White Fang Character Sketch

Character Sketch of Beauty Smith

Beauty Smith’s name is deceiving, for there is nothing beautiful about the dishonest and despicable
man. Beauty Smith is a malformed monstrosity of a man, hideous and ugly both inside and out.
Beauty Smith is White Fang's second master.  He tricks Gray Beaver into selling him White Fang in
exchange for whiskey.

If Scott's the high point of human civilization, then Beauty's the low point. Beauty Smith is a cruel,
violent master. He keeps White Fang chained in a pen, and then beats and torments him to make
him meaner.  He capitalizes on White Fang’s sensitivity to laughter and mockery and teases him
derisively. He inflicts torment and pain on White Fang as a way of padding his own pocket. He turns
White Fang into the "Fighting Wolf". White Fang considers him to be a "mad god" and develops an
intense hatred for his master.

Although Beauty Smith is a thoroughly disagreeable character, the narrator insists that, like White
Fang, Beauty Smith, too, is a product of his environment.

Character Sketch of Weedon Scott

Weedon Scott represent humanity’s compassion, kindness and love. A wealthy gold miner who
rescues White Fang from Beauty Smith hideous dogfighting ring and nurses the wolf back to health,
earning his respect and trust in the process.

If London wants to show us civilization at its best and worst, then Scott is absolutely the best.  He's
brave, he doesn't compromise when it comes to right and wrong.  He represents the good in life and is
able to transform the wolf into a civilized animal. White Fang accepts Scott as his “god” and become
attached to him for his kindness and gentleness.

He is a gentle man who, by patient tenderness, allows White Fang to feel and respond to love-and, in
turn, to love back. Weedon Scott gives White Fang the only pure experience of love the animal
knows. For this reason he is called "the love-master" in the novel.