Character Review of The King of Mazy May

The King of Mazy May, written by Jack London, talks about a 14-year-old boy named Walt Master who was raised in the Yukon frozen wilderness. Although Walt had no real education, he had a lot of life experiences and survival skills. Since the Klondike Gold rush began, Mr. Master staked a claim and recorded in Dawson, so they had nothing to worry about. But others, when stampeders came, they jumped on other’s claims and took over them. When Walt’s father went north to find quartz, Walt promised his father to look over the neighbor Loren Hall’s claim, which wasn’t registered yet, while Loren Hall was going to town to file his claim. Sadly, Loren