Response to 4 and 5

In some cases, yes we do need connections with other people or creatures. For buck thought he was alone in this expedition. He had no idea what lied ahead for him. He needed to comfort himself, by changing his status. In order for him do so, he needed to compare himself to the dogs in the group. He noticed he was not as fierce as some of the other dogs like Spitz. He notices that he is somewhat softer than the other’s. For in his case, he grew up as a house dog. So like the other dogs, they want to impress their master. So they don’t want to be like the others, so they try to make themselves look better than the other dogs. In the beginning Buck did the same when his father was also a house dog for the family. He wanted to be a little different than him but he didn’t compare so much thou. Now that he has been forced to participate in this league of hounds, he must try to look better than the others in this team of dogs. This is how comparison is important.