The Call of the Wild · Character

John Thornton

A gold prospector who pulls Buck from a brutal master and becomes the one man the dog would refuse the wild for.

major

Also known as Thornton

First appearance: The Toil of Trace and Trail

As a major figure in The Call of the Wild, John Thornton is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Buck's final and most beloved master; his death spurs Buck's final break from civilization.

In the storyThe Call of the WildOpen this moment free

See John Thornton in The Call of the Wild Book page

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Thornton enters Buck's life as a rescuer, a man who lives close to the earth and thinks simply, and Buck's devotion to him becomes total—he tolerates Thornton's partners only because they belong to Thornton. Their bond is tested by Thornton's reckless whim at the cliff's edge, where Buck obeys a command to jump and nearly dies for it, and by the barroom brawl where Buck mauls a man for striking his master. Thornton alone holds Buck to the fire when the forest calls, making him the measure of everything Buck would lose by answering it.

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The fuller portrait of John Thornton sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.

See John Thornton in The Toil of Trace and Trail

Character Web

17 connections

A slice of how John Thornton sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Friendship
Rivalry
Other

Character groups

Sled team members
Protagonist
John Thornton's partners
Minor and background characters

+12 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Rising action.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point

In this excerpt, the narrative reaches its dramatic climax because Buck’s feat of earning sixteen hundred doll…

Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.

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Relationships

Buck
friendship · positive
Buck forms a deep, loving bond of loyalty and devotion with John Thornton, his final and… How this plays out →
Hal
rivalry · negative
Pete
friendship · positive
Matthewson
rivalry · negative
Buck
friendship · positive
Buck forms a deep, loving bond of loyalty and devotion with John Thornton, his final and… How this plays out →
Hal
rivalry · negative
Matthewson
rivalry · negative
Hal
rivalry · negative
Pete
friendship · positive
Pete
friendship · positive
Matthewson
rivalry · negative

Buck
Buck forms a deep, loving bond of loyalty and devotion with John Thornton, his final and most beloved master.
Hal
Hal and John Thornton clash over the treatment of the dogs, with Thornton condemning Hal's cruelty and incompetence.
Pete
John Thornton and Pete are close friends and partners in gold prospecting, sharing a loyal and easygoing camaraderie.
Matthewson
Matthewson is a boastful gambler who bets against John Thornton in a sled-pulling contest, creating a competitive rivalry.
Buck
Buck forms a deep, loving bond of loyalty and devotion with John Thornton, his final and most beloved master.
Hal
Hal and John Thornton clash over the treatment of the dogs, with Thornton condemning Hal's cruelty and incompetence.
Matthewson
Matthewson is a boastful gambler who bets against John Thornton in a sled-pulling contest, creating a competitive rivalry.
Hal
Hal and John Thornton clash over the treatment of the dogs, with Thornton condemning Hal's cruelty and incompetence.
Pete
John Thornton and Pete are close friends and partners in gold prospecting, sharing a loyal and easygoing camaraderie.
Pete
John Thornton and Pete are close friends and partners in gold prospecting, sharing a loyal and easygoing camaraderie.
Matthewson
Matthewson is a boastful gambler who bets against John Thornton in a sled-pulling contest, creating a competitive rivalry.

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See John Thornton in The Toil of Trace and Trail

In the story

John Thornton appears across 4 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

The Call of the Wild
Buck's final and most beloved master; his death spurs Buck's final break from civilization.
The Toil of Trace and Trail
Rescues Buck from Hal's abuse and cares for him.
For the Love of a Man
Nurses Buck back to health, becomes the object of Buck's adoration, commands Buck's absolute loyalty.
VII: The Sounding of the Call
Thornton is the object of Buck's deep affection; Buck returns to him after his first encounter with the wild wolf, but eventually leaves him for the pack.

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for John Thornton unlock in the free preview.

See John Thornton in The Toil of Trace and Trail

See John Thornton in The Call of the Wild