The Rise of Naturalism Focus and Motivate The Law of Life

The Rise of NaturalismThe Law of Life Short Story by Jack London

did you know? Jack London . . .• was the first American

author to become a millionaire from his writing.

• pioneered the field of sports writing.

• covered the Russo-Japanese War and the Mexican Revolution asa correspondent.

Meet the Author

According to critic Alfred Kazin, “The greatest story Jack London ever wrote was the story he lived.” Before London had turned 21 he had had more adventures than a Hollywood action hero. Once he began publishing stories about his experiences, he became an international celebrity. His works, many set in the wilds of Alaska and the American West, brought before the reading public a fresh style and subject matter that proved popular and profitable.

The Call of Adventure Born in San Francisco, Jack London grew up in Oakland, California. Disowned by his biological father, he took the name of his stepfather, John London. Although a decent man, the stepfather couldn’t make much of a living, so London spent much of his youth working. Periods of backbreaking manual labor—in factories, canneries, a power plant, and a laundry—alternated with high adventure. The 16-year-old Jack became an oyster pirate in San Francisco Bay before switching sides

to join the shore police. At age 17, he boarded a ship for a seal-hunting

expedition to the Bering Sea. At 18, he quit work altogether to travel the country as a hobo. These escapades came to an abrupt halt when he was

arrested for vagrancy in New York

State and jailed for 30 days. Moved by the hard-luck stories of the men he had met on the road and in prison, London could see where his life was heading and decided to turn it around. I ran back to California and opened the books,” he explained. By the time he was 20, he had enrolled at the University of California at Berkeley and become a writer.

From Rags to Riches Although writing steadily, London could get nothing published. News of the Klondike Gold Rush in 1897 inspired him to head to Alaska in hopes of striking it rich. Instead of finding gold, however, he got a bad case of scurvy and returned home after less than a year. Still, London admitted, “It was in the Klondike that I found myself.” Equally important, he found a wealth of material and formulated the naturalistic philosophy that would make him a blockbuster writer. He shot to international fame with The Call of the Wild (1903), and within six years had produced most of his greatest works—The Sea Wolf (1904), White Fang (1906), The Road (1907), the autobiographical Martin Eden (1909), and several collections of short stories. London inspired many in the next generation of writers, including Ernest Hemingway, Jack Kerouac, and Norman Mailer.

Jack London 1876–1916

San Francisco Bay before switching sideto join the shore police. At age 17,

boarded a ship for a seal-huntinexpedition to the Bering SeaAt 18, he quit work altogethto travel the country as a hobo. These escapades camto an abrupt halt when he w

arrested for vagrancy in New York

Go to thinkcentral.com. KEYWORD: HML11-768Author Online

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RL 2 Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text. RL 3 Analyze the impact of the author’s choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story. RL 4 Analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including words with multiple meanings. RL 9 Demonstrate knowledge of early-twentieth-century works of American literature. L 4b Identify and correctly use patterns of word changes that indicate different meanings or parts of speech.

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Focus and Motivate

Selection Resources

RESOURCE MANAGER UNIT 4Plan and Teach, pp. 151–158Summary, pp. 159–160†‡*Text Analysis and Reading

Skill, pp. 161–164†*Vocabulary, pp. 165–167*

DIAGNOSTIC AND SELECTION TESTSSelection Tests, pp. 205–208

BEST PRACTICES TOOLKITJigsaw Reading, p. A1Making Inferences, p. A13Personal Word List, p. E2Story Map, p. D14

INTERACTIVE READERADAPTED INTERACTIVE READERELL ADAPTED INTERACTIVE

READER

TECHNOLOGY Teacher One Stop DVD-ROMStudent One Stop DVD-ROM PowerNotes DVD-ROMAudio Anthology CD ExamView Test Generator on the Teacher One Stop

See resources on the Teacher One Stop DVD-ROM and on thinkcentral.com.

* Resources for Differentiation † Also in Spanish ‡ In Haitian Creole and Vietnamese

Features on thinkcentral.com that support the selection include • PowerNotes presentation • ThinkAloud models to enhance

comprehension• WordSharp vocabulary tutorials

Find it Online!

RL 2 Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text. RL 3 Analyze the impact of the author’s choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story. RL 4 Analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including words with multiple meanings. RL 9 Demonstrate knowledge of early-twentieth-century works of American literature L 4b Identify and correctly use patterns of word changes that indicate different meanings or parts of speech. L 5b Analyze nuances in the meaning of words with similar denotations. L 6 Acquire and use accurately general academic words and phrases.

about the authorJack London pursued writing as he did every-thing else, with enthusiasm and relentless energy. He studied magazine content, analyzed readers’ desires, and composed at least 1,000 words a day on his way to fame and financial success.

NOTABLE QUOTE“The proper function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use my time.” —Jack London

Lead students in a discussion of the distinction London makes between existing and living. Challenge students to paraphrase London’s quotation in their own words.

Essential Course of Study ecosecos

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How do people face death?Death comes to all of us, but different cultures approach the inevitable end in various ways. The death described in London’s story may seem cruel to you, but consider the cultural context of the community described in the story. QUICKWRITE Think about how your own culture treats people who are dying. Are they treated with indifference or respect? In a more hostile environment, such as a natural disaster, do you think society could maintain the same customs? In your notebook, jot down your thoughts about these issues.

text analysis: themeTheme is the central message communicated by a literary work. It may be stated directly, but it usually emerges through literary elements as a comment on the human condition. The answers to certain questions can help you identify a story’s theme or themes.• What is the resolution of the primary conflict?• What traits do the main characters display?• What about the physical or cultural setting is significant?• What point of view is used to describe the experiences of the

main character?• What meaning does the title convey?Ask yourself these questions as you read “The Law of Life,” recording the answers and other details in a chart.

