White Fang Study guide

II. Short Answer

1. Why was the gray pup confused about the white wall?

He saw that his father could disappear into the white wall. Since he was not allowed to go near

the white wall, he tried his father's trick on the other walls but only managed to get a sore nose.

The white wall remained a mystery to him.

2. How did White Fang differentiate man from beast?

Man didn't fight with fangs and claws; rather, he used "dead" things like clubs and guns.

3. What was the "crime of crimes"?

Biting a man was absolutely forbidden.

4. What fighting technique did White Fang successfully use?

He learned to use the element of surprise.

5. Why did White Fang become afraid in the wild?

He had spent so much time in the care of men that he had forgotten what to do in the wild; life

with men was much easier.

6. Why was White Fang afraid of hands?

Hands controlled whips and clubs to hurt dogs.

7. How did White Fang escape punishment for killing the white men's dogs?

He would pick a fight with a dog, overthrow it, and let the rest of the pack come in to finish it

off. White Fang would then run away, leaving the pack to take the punishment for killing the

dog.

8. For what did Beauty Smith use White Fang?

He used him as a fighting dog. He tormented White Fang to keep him in a constant rage so

people who would come to see him fight would get their money's worth.

9. Why didn't Matt kill White Fang?

Every time he put the rifle to his shoulder, White Fang would growl and bristle. When he put

the rifle down, White Fang would respond by becoming calmer. Matt and Weedon Scott

realized that White Fang was too smart to kill.

10. What was so important about White Fang's snuggling?

He was saying, "You have my total confidence." This, from a dog who had formerly been

vicious.

11. Where was Weedon Scott going, and why did he decide to take White Fang?

He was going to California. He decided to take White Fang with him because he knew that

White Fang would starve himself to death if he could not go with his master. The final decision

came when White Fang jumped through glass to be with his master.

12. Why did White Fang kill the dogs at the crossroads?

The dogs at the crossroads always taunted White Fang who would never fight back because his

master had told him not to fight. One day the owners of the dogs sicced them onto White Fang,

whose owner gave him permission to fight. So, White Fang fought them and killed them.