The End of the Story Flashcards
by Jack London — tap or click to flip
Flashcard Review
Flashcards: The End of the Story
What game are the men playing when the story opens, and what are the stakes?
They are playing whist, and the losing pair must dig a fishing hole through seven feet of ice and snow on the Yukon.
How does Dr. Linday fix the Swede's swollen finger?
He strikes the swollen finger sharply at right angles with the edge of his hand, curing the weeping sinew instantly and without warning.
Why does Tom Daw come to the cabin seeking a doctor?
A man named Rocky has been mauled by a panther (cougar) and needs urgent medical attention at a camp about a hundred miles away on the Little Peco.
What argument does Tom Daw use to convince Linday to make the journey?
He insists that Rocky will simply refuse to die until the doctor arrives, and that Rocky's wife is helping him cling to life through sheer willpower.
What disaster befalls Linday and Daw in the canyon during the Chinook thaw?
The river ice breaks apart under the dog team, drowning four of the five dogs and destroying the sled. They must abandon it and climb the canyon walls on foot.
What shocking discovery does Linday make when he arrives at the cabin to treat Rocky?
The injured man, Rex Strang, is the lover of Linday's estranged wife Madge, who left Linday for Strang.
What bargain does Linday strike with Madge before agreeing to save Strang's life?
Madge must leave Strang after he recovers and return to Linday as his wife, essentially giving up the man she loves.
How does Linday ultimately release Madge from their bargain at the story's end?
He finishes the elixir parable with a happy ending -- the woman's beauty was restored -- and tells Madge she is beautiful, letting her stay with Strang. He paddles away alone.
Who is Dr. Grant Linday, and why is he in the Klondike?
He is a renowned surgeon who fled to the Klondike to escape the relentless demands of his lucrative practice and the pain of his wife leaving him.
What kind of man is Rex Strang, based on Tom Daw's stories?
He is fearless, physically extraordinary, and recklessly brave -- a wealthy outdoorsman who hunts for sport rather than gold, with an almost superhuman will to live.
How does Madge demonstrate strength of character throughout the story?
She refuses hysteria, argues logically with Linday, agrees to sacrifice her own happiness to save Strang's life, and maintains composure under extreme emotional pressure.
What role does Tom Daw play beyond being a messenger?
He serves as a loyal companion and narrator of Rocky's character, carries the heavier pack without complaint, and his unwavering faith in Rocky's survival pressures Linday into acting.
What is Harry Strang's relationship to Rex, and how does he react to Linday's methods?
Harry is Rex's brother and fellow daredevil. He clashes with Linday over the aggressive surgical approach but defers to Madge's judgment and ultimately cooperates.
How does the story explore the conflict between professional duty and personal resentment?
Linday initially refuses to treat the man who stole his wife, but his surgical pride and Madge's willingness to sacrifice ultimately compel him to perform his greatest medical feat.
What does the embedded elixir parable reveal about the theme of sacrificial love?
It parallels Madge's situation: a woman must sacrifice her own happiness (give up her beloved) to restore what her beloved values most, proving that true love means letting go.
How does Linday's final act of releasing Madge redefine his character arc?
It transforms him from a bitter, vengeful ex-husband into a man capable of selfless generosity, showing that forgiveness and grace can triumph over jealousy.
What does the Yukon wilderness symbolize in the story?
It represents both a place of escape from civilized entanglements and a crucible that strips characters to their essential natures, forcing honesty and courage.
How does Jack London use the story-within-a-story (the elixir tale) as a literary device?
He uses it to foreshadow the ending: Linday tells only the tragic version at first, then reveals the happy ending at the climax, mirroring his own change of heart.
What is ironic about Linday's reason for being in the Klondike?
He fled civilization to escape his medical practice, yet the wilderness brings him the most demanding and personally painful case of his career.
How does London use the Chinook wind as both a plot device and a symbol?
Practically, it breaks the ice and creates the river disaster. Symbolically, it represents the sudden thaw of frozen situations -- the warmth that disrupts the cold, controlled world Linday has built.
What narrative technique does London use to reveal Strang's character before he appears?
Indirect characterization through Tom Daw's anecdotes -- the bear fight, the panther stick game, and the riffle swim -- so the reader knows Strang intimately before ever meeting him.
What does the word "necrosis" mean in the context of Strang's injury?
The death and decay of bone tissue in Strang's right arm, which Linday repairs using a bone graft from a live rabbit.
What is a Chinook, as referenced in the story?
A warm wind that blows from the Pacific, capable of rapidly raising temperatures and melting snow and ice -- in the story it raises temperatures from fifty below to above zero in hours.
What does "irrefragable" mean when Madge calls love a "divine and irrefragable fact"?
Impossible to deny or refute -- Madge is saying love is an undeniable, unquestionable force that cannot be explained away.
What is the significance of Madge kissing Linday's hand and calling it "Dear, strong hand" in the final scene?
It acknowledges both the surgeon's skill that saved Strang and the personal strength it took for Linday to let her go -- a gesture of gratitude and recognition of his sacrifice.
What does Linday mean when he says "Coals of fire, you know" after releasing Madge?
He references the biblical proverb about heaping coals of fire on an enemy's head through kindness, deflecting the emotional weight of his sacrifice with characteristic cynicism.
What does Tom Daw's line "He's made out of platinum, an' armour plate, an' pure gold, an' all strong things" convey about Strang?
It establishes Strang as almost superhumanly tough and valuable -- a man whose physical and mental resilience borders on the mythic, which proves essential to surviving his injuries.