Details Revealing Theme

Conflict Character Setting Point of View

Symbol Title

Review: Naturalism reading skill: analyze author’s perspective

An author’s perspective is the unique combination of background, experiences, beliefs, and values that influences the way a writer looks at a topic and the choices he or she makes in writing about it. This story reflects London’s experiences in Alaska and the Klondike, where he had gone in hopes of striking it rich in the goldfields. Reread London’s biography on page 768. As you read the story, draw on what you know of London’s life to help you understand his perspective on such subjects as youth and old age, strength and weakness, survival and death.

vocabulary in contextRestate each phrase, using a different word or words for the boldfaced term.

1. need to replenish the water supply 2. a slovenly fellow, with dirty hair and unshined shoes 3. the inexorable passage of time 4. willing to attest to his honesty 5. a cat attempting to harry the mouse it caught

Complete the activities in your Reader/Writer Notebook.

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vocabulary in contextDIAGNOSE WORD KNOWLEDGE Have students complete Vocabulary in Context. Check their word choices against the following:attest (E-tDstP) v. to affirm to be true; to be

proof ofharry (hBrPC) v. to torment, often by constant

attackinexorable (Gn-DkPsEr-E-bEl) adj. relentless

replenish (rG-plDnPGsh) v. to fill up again

slovenly (slOvPEn-lC) adj. untidy in personal appearance

PRETEACH VOCABULARY Use the following copy master to help students predict meanings.

RESOURCE MANAGER—Copy MasterVocabulary Study p. 165

TeachHow do people face DEATH?Introduce the question and invite students to share traditions their culture has for pre-paring for death. As students complete the QUICKWRITE, suggest that they consider how such traditions serve individuals, families, and friends who must face death.

Model the Skill: analyze author’s perspective

Read aloud the Notable Quote on page 768 and ask students what it suggests about how London will view the characters and action in the story. Elicit students’ ideas about the kinds of characters someone with London’s perspective would admire, and the kinds of actions he would expect these characters to take.GUIDED PRACTICE Have students cite examples from the author biography that support their ideas about London’s perspective.

R E A D I N G S K I L L

Model the Skill: themeRecall “The Open Boat” from pages 736–758 and suggest this possible theme: Working together is the only way to survive adver-sity. Ask students to recall films or stories they have read and propose themes. For several examples, have students answer the bulleted questions about theme and then work as a class to agree on theme statements for several examples. GUIDED PRACTICE Ask students how a story’s theme is like and unlike its subject.

RESOURCE MANAGER—Copy MasterTheme p. 161 (for student use while reading the selection)

T E X T A N A L Y S I S

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770 unit 4: regionalism and naturalism

the law of

lifeJACK LONDON

background Written when London was about 25 years old, this story was included in his second collection of short stories about Alaska, Children of the Frost (1902). The characters are members of a nomadic native tribe whose customs are shaped by the harsh conditions of the Arctic. The law they live by expresses London’s naturalistic vision at its most brutal.

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Old Koskoosh listened greedily. Though his sight had long since faded, his hearing was still acute, and the slightest sound penetrated to the glimmering intelligence which yet abode behind his withered forehead, but which no longer gazed forth upon the things of the world. Ah! that was Sit-cum-to-ha, shrilly anathematizing the dogs as she cuffed and beat them into the harness. Sit-cum-to-ha was his daughter’s daughter, but she was too busy to waste a thought upon her broken grandfather, sitting alone there in the snow, forlorn and helpless. Camp must be broken. The long trail waited while the short day refused to linger. Life called her, and the duties of life, not death. And he was very close to death now. a

The thought made the old man panicky for the moment, and he stretched forth a palsied hand which wandered tremblingly over the small heap of dry wood beside him. Reassured that it was indeed there, his hand returned to the shelter of his mangy furs, and he again fell to listening. The sulky crackling of half-frozen hides told him that the chief ’s moose-skin lodge had been struck, and

a THEMEWhat is significant about the setting described in the first paragraph, and what mood does it create?

Analyze VisualsLook at the image on page 771. What elements of the man’s clothing and facial expression give clues to the photo’s setting? Explain.

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Practice and ApplysummaryThis short story opens with the blind, aged former leader of an Alaskan tribe listening to the sounds of his tribe departing for new hunt-ing grounds. The old man knows he will be left behind and bids his son a ritual but loving farewell. As he awaits death in the snow, he recalls moments from his youth and considers the inevitable end of all living things. Finally, his fire goes out and a ring of wolves prepares to attack.

for english language learnersOptions for Reading Read the selection summary aloud so that students have an overview of events before they read on their own. Then have students read silently as they listen to the Audio Anthology CD. Finally, di-vide students into Jigsaw groups and assign one Targeted Passage to each. Have students present their passages to the other groups.

RESOURCE MANAGERJigsaw Reading p. A1

for struggling readers In combination with the Audio Anthology CD, use one or more Targeted Passages (pp. 770, 772, 776) to ensure that students focus on key story events and concepts. Targeted Passages are also good for English language learners.

1 Targeted Passage [Lines 1–9]This passage introduces the main character, Koskoosh; the Arctic setting; and the presence of death in the story.

read with a purposeHelp students set a purpose for reading. Tell them to read “The Law of Life” to discover different attitudes toward death.

revisit the big QUESTIONHow do people face DEATH?Discuss After students read lines 1–12, ask the following question: What details in the text alert readers that Koskoosh is nearing death? Why will he be left behind when the tribe leaves? Possible answer: He is blind and wrinkled, and his hand is palsied. He will be left behind when the tribe leaves because he can no longer contribute and will slow the tribe’s travel down.

a Model the Skill: themeDiscuss the details of the setting with students. Ask them how a dark, cold winter day may affect the way they feel. Challenge them to see the connection between setting and mood.Possible answer: The setting is that of a camp in the snow being broken as the characters prepare for a long day’s journey (lines 5–9). The mood created is wintry and bleak, which reflects the grandfather’s forlorn and helpless state.IF STUDENTS NEED HELP . . . Have them reread lines 5–9 and note setting and action words.


