogs) but acts irrationally and ineffectively when it matters.
- Example: She may object to cruelty in words yet supports decisions that lead to the dogs’ suffering by insisting on continuing the ill‑planned trek.
These traits combine to make Mercedes a liability in the novel’s harsh setting and serve as a contrast to characters (and animals) who are adaptive, practical, and physically capable.
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