# John Thornton — The Call of the Wild character guide

> John Thornton in The Call of the Wild by Jack London.

**Role:** major

**Also known as:** Thornton

**First appearance:** 0006-v-the-toil-of-trace-and-trail

## Snapshot

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

## Who they are

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.

## Relationships

### [Buck](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_call_of_the_wild_se/characters/buck)

_friendship_

Buck forms a deep, loving bond of loyalty and devotion with John Thornton, his final and most beloved master.

### [Hal](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_call_of_the_wild_se/characters/hal)

_rivalry_

Hal and John Thornton clash over the treatment of the dogs, with Thornton condemning Hal's cruelty and incompetence.

### [Pete](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_call_of_the_wild_se/characters/pete)

_friendship_

John Thornton and Pete are close friends and partners in gold prospecting, sharing a loyal and easygoing camaraderie.

### [Matthewson](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_call_of_the_wild_se/characters/matthewson)

_rivalry_

Matthewson is a boastful gambler who bets against John Thornton in a sled-pulling contest, creating a competitive rivalry.

### [Buck](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_call_of_the_wild_se/characters/buck)

_friendship_

Buck forms a deep, loving bond of loyalty and devotion with John Thornton, his final and most beloved master.

### [Hal](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_call_of_the_wild_se/characters/hal)

_rivalry_

Hal and John Thornton clash over the treatment of the dogs, with Thornton condemning Hal's cruelty and incompetence.

### [Matthewson](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_call_of_the_wild_se/characters/matthewson)

_rivalry_

Matthewson is a boastful gambler who bets against John Thornton in a sled-pulling contest, creating a competitive rivalry.

### [Hal](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_call_of_the_wild_se/characters/hal)

_rivalry_

Hal and John Thornton clash over the treatment of the dogs, with Thornton condemning Hal's cruelty and incompetence.

### [Pete](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_call_of_the_wild_se/characters/pete)

_friendship_

John Thornton and Pete are close friends and partners in gold prospecting, sharing a loyal and easygoing camaraderie.

### [Pete](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_call_of_the_wild_se/characters/pete)

_friendship_

John Thornton and Pete are close friends and partners in gold prospecting, sharing a loyal and easygoing camaraderie.

### [Matthewson](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_call_of_the_wild_se/characters/matthewson)

_rivalry_

Matthewson is a boastful gambler who bets against John Thornton in a sled-pulling contest, creating a competitive rivalry.

## In the story

### [The Call of the Wild](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_call_of_the_wild_se/chapters/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](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_call_of_the_wild_se/chapters/v-the-toil-of-trace-and-trail)

Rescues Buck from Hal's abuse and cares for him.

### [For the Love of a Man](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_call_of_the_wild_se/chapters/vi-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](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_call_of_the_wild_se/chapters/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.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_call_of_the_wild_se/characters/john_thornton
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_call_of_the_wild_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_call_of_the_wild_se/characters