Targeted Passage1


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• Who is Koskoosh? (lines 5–7)• What are the conditions like where he is?

(lines 7–9)• What activity is he listening to? (lines 4–5)• Why doesn’t he participate in the activity?

(lines 1–4, 9)

for advanced learners/apResearch and Compare Cultures Have students research and compare different cultures’ approach to death. Students should begin by writing in a journal about their own experiences and observations and then do some research into at least one other culture. (Students may be interested in exploring the Athabascan culture to see if London depicts it fairly or if he embellishes for dramatic effect.) Ask students to share their findings with the class.

Analyze VisualsPossible answer: The man’s fur hat suggests that he lives in a very cold setting. His facial expression suggests that he is bracing himself against something difficult, such as cold weather or a difficult physical task.

backgroundNomadic Life Tribes living in Koskoosh’s area of Alaska were part of a larger group of Native Americans called Athabascans. Some Athabascans fished for salmon for food, while others hunted large animals, especially cari-bou. Their way of life was to follow migrating herds in winter, setting up and then quickly striking camps as necessary to keep up with the herds. In summer many Athabascan peoples set up fishing camps on rivers and lakes and briefly lived a more settled life.

This selection on thinkcentral.com includes embedded ThinkAloud models–students “thinking aloud” about the story to model the kinds of questions a good reader would ask about a selection.

Reading Support

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1. shaman’s: belonging to a priest who uses magic to cure the sick or predict events. 2. gutturals: sounds that are made in the throat. 3. fagots: sticks of wood.

even then was being rammed and jammed into portable compass. The chief was his son, stalwart and strong, head man of the tribesmen, and a mighty hunter. As the women toiled with the camp luggage, his voice rose, chiding them for their slowness. Old Koskoosh strained his ears. It was the last time he would hear that voice. There went Geehow’s lodge! And Tusken’s! Seven, eight, nine; only the shaman’s1 could be still standing. There! They were at work upon it now. He could hear the shaman grunt as he piled it on the sled. A child whimpered, and a woman soothed it with soft, crooning gutturals.2 Little Koo-tee, the old man thought, a fretful child, and not overstrong. It would die soon, perhaps, and they would burn a hole through the frozen tundra and pile rocks above to keep the wolverines away. Well, what did it matter? A few years at best, and as many an empty belly as a full one. And in the end, Death waited, ever-hungry and hungriest of them all. b

What was that? Oh, the men lashing the sleds and drawing tight the thongs. He listened, who would listen no more. The whip-lashes snarled and bit among the dogs. Hear them whine! How they hated the work and the trail! They were off! Sled after sled churned slowly away into the silence. They were gone. They had passed out of his life, and he faced the last bitter hour alone. No. The snow crunched beneath a moccasin; a man stood beside him; upon his head a hand rested gently. His son was good to do this thing. He remembered other old men whose sons had not waited after the tribe. But his son had. He wandered away into the past, till the young man’s voice brought him back.

“Is it well with you?” he asked.And the old man answered, “It is well.”“There be wood beside you,” the younger man continued, “and the fire burns

bright. The morning is gray, and the cold has broken. It will snow presently. Even now it is snowing.”

“Ay, even now it is snowing.”“The tribesmen hurry. Their bales are heavy, and their bellies flat with lack of

feasting. The trail is long and they travel fast. I go now. It is well?”“It is well. I am as a last year’s leaf, clinging lightly to the stem. The first breath

that blows, and I fall. My voice is become like an old woman’s. My eyes no longer show me the way of my feet, and my feet are heavy, and I am tired. It is well.”

He bowed his head in content till the last noise of the complaining snow had died away, and he knew his son was beyond recall. Then his hand crept out in haste to the wood. It alone stood between him and the eternity that yawned in upon him. At last the measure of his life was a handful of fagots.3 One by one they would go to feed the fire, and just so, step by step, death would creep upon him. When the last stick had surrendered up its heat, the frost would begin to gather strength. First his feet would yield, then his hands; and the numbness would travel, slowly, from the extremities to the body. His head would fall forward upon his knees, and he would rest. It was easy. All men must die. c

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b THEME Reread lines 10–27. From whose point of view are we experiencing the events described? What are some of the contrasting ideas running through this character’s mind?

c AUTHOR’S PERSPECTIVEReread the biography on page 768 and consider the experience that forced London to leave Alaska. How might this experience be reflected in lines 48–56? Explain.

Language CoachMultiple-Meaning Words Compass (line 15) is a multiple-meaning word, a word with more than one meaning. Compass can mean “device for determining direction,” but here it means “a limited space.” What activity is the old man listening to?

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revisit the big QUESTIONHow do people face DEATH?Discuss Why does Koskoosh feel in lines 45–47 that death is coming at the right time for him? Possible answer: Koskoosh feels that it is the right time for him to die because his strength is gone. Also, it is hard for him to walk, he can’t see, and he’s tired and ready to give up the struggle of life.


c Model the Skill: author’s perspective

Remind students that London spent time in Alaska and understood the hardships of cold and illness.Possible answer: London’s experience with scurvy must have given him a keen sense of human frailty and an appreciation for the difficulties of surviving in this harsh envi-ronment. That appreciation is reflected in his description of the old man’s losing battle with the deadly environment.


b themePossible answer: Readers see events from the third-person limited point of view of Koskoosh. He is thinking about the contrast-ing ideas of heat and cold (lines 11–12, 24), life and death (lines 15–20, 22–27), strength and weakness (lines 10–12, 16, 23), and youth and old age (lines 10–12, 15–16).IF STUDENTS NEED HELP . . . Review differ-ent points of view and their characteristics.

for struggling readers 2 Targeted Passage [Lines 32–56]

This passage reveals the crucial story concept: death is inevitable and must be met honor-ably for the good of the tribe.• Who comes to talk to Koskoosh? Why?

