Honors English 9 Summer Reading: The Call of the Wild & Little Women

Vocabulary-style flashcards covering major characters, terms, and plot-essential concepts for The Call of the Wild and Little Women based on the summer reading study guide.

Buck

The protagonist of The Call of the Wild who is kidnapped from Judge Miller's estate and forced into life as a sled dog in the Klondike.

Judge Miller

Buck's original owner who lived on a large estate in California.

The man in the red sweater

The individual who beats Buck with a club, teaching him the 'law of club' and the reality of his new life.

Law of Club

The primitive rule Buck learns stating that a man with a club is a master to be obeyed, though not necessarily liked.

Perrault and François

The two French-Canadian mail carriers who buy Buck and train him to be a sled dog.

Curly

A good-natured dog whose violent death teaches Buck that there is no fair play in the North and he must never go down in a fight.

Spitz

Buck's rival and the original lead dog of the team, known for being a 'devil-dog' and a bully.

Hal, Charles, and Mercedes

Inexperienced and poorly prepared Americans who buy Buck and his team, eventually leading them to disaster due to their ignorance.

John Thornton

The man who rescues Buck from Hal's cruelty and becomes the first master Buck truly loves.

The Call of the Wild

The internal pull Buck feels toward his ancestral instincts and the wilderness, which grows stronger throughout the novel.

The Yeehats

The group of people responsible for the death of John Thornton, whom Buck later attacks in a fit of rage.

Meg March

The oldest March sister who is responsible and traditional, eventually marrying John Brooke.

Jo March

The second oldest March sister and protagonist; an independent tomboy who dreams of becoming a famous writer.

Beth March

The shy, musical March sister who plays the piano and is known for her selfless nature before her illness from scarlet fever.

Amy March

The youngest March sister; an artistic and ambitious girl who travels to Europe and eventually marries Laurie.

Marmee

The mother of the March sisters who serves as their moral guide while Mr. March is away at war.

Hannah

The loyal servant and housekeeper for the March family.

Laurie (Theodore Laurence)

The wealthy boy next door who becomes a close friend to the March sisters and eventually marries Amy.

Mr. Laurence

Laurie's grandfather who develops a special, grandfatherly bond with Beth.

John Brooke

Laurie's tutor who falls in love with and marries Meg March.

Professor Bhaer

The scholar Jo meets in New York who encourages her serious writing and eventually becomes her husband.

Plumfield

The school that Jo and Professor Bhaer open together at the end of Little Women.

Law of Fang

The primitive law of survival Buck learns after witnessing Curly's death, emphasizing the need to stay on one's feet in a fight.