Animal cognition and selective interiority in Jack London’s White Fang

Abstract

This thesis examines how Jack London constructs animal cognition and interiority in White Fang (1906), focusing on the uneven distribution of psychological depth among animal characters. The literature review outlines literary naturalism, analyses animal representation in London’s fiction, and introduces theoretical approaches to narrative perspective. The analytical section investigates White Fang’s cognitive and emotional development through perception, learning and interaction, contrasting this with the limited interiority of other animals. The study argues that interiority is selectively constructed, positioning White Fang as a cognitively privileged figure and shaping reader empathy within a naturalist framework. Keywords: animal cognition, interiority, narrative perspective, literary naturalism