(line 34)• What does Koskoosh think will happen to

him? (lines 53–56)

for english language learnersLanguage CoachMultiple-Meaning Words Possible answer: He is listening to the people breaking camp and preparing to travel. Explain that many words in Eng-lish have more than one meaning or may serve as more than one part of speech. Tell students to consult a dictionary for the various meanings of the word compass.

Targeted Passage2


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He did not complain. It was the way of life, and it was just. He had been born close to the earth, close to the earth had he lived, and the law thereof was not new to him. It was the law of all flesh. Nature was not kindly to the flesh. She had no concern for that concrete thing called the individual. Her interest lay in the species, the race. This was the deepest abstraction old Koskoosh’s barbaric mind was capable of, but he grasped it firmly. He saw it exemplified in all life. The rise of the sap, the bursting greenness of the willow bud, the fall of the yellow leaf—in this alone was told the whole history. But one task did Nature set the individual. Did he not perform it, he died. Did he perform it, it was all the same, he died. Nature did not care; there were plenty who were obedient, and it was only the obedience in this matter, not the obedient, which lived and lived always. The tribe of Koskoosh was very old. The old men he had known when a boy, had known old men before them. Therefore it was true that the tribe lived, that it stood for the obedience of all its members, way down into the forgotten past, whose very resting-places were unremembered. They did not count; they were episodes. They had passed away like clouds from a summer sky. He also was an episode, and would pass away. Nature did not care. To life she set one task, gave one law. To perpetuate was the task of life, its law was death. A maiden was a good creature to look upon, full-breasted and strong, with spring to her step and light in her eyes. But her task was yet before her. The light in her eyes brightened, her step quickened, she was now bold with the young men, now timid, and she gave them of her own unrest. And ever she grew fairer and yet fairer to look upon, till some hunter, able no longer to withhold himself, took her to his lodge to cook and toil for him and to become the mother of his children. And with the coming of her offspring her looks left her. Her limbs dragged and shuffled, her eyes dimmed and bleared, and only the little children found joy against the withered cheek of the old squaw by the fire. Her task was done. But a little while, on the first pinch of famine or the first long trail, and she would be left, even as he had been left, inthe snow, with a little pile of wood. Such was the law. d

He placed a stick carefully upon the fire and resumed his meditations. It was the same everywhere, with all things. The mosquitoes vanished with the first frost. The little tree-squirrel crawled away to die. When age settled upon the rabbit it became slow and heavy, and could no longer outfoot its enemies. Even the big bald-face grew clumsy and blind and quarrelsome, in the end to be dragged down by a handful of yelping huskies. He remembered how he had abandoned his own father on an upper reach of the Klondike one winter, the winter before the missionary came with his talk-books and his box of medicines. Many a time had Koskoosh smacked his lips over the recollection of that box, though now his mouth refused to moisten. The “painkiller” had been especially good. But the missionary was a bother after all, for he brought no meat into the camp, and he ate heartily, and the hunters grumbled. But he chilled his lungs on the divideby the Mayo,4 and the dogs afterwards nosed the stones away and fought overhis bones.

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4. the Mayo: a small river in the Yukon Territory in northwestern Canada.

d THEMEReread lines 57–85. In one or two sentences, summarize the theme expressed here about the relationship between nature and the individual. What kind of comment on the human condition does this naturalist theme express? Explain your response.

Language CoachRelated Words Exemplified (line 62) means “shown by example.” How can you tell that the words example and exemplified are related? When might you use example, and when might you use exemplify?

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tiered discussion promptsUse these prompts to help students under-stand how Koskoosh and his people view Nature as revealed in lines 57–74:

Connect Have you ever felt that Nature was indifferent to people’s wishes and needs? Explain. Accept all thoughtful responses. Evaluate Have Koskoosh and his people done well according to Nature’s goals? Explain. Possible answer: Yes; the tribe has succeeded in meeting Nature’s goals. It is healthy, with a long history behind it (lines 68–69) and a promising future ahead. Koskoosh himself has a son, now chief, and at least one grandchild. The tribe is a success, even if he dies.

d themePossible answer: Nature does not care about the individual, only about mak-ing sure that the species continues. The naturalist theme states that the individual is valued only in terms of his or her use-fulness. When individuals can no longer contribute or care for themselves, they will be abandoned by the group.

T E X T A N A L Y S I S : Review

for advanced learners/apAnalyze Figures of Speech [small–group option] London personifies Nature in lines 57–74. Have students write a journal entry exploring the effect of this personification on Koskoosh’s understanding of “the law.” To prepare, have student groups discuss this question:• Why does London personify Nature as a

woman rather than as a man?

for english language learnersLanguage CoachRelated Words Example is the noun form and exemplify is the verb. Tell students that example derives from Latin words meaning “to take out.” Point out that in both example and exemplify, the prefix ex- means “out.” Challenge students to think of other words that use the prefix ex-. (exact, exasperate, exchange, exercise)

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Koskoosh placed another stick on the fire and harked back deeper into the past. There was the time of the Great Famine, when the old men crouched empty-bellied to the fire, and let fall from their lips dim traditions of the ancient day when the Yukon ran wide open for three winters, and then lay frozen for three summers. He had lost his mother in that famine. In the summer the salmon run had failed, and the tribe looked forward to the winter and the coming of the caribou. Then the winter came, but with it there were no caribou. Never had the like been known, not even in the lives of the old men. But the caribou did not come, and it was the seventh year, and the rabbits had not replenished, and the dogs were naught but bundles of bones. And through the long darkness the children wailed and died, and the women, and the old men; and not one in ten of the tribe lived to meet the sun when it came back in the spring. That was a famine!

