The Call of the Wild, an Organizational Novel

Abstract

This paper examines Jack London’s The Call of the Wild (1903) from an organization perspective. The novel has long been read as a Naturalistic work with primitiveness and virility at its core. However, this study focuses on London’s presentation of the environment of dog-sledding in the Klondike, into which the dog Buck, his main character, is thrown, as not only primitive but also distinguished by complex organizational characteristics. It interprets the novel using four essential elements of organization: clear goal, members, structured system hierarchy (clearly defined role and leadership), and communication. It argues that all the essential elements of organization are the backbone of the plot of the story. This organizational interpretation opens the possibility of the novel as a business fiction. It provides a clue to the unprecedented popularity of the fiction among the Americans who were experiencing the rise of big business which had managers and organization at its core.