As Buck watched the other dogs chew their food, his breath warmed his chest as he let out a low growl aimed at Spitz. The wily Spitz had taken Buck's food and outsmarted him. Buck soon learned that living in this condition would require new knowledge and a mind ready to think. Even though other dogs are almost as wild as he is, Buck possesses the quality of intelligence. In Jack London's The Call of the Wild, his intelligence allows him to become the only member of his pack to survive thanks to his cunning and hasty actions, his ability to evaluate consequences and his flexibility in adapting to the new environment . ability to make quick but intelligent decisions with little or no time to think about it. Buck must draw these conclusions in circumstances such as when he saves Thornton from being carried into the river. «Buck had intervened instantly; and at the end of three hundred yards, amidst a mad whirlwind of water, passed Thornton” (Page 65). As soon as Thornton falls into the rapids, Buck jumps up without thinking twice about whether to risk his life or not. As Buck went to rescue Thornton from the river, he put his own life at risk to save Thornton. He also used this quality in the final fight against Spitz. During the fight, Buck has to think quickly about what to do, such as jumping away or attacking. Buck has the advantage of quick but cunning thinking, which helps him fight and stay out of danger. The quality that allows him to make decisions in life-or-death situations helps him survive in the midst of a cold and wild nature. When faced with difficult decisions, Buck has the ability to weigh the consequences of each side of an issue. Buck is faced with tough choices he never has... middle of paper... in his backpack. These qualities combined make him a strong dog capable of becoming the sole survivor of his pack. Buck's intelligence allows him to become the only member of his pack to become strong and intelligent enough to survive. He has a gut feeling that there is danger right in front of him and realizes that his pack isn't strong enough to handle it. He rebels against Hal, refusing to get up even when he was dying from the beatings. As soon as he was out of danger, he did not help the other dogs free themselves from the ropes, but sat silently watching them. He knows they were too scared or too weak to rebel against Hal and his club and did as they were told, even though they knew it would put them in danger. Buck's incredible intelligence allows him to rebel and not face the fate that the rest of his pack faced that cold winter day on the frozen lake..