But he had seen times of plenty, too, when the meat spoiled on their hands, and the dogs were fat and worthless with overeating—times when they let the game go unkilled, and the women were fertile, and the lodges were cluttered with sprawling men-children and women-children. Then it was the men became high-stomached, and revived ancient quarrels, and crossed the divides to the south to kill the Pellys, and to the west that they might sit by the dead fires of the Tananas.5

He remembered, when a boy, during a time of plenty, when he saw a moose pulled down by the wolves. Zing-ha lay with him in the snow and watched—Zing-ha, who later became the craftiest of hunters, and who, in the end, fell through an air-hole on the Yukon. They found him, a month afterward, just as he had crawled halfway out and frozen stiff to the ice.

But the moose. Zing-ha and he had gone out that day to play at hunting after the manner of their fathers. On the bed of the creek they struck the fresh track of a moose, and with it the tracks of many wolves. “An old one,” Zing-ha, who was quicker at reading the sign, said—“an old one who cannot keep up with the herd. The wolves have cut him out from his brothers, and they will never leave him.” And it was so. It was their way. By day and by night, never resting, snarling on his heels, snapping at his nose, they would stay by him to the end. How Zing-ha and he felt the blood-lust quicken! The finish would be a sight to see! e

Eager-footed, they took the trail, and even he, Koskoosh, slow of sight and an unversed tracker, could have followed it blind, it was so wide. Hot were they on the heels of the chase, reading the grim tragedy, fresh-written, at every step. Now they came to where the moose had made a stand. Thrice the length of a grown man’s body, in every direction, had the snow been stamped about and uptossed. In the midst were the deep impressions of the splay-hoofed game, and all about, everywhere, were the lighter footmarks of the wolves. Some, while their brothers harried the kill, had lain to one side and rested. The full-stretched impress of their bodies in the snow was as perfect as though made the moment before. One wolf had been caught in a wild lunge of the maddened victim and trampled to death.A few bones, well picked, bore witness.

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5. Pellys . . . Tananas: Pellys probably refers to native peoples who lived near the Pelly River. The Tananas are native people who traditionally lived in areas of Alaska and the Yukon.

replenish (rG-plDnPGsh ) v. to fill up again

e THEMEIn lines 124–131, the third-person-limited point of view reveals Koskoosh’s memory of the old moose and his own reaction at the time. What is ironic about this recollection?

harry (hBrPC ) v. to torment, often by constant attack

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tiered discussion promptsUse these prompts to help students understand the connection Koskoosh makes between plenty and warfare:

Connect Are you more agreeable or more argumentative when things are going your way? Accept all thoughtful responses. Interpret What can readers infer about why the tribe is more warlike when it is well-fed? Possible answer: When the people are hun-gry, they are weaker and must spend their energy on finding food. They can’t bother with war. But when they have food surpluses, they have time to do something other than hunt, fish, and gather. Then “ancient quar-rels” (line 117) come to mind, and they decide to finish the conflict begun by men older than they.

for struggling readersMake Inferences London often implies infor-mation rather than stating it directly. Readers must make inferences to dig out the implied information. Model for students the use of a Making Inferences chart.

BEST PRACTICES TOOLKIT—TransparencyMaking Inferences p. A13

Story Details + What I Know = InferenceThe boys played at hunting in the “manner of their fathers” (lines 124–125).

Young people often play at grown-up jobs such as teaching or firefighting.

Zing-ha and Koskoosh were young men when they fol-lowed the moose.


e themePossible answer: Koskoosh’s memory is iron-ic because at the time, the old man watched the death of the moose with excitement. Now, his situation is similar as he faces his own death.IF STUDENTS NEED HELP . . . Clarify the meaning of ironic in this context.

V O C A B U L A R Y

own the word• replenish: Remind students that

replenish means “to fill up again.” Have students write a sentence using the word correctly. Possible answer: Mom went to the grocery store to replenish our snack supply before the big game.

• harry: Tell students that harry refers to being tormented, “often by constant attack.” Ask students to share reasons why a person might feel harried. Possible answers: stress from work, running late, not enough sleep, too many daily tasks


RL 2RL 9

L 4



the law of life 775

Again, they ceased the uplift of their snowshoes at a second stand. Here the great animal had fought desperately. Twice had he been dragged down, as the snow attested, and twice had he shaken his assailants clear and gained footing once more. He had done his task long since, but none the less was life dear to him. Zing-ha said it was a strange thing, a moose once down to get free again; but this one certainly had. The shaman would see signs and wonders in this when they told him. f

And yet again, they came to where the moose had made to mount the bank and gain the timber. But his foes had laid on from behind, till he reared and fell back upon them, crushing two deep into the snow. It was plain the kill was at hand, for their brothers had left them untouched. Two more stands were hurried past, brief in time-length and very close together. The trail was red now, and the clean stride of the great beast had grown short and slovenly. Then they heard the first sounds of the battle—not the full-throated chorus of the chase, but the short, snappy bark which spoke of close quarters and teeth to flesh. Crawling up the wind, Zing-ha bellied it through the snow, and with him crept he, Koskoosh, who was to be chief of the tribesmen in the years to come. Together they shoved aside the under branches of a young spruce and peered forth. It was the end they saw.

