What evidence from part 1 of The Call of the Wild best supports the viewpoint that Buck must constantly learn new lessons if he wishes to survive in his new life?

Question

And this was the manner of dog Buck was in the fall of 1897, when the Klondike strike dragged men from all the world into the frozen North. But Buck did not read the newspapers, and he did not know that Manuel, one of the gardener's helpers, was an undesirable acquaintance.
Buck had accepted the rope with quiet dignity. To be sure, it was an unwonted performance: but he had learned to trust in men he knew, and to give them credit for a wisdom that outreached his own. But when the ends of the rope were placed in the stranger's hands, he growled menacingly.
And Buck was truly a red-eyed devil, as he drew himself together for the spring, hair bristling, mouth foaming, a mad glitter in his blood-shot eyes. Straight at the man he launched his one hundred and forty pounds of fury, surcharged with the pent passion of two days and nights.
The scene often came back to Buck to trouble him in his sleep. So that was the way. No fair play. Once down, that was the end of you. Well, he would see to it that he never went down.

Answer 1

In part 1 of The Call of the Wild, the evidence that best supports the viewpoint that Buck must constantly learn new lessons to survive in his new life includes several key moments that highlight his adaptability and the harsh realities he faces.

Firstly, Buck's initial acceptance of the rope with "quiet dignity" shows that he has a trusting nature towards humans he knows. However, this lesson is quickly challenged by his experience with Manuel, which introduces him to the idea that not all humans can be trusted, illustrating the first harsh lesson he learns about the world outside his comfortable life. This moment reveals Buck's need to adapt to a quickly changing environment where previous assumptions may no longer hold.

Moreover, Buck's reaction when he is attacked - “he growled menacingly” and then experiences a "mad glitter in his blood-shot eyes" - underscores the shift in his understanding of danger. The transformation from a domesticated pet to a creature that must defend himself emphasizes that survival requires an immediate response to threats. The violent instincts he channels in that moment signal a crucial lesson he learns about the necessity of aggression and self-defense in a harsh new world.

Lastly, Buck’s reflection “So that was the way. No fair play. Once down, that was the end of you” encapsulates the brutal truth of his new life. This realization signifies a pivotal learning moment where he comprehends that the rules of his former existence no longer apply; in fact, the instinct for survival means he cannot afford to be vulnerable.

These examples together illustrate that Buck's journey in the frozen North requires him to continually learn and adapt to survive in an environment that is starkly different from the comfortable life he once knew. Each encounter and experience serves as a lesson that shapes his understanding of his new reality.