Questions and Answers
What two senses were mentioned in relation to Old Koskoosh and in what condition were they?
Sight had faded, but hearing remained acute.
Who was Sit-cum-tú-ha and what was she in the process of doing?
She was Old Koskoosh's granddaughter, and she was trying to harness the dogs in the sled.
To what was Old Koskoosh close?
Death.
What did the old man reach for to give him some reassurance?
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How was the chief and Old Koskoosh related?
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Whose was the last lodge to get dismantled and packed away?
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Who else remained briefly as the tribe took up the trail?
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What 'alone stood between him and eternity'?
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What phases would occur after the stick burned off?
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How was this method of life viewed?
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How did nature feel about the individual?
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What eventually came to all?
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What word did Jack London use to describe how individual members of the generations were regarded?
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Why did Jack London use the measurement of a woman's aging to describe the process?
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Where had Old Koskoosh abandoned his own father to die?
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Who came the year after Koskoosh's father died and with what?
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What problems did the missionary cause?
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How long did the great famine last that Koskoosh recalled?
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What family member died during the famine?
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What marked these tragic times?
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How were times of plenty different compared to the famine years?
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What two tribes conflicted with Koskoosh's tribe and in what directions were they?
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With whom did Koskoosh go out hunting as a young man and what event did they witness?
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How did Koskoosh's friend die?
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Study Notes
Old Koskoosh's Senses
- Old Koskoosh's sight had diminished, but his hearing remained sharp and acute.
Sit-cum-tú-ha's Action
- Sit-cum-tú-ha, Old Koskoosh's granddaughter, was attempting to harness dogs for a sled while cursing at them.
Death's Presence
- Old Koskoosh was nearing death, reflecting a close encounter with mortality.
Symbol of Reassurance
- The old man reached for a small pile of dry wood as a source of comfort and reassurance.
Family Connection
- Old Koskoosh is the father of the chief, establishing a direct familial lineage within the tribe.
Shaman's Lodge
- The last lodge to be dismantled and packed away belonged to the shaman, indicating its significance in tribal life.
Chief's Brief Presence
- The chief, Old Koskoosh's son, briefly remained with the tribe as they commenced their journey on the trail.
Barrier to Eternity
- A small pile of wood represented the only barrier between Old Koskoosh and eternity.
Process of Freezing
- After the stick burned out, Old Koskoosh would experience numbness starting in his feet and hands, eventually leading to complete freezing and death.
Attitude Towards Life and Death
- Old Koskoosh and his people viewed life as intertwined with nature, feeling a closeness to the earth from birth to death.
Nature's Indifference
- Nature showed no concern for individual lives, only focusing on the survival of the species, race, or tribe.
Inevitability of Death
- No matter one's diligence in life, the outcome remained the same: death awaited all.
View of Individual Lives
- Jack London described tribal members' lives as mere episodes, often forgotten within a few generations.
Women's Roles in the Tribe
- Women had defined roles that evolved from youth beauty to dedicated motherhood, ultimately leading to decline as they aged, all bound to the eventual law of life—death.
Abandonment of Koskoosh's Father
- Old Koskoosh abandoned his own father to die on an upper stretch of the Klondike River during winter.
Arrival of the Missionary
- A missionary arrived a year after Koskoosh’s father's death, bringing painkillers but no meat for sustenance.
Difficulties Caused by the Missionary
- The missionary created issues by consuming the tribe's meat without contributing any in return.
Duration of Famine
- Koskoosh recalled that a great famine lasted seven years, impacting the tribe severely.
Loss During Famine
- During the famine, Koskoosh's mother passed away, highlighting the toll of scarcity on families.
Characteristics of Tragic Times
- Marked by no salmon runs, failure of caribou migration, and the tribe's children, women, and elderly succumbing to starvation.
Times of Abundance
- Plentiful years led to excess meat, fat and useless dogs, and more children, contrasting sharply with famine years.
Intertribal Conflict
- Conflicts arose with neighboring tribes, the Pellys to the south and the Tananas to the west.
Young Hunting Experience
- As a young man, Koskoosh hunted with Zing-ha, encountering a pack of wolves attacking an old moose.
Friend's Death
- Koskoosh's friend died after falling through an air-hole on the Yukon River, likely succumbing to hypothermia.
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Test your knowledge of Jack London's 'The Law of Life' with these flashcards. Each card focuses on key characters and themes from the story, allowing you to reinforce your understanding of the text. Perfect for literature students or fans of classic American literature.