The picture, like all of youth’s impressions, was still strong with him, and his dim eyes watched the end played out as vividly as in that far-off time. Koskoosh

150

160

attest (E-tDstP) v. to affirm to be true; to be proof of

slovenly (slOvPEn-lC) adj. untidy in personal appearance

f THEMEReread lines 143–149. What is surprising about the moose’s struggle with the wolves? Consider the significance of this conflict.


Analyze VisualsActivity Have students describe how the com-position of the photograph on page 775 partic-ularly defines the wolf as a predator. Possible answer: The focal point of the photograph is the wolf’s open mouth and sharp teeth.

f themePossible answer: The surprising element of the moose’s struggle is that it actually manages to briefly get away from its stron-ger predators (lines 147–148). The moose’s struggle represents the determination of living things to survive.


V O C A B U L A R Y

own the word• attest: Explain to students that attest

means “to be true; to be proof of” and is derived from the Latin, meaning “to be witness.” Synonyms include “testify, con-firm, corroborate, indicate.” Ask students to explain why the author used attest in the sentence, “Twice had he been dragged down, as the snow attested. . .” Possible answer: Footprints, drag marks, and blood in the snow attest to, or “are proof of,” the wolves’ attack.

• slovenly: Tell students that slovenly can mean either “untidy in personal appear-ance,” or “marked by negligence.” Have students write a sentence for each of the definitions. Possible answers: Rick’s mother said that his slovenly outfit was not appropriate for work. Troy says he can’t be bothered to change the slovenly appear-ance of his bedroom.

for english language learnersComprehension: Text Structure Koskoosh’s reflections ramble and often jump among subjects or to contrasting views. Model how to locate and navigate these jumps, using transition phrases such as these:• “But he had seen times” (line 113)• “But the moose” (line 124)• “but this one” (lines 147–148)• “And yet again” (line 150)

for struggling readersDevelop Reading Fluency Use Koskoosh’s memory of the moose’s struggle to escape the wolves as an opportunity for students to practice reading narratives. Remind students that a narrative tells events in the order that they happened. Have students meet with partners to do a paired oral reading of lines 143–162. Students should read aloud the lines together. If one student stumbles, both stu-dents should stop and reread the line silently.

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L 4

RL 2 RL 9



marvelled at this, for in the days which followed, when he was a leader of men and a head of councillors, he had done great deeds and made his name a curse in the mouths of the Pellys, to say naught of the strange white man he had killed, knife to knife, in open fight. g

For long he pondered on the days of his youth, till the fire died down and the frost bit deeper. He replenished it with two sticks this time, and gauged his grip on life by what remained. If Sit-cum-to-ha had only remembered her grandfather, and gathered a larger armful, his hours would have been longer. It would have been easy. But she was ever a careless child, and honored not her ancestors from the time the Beaver, son of the son of Zing-ha, first cast eyes upon her. Well, what mattered it? Had he not done likewise in his own quick youth? For a while he listened to the silence. Perhaps the heart of his son might soften, and he would come back with the dogs to take his old father on with the tribe to where the caribou ran thick and the fat hung heavy upon them.

He strained his ears, his restless brain for the moment stilled. Not a stir, nothing. He alone took breath in the midst of the great silence. It was very lonely. Hark! What was that? A chill passed over his body. The familiar, long-drawn howl broke the void, and it was close at hand. Then on his darkened eyes was projected the vision of the moose—the old bull moose—the torn flanks and bloody sides, the riddled mane, and the great branching horns, down low and tossing to the last. He saw the flashing forms of gray, the gleaming eyes, the lolling tongues, the slavered fangs. And he saw the inexorable circle close in till it became a dark point in the midst of the stamped snow. h

A cold muzzle thrust against his cheek, and at its touch his soul leaped back to the present. His hand shot into the fire and dragged out a burning fagot. Overcome for the nonce6 by his hereditary fear of man, the brute retreated, raising a prolonged call to his brothers; and greedily they answered, till a ring of crouching, jaw-slobbered gray was stretched round about. The old man listened to the drawing in of this circle. He waved his brand wildly, and sniffs turned to snarls; but the panting brutes refused to scatter. Now one wormed his chest forward, dragging his haunches after, now a second, now a third; but never a one drew back. Why should he cling to life? he asked, and dropped the blazing stick into the snow. It sizzled and went out. The circle grunted uneasily, but held its own. Again he saw the last stand of the old bull moose, and Koskoosh dropped his head wearily upon his knees. What did it matter after all? Was it not the law of life? !

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180

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6. for the nonce: for the time being.

inexorable(Gn-DkPsEr-E-bEl) adj. relentless

h THEMEReread lines 177–185. What does the old bull moose represent? Consider the thematic message suggested by this symbol.

g AUTHOR’S PERSPECTIVEReread lines 162–166. What sensibility about human relationships is revealed in the struggle described here? Consider how this sensibility might be rooted in London’s life experiences.

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revisit the big QUESTIONHow do people face DEATH?Discuss After students read lines 179–187, ask the following question: How does Koskoosh’s vision of his death change in these lines? Possible answer: He realizes that it will not be an easy death after all (line 179), but a painful, violent death by “slavered fangs” (line 184).

selection wrap–upREAD WITH A PURPOSE Now that students have read “The Law of Life,” ask them to con-sider the attitudes toward death illustrated by the story. Possible answers: The moose resists death and so does Koskoosh until he realizes that he must respect the law of life.

for struggling readers 3 Targeted Passage [Lines 177–197]

This passage concludes the story with Kosk-oosh’s surprising final moments: He will die by wolf attack, not from cold. • What emotions does Koskoosh feel?

(lines 178–179)• What does Koskoosh do to stop the

wolves? Why does he stop doing it? (lines 187, 197)

for english language learnersRelated Vocabulary Violence is central to the story’s final scene. Teach these interre-lated words and have students group them in a Personal Word List: torn flanks, bloody sides (line 181); gleaming eyes, slavered fangs (lines 183–184); ring of crouching, jaw-slob-bered gray (lines 189–190); panting brutes (line 192).

