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Part 4, Chapter 2
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in White Fang, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
The Struggle for Survival
Domestic Yearnings v. Natural Instinct
Nature v. Nurture
Mastery
Domestication
Mating and Parenthood
Summary
Analysis
Beauty Smith chains White Fang in a pen and torments him with his maniacal laughter, inciting the dog's anger and hatred.
Beauty Smith's derisive treatment of White Fang accentuates White Fang's ferocious characteristics. One again, he is shaped by his environment.
Themes
Under his abusive care, White Fang transforms into professional fighting dog. While men wager on White Fang's fights, Beauty takes pleasure in watching the carnage. Beauty pits a succession of dogs against White Fang, but wins every battle, using his hatred of Beauty Smith to motivate his ferocious fighting and survive in the ring.
White Fang gains a reputation as "The Fighting Wolf." No animals can beat him in the ring, so the men secure a female lynx for him to fight against. They are initially equally matched, but White Fang vanquishes her, like the others. He waits for his next battle against a Tim Keenan's bulldog.
White Fang's new name underlines the increased ferocity of his character. Yet while he acts with the ferocity of a wolf, he does not have the freedom of a true wolf, as he fights for the entertainment of men.
Themes
