Quote 58
Since the beginning of the winter they had traveled eighteen hundred miles, dragging sleds the whole weary distance; and eighteen hundred miles will tell upon life of the toughest. Buck stood it, keeping his mates up to their work and maintaining discipline, though he, too, was very tired. (4.27)
Buck’s good leadership is dependent upon his own determination and is his ability to withstand hardship.
Quote 59
All the stiffness and gloss had gone out of his beautiful furry coat. The hair hung down, limp and draggled, or matted with dried blood where Hal's club had bruised him. His muscles had wasted away to knotty strings, and the flesh pads had disappeared, so that each rib and every bone in his frame were outlined cleanly through the loose hide that was wrinkled in folds of emptiness. It was heartbreaking, only Buck's heart was unbreakable. The man in the red sweater had proved that. (5.47)
Although he breaks down physically, Buck’s determination is a mental victory over the challenges he faces.
Quote 60
Buck made no effort. He lay quietly where he had fallen. The lash bit into him again and again, but he neither whined nor struggled. (5.57)
Buck’s decision not to move might represent his noble determination to withstand pain before breaking.
Thought 2: When Buck fails to move upon being beaten, it might signal a failure on his part, as he gives in to the weakness of his body.