BEST PRACTICES TOOLKITPersonal Word List p. E2


g author’s perspectivePossible answer: This passage demon-strates a harsh means of settling differences (lines 164–166) and shows that people are accustomed to violence. London’s travels among hard, tough people convey thisimage.


h themePossible answer: The old bull moose stands for the aged chief, cut off from his herd and vulnerable. This symbol suggests a the-matic message that we face death alone.

V O C A B U L A R Y

own the wordinexorable: Explain to students that someone who is inexorable is “relentless and not capable of being persuaded; stub-born or uncompromising.” Ask students to use a thesaurus to develop a list of ant-onyms for inexorable. Possible answers: sympathetic, tender, compassionate, indulgent

Targeted Passage3


RL 3RL 9

RL 2RL 9

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After Reading

Comprehension 1. Recall How does Koskoosh die? 2. Clarify How has he expected to die? 3. Summarize Describe the conditions of life for the tribe.

Text Analysis 4. Interpret Theme Look back at the details about narrative elements you

recorded in your chart as you read. Taken together, what do these details suggest about the fate of Koskoosh and all humans?

5. Analyze Cultural Context Explain how each of the following factors might contribute to the tribe’s attitude about death: • the tribe’s connection “to the earth” (lines 57–67)• what the tribe sees as “the task of life” (lines 73–85)• the Arctic environment (lines 101–123)

6. Analyze Point of View Imagine that this story had been written without any insight into Koskoosh’s thoughts. What information or ideas would be missing? With this in mind, explain whether or not you think the point of view plays a crucial role in expressing the story’s theme. Cite evidence from the story to support your view.

7. Examine Author’s Perspective In your opinion, has London created a credible portrayal of the Native Americans and their values? How do you think this portrayal reflects London’s own life experiences? In developing your answer, give details from the story as well as from the biography on page 768.

8. Compare Expressions of Naturalism Compare and contrast London’s portrayal of nature in this story with Crane’s in “The Open Boat.” Consider in particular the characters’ fates and any differences in tone. Record your answers with evidence from the stories in a Venn diagram. In which version of nature would you prefer to live? Explain.

Text Criticism 9. Critical Interpretation The writer E. L. Doctorow said, “It was Jack London’s

capacity for really living in the world, for taking it on in self-conscious and often reckless acts of courage, that made him our first writer-hero.” Given what you have read in London’s biography and your reading of “The Law of Life,” do you agree with the notion of London as a hero? Explain.

How do people face death?What comment on the human condition does London make through Koskoosh’s last thoughts? Do you think this attitude toward death is ultimately hopeful or hopeless? Explain.

the law of life 777

“The Open Boat”

“The Law of Life”

RL 2 Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text. RL 3 Analyze the impact of the author’s choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story. RL 9 Demonstrate knowledge of nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century works of American literature, including how two or more texts from the same period treat similar themes or topics.

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Practice and ApplyFor preliminary support of post-reading questions, use these copy masters:

RESOURCE MANAGER—Copy MastersReading Check p. 168 Analyze Author’s Perspective p. 163Question Support p. 169Additional selection questions are provided for teachers on page 155.

answers 1. Wolves kill him. 2. He expected to freeze to death. 3. The tribe follows game that can be scarce.Possible answers: 4. common core focus Interpret

Theme The details suggest that death is the inevitable end of human life, and that nature does not wait for or care about indi-viduals.

5. Tribe members are tied “to the earth” because they depend on nature for food and shelter and face death without rain and caribou. They see “the task of life” as having offspring to continue the tribe. The harsh Arctic environment means that death is an ever-present threat.

6. Students may say that point of view is cru-cial to the story’s theme because Koskoosh’s memories are symbolic and move the nar-rative along. Other students may say that the story of an aged man left to die alone is powerful no matter who tells it.

7. common core focus Examine Author’s Perspective Students may say that London has romanticized the tribe and its values. Others may say that the portrayal is realistic. All students should cite London’s hardscrabble experiences.

8. Difference: Crane’s characters achieve brotherhood and stick together while London’s main character is abandoned. Similarity: In both stories, nature is indif-ferent to human suffering.

9. Students may say that London lived hero-ically, seeking adventure from a young age and packing experience into every day.

How do people face DEATH? Possible answers: London is suggesting a realistic if hard fact of life—that we all die, and death is never what we expect. Students may suggest that acceptance of death is a hopeful stance.

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RL 2, RL 3, RL 9


Vocabulary in Context vocabulary practice

Determine the relationship between the first pair of words in each analogy. Then choose the vocabulary word that best completes the second pair.

1. Nurse is to care as pest is to _____. 2. Impressive is to splendid as _____ is to unyielding. 3. Agree is to contradict as _____ is to deplete. 4. Well-groomed is to dandy as _____ is to slob. 5. Refuse is to decline as _____ is to declare.

academic vocabulary in writing

In a few paragraphs, make a case for or against leaving elderly people to die in a society such as the one in this story. You may confine your argument to practical aspects of the practice, or you may choose to focus on the relative value of life that it implies. Use at least one Academic Vocabulary word in your response.

vocabulary strategy: denotation and connotationEvery word has a denotation, or basic dictionary meaning. Some words have additional nuances, or shades of meaning. We call such a subtle distinction of meaning a connotation. For example, the word slovenly means “untidy,” but it has a more strongly negative connotation. When you encounter a new word, analyze its context to draw a conclusion about any connotation it might have.

