FREDONIA, N.Y. -- Daniel A. Reed Library concluded the celebration of Jack London’s “Call of the Wild” by announcing the winners of the The Big Read “Come into the Wild” contest.
Interested individuals were invited to submit an original, unpublished narrative or artwork from Jan. 7 to Feb. 13 in one of the following categories:
You’ve Got a Friend (Grades K-3): In “The Call of the Wild,” the dogs proceed with caution when making friends with one another, often feeling defensive and on edge about their relationships. However, Buck does eventually become friendly with the other dogs. Entrants were to draw a picture of their best friend and provide a description of why the person or pet is important to them. How did they inspire them?
Winners included: First place – Morgan Loveless of Fredonia; Second place – Eliza Anderson of Sinclairville; and Third place – Jeffery Sayers of Fredonia.
A Hero’s Perseverance (Grades 4-9): Only by sheer determination is Buck able to live through the harshness of the wilderness and the sled dog lifestyle. In “The Call of the Wild,” determination is on a basic level about survival and on a second level about dominance. Buck is determined to survive, but also to be leader, to complete certain tasks, kill certain creatures, and prove himself to have certain qualities. Entrants were to create an original story about an animal with a great problem to solve. The goal was to focus on idea development as the writer takes their animal's problem from start to finish. The entrant also needed to pay attention to word choice because, like London, they wanted to paint a picture in the reader’s mind.
Winners included: First place – Kristin Kelemen of Bemus Point and Second place – Timothy Davis of Fredonia.
Communing with Nature (Adults): Nature in “The Call of the Wild” is a force to be reckoned with. In the frozen terrain of northern Canada, Buck experiences starvation, exhaustion, and, of course, bitter cold. But the natural world isn’t purely antagonistic; it also stimulates the dogs, shapes them, and molds them into stronger, more powerful beings. The wild is an antagonist and a guide at the same time. Entrants were to write a poem or narrative essay about their place in the natural world.
Winners included: First place – Richard Westlund of Collins; Second place – Frances Price of Dunkirk; and Third place – Janey Wagner of Fredonia.
For more information about the Big Read visit: www.fredonia.edu/library or go to Facebook www.facebook.com/BigReadSUNYFredonia to view the winning contest entries.
The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) designed to restore reading to the center of American culture. The NEA presents The Big Read in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in cooperation with Arts Midwest.
