Douglas McArthur once said, “A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the
courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. He does
not set out to be a leader. But becomes one by the equality of his actions and the integrity of his
intent”. In The Call of the Wild, Buck transforms from a lazy pet, to a strong sled dog, then
finally, to a wild wolf. Throughout this transformation, Buck meets and learns from many
different types of leaders. In the end, Buck learns that honorable leaders need to be adaptable,
determined, and fair.
Buck learns that the best leaders are adaptable by watching another dog, adapting
himself, and by hunting with wild wolves. First, Buck watches another dog, who doesn’t learn to
adapt, get beaten to death. For example, “Also, [Buck] saw one dog, that would neither conciliate
nor obey, finally, killed in the struggle for mastery” (London 13). By watching another dog get