PRACTICE The connotation of each boldfaced word makes it inappropriate in the context. Write the word from the list provided that would be more suitable in each case. Explain why the word you chose is a better match for the context.

charlatan discriminating ostentatious resolute subservient traditional

1. His picky taste was evident in his beautiful suits and well-chosen ties. 2. That beguiler! She convinced the children that she was their long-lost aunt. 3. I admire inflexible leaders who make hard decisions and then stick with them. 4. Her humble attitude impressed her employers, but behind their backs she

belittled them constantly. 5. The elegant ballroom had more than its share of gold chandeliers, gaudy silk

couches, and overly elaborate draperies. 6. The mayor espouses reactionary values such as hard work and love of family.

• apparent • confine • expose • focus • perceive

word listattest harry inexorable replenish slovenly

Go to thinkcentral.com.KEYWORD: HML11-778

InteractiveVocabulary


L 5b Analyze nuances in the meaning of words with similar denotations. L 6 Acquire and use accurately general academic words and phrases.

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answersVocabulary in Contextvocabulary practice 1. harry 2. inexorable 3. replenish 4. slovenly 5. attest

RESOURCE MANAGER—Copy MasterVocabulary Practice p. 166

academic vocabulary in writingStudents writing should address the prompt and include the Academic Vocabulary terms.

vocabulary strategy: denotation and connotation• Preview the listed words by asking students

if they have positive or negative associations with each.

• Model how to find a synonym that fits the connotation required by sentence context and match this to a list word.

1. discriminating 4. subservient 2. charlatan 5. ostentatious 3. resolute 6. traditional

RESOURCE MANAGER—Copy MasterVocabulary Strategy p. 167

for english language learnersTask Support: Vocabulary Strategy Tell stu-dents that all the listed words except one are adjectives. Review what adjectives are; then have students check each word to determine which is not an adjective (charlatan) and identify its part of speech (noun).

for advanced learners/apVocabulary in Writing Have students write a narrative describing the death of Zing-ha, alluded to in lines 120–123, using the five vocabulary words. Students may choose from what perspective they want to narrate the story.

Keywords direct students to a WordSharp tutorial on thinkcentral.com or to other types of vocabulary practice and review.

Interactive Vocabulary

Assess and ReteachAssessDIAGNOSTIC AND SELECTION TESTS

Selection Test A, B/C pp. 205–206Selection Test B/C pp. 207–208

Interactive Selection Test on thinkcentral.comReteachLevelUp Online Tutorials on thinkcentral.com


L 5b, L 6


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Naturalistic PerspectivesAs illustrated in the short stories by Stephen Crane and Jack London you have just read, the central assumption of naturalism is that human beings have very little control over their own lives, but instead are at the mercy of the natural world and the impersonal force of fate. The following quotations all explore a similarly naturalistic attitude.

“Nature, to be commanded, must be obeyed.”—Sir Francis Bacon

“It clearly matters very little to nature whether man has a mind or not.”

—Eugène Delacroix

“At no time and in no place, will nature ever ask your permission.”

—Fyodor Dostoyevsky

“Man and nature have such different views about the good of the world.”

—George Gissing

“In nature there are neither rewards nor punishments—there are consequences.”

—R. G. Ingersoll

Writing to EvaluateChoose the quotation on this page that you think best represents a key theme of “The Open Boat” or “The Law of Life.” Write an essay defending your choice, using details from the story as support.Consider• the main message of each story• the subtle and sometimes not-so-subtle differences between

the quotations • which details from the story support your choice of quotation

Wrap-Up: The Rise of Naturalism

Extension OnlineINQUIRY & RESEARCH A tornado demolishes a house yet skips its neighbor; a marathon runner dies of a heart attack; a woman loses her retirement fund after working loyally for a company for 25 years. Every day it seems there is another story in the newspaper about the randomness of nature or the inability of humans to control their own lives. Search three online newspapers for stories that seem to support the naturalistic viewpoint. Print out one story to share with your classmates.

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W 4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. W 8 Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative digital sources. W 9a (RL 2) Determine themes or central ideas of a text and analyze their development.

NA_L11PE-u04s62-wraup.indd 779 12/15/10 4:54:49 PMdifferentiated instructionfor struggling writersWriting Support Urge students to write about “The Law of Life” because it is the shorter of the two stories. Success in analyz-ing a shorter piece will build confidence for future analysis of longer pieces. To make the tasks more manageable, encourage students to discuss main story ideas with a partner and skim for supporting details one page at a time.

for english language learnersReview Theme Remind students that the main message of a story is its theme. Then discuss these questions with them: • What is the theme of the chosen story?• What events, dialogue, or setting details

from the story support this theme?• How does the theme statement connect

to the chosen quote?

W 4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. W 8 Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative digital sources. W 9a (RL 2) Determine themes or central ideas of a text and analyze their development.

Wrap-Up: The Rise of NaturalismThis wrap-up provides students with an opportunity to reconsider naturalism after having seen its tenets explored in stories. Encourage students to think carefully about the idea that humans lack control of their destinies, and remind them to use their own insights about human decision-making as they read the quotes.

Writing to EvaluateReview with students that evaluating means making a judgment about something. Analy-sis often precedes evaluation because readers must understand thoroughly in order to evalu-ate effectively.To help students write their essays, break down the process into these steps: 1. Choose a story and determine its main

message. 2. Decide which quote best represents the

story’s main message. 3. Skim the story for details that support the

quotation’s ideas. 4. Outline and draft the essay.

Extension Online• As students are researching online, suggest

that they visit sites maintained by their local newspaper and by other well-known, reliable newspapers.

• Encourage students to complete a Story Map for the article they select in order to identify key story points for discussion.

BEST PRACTICES TOOLKIT—TransparencyStory Map p. D14

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Documents

The Rise of Naturalism Focus and Motivate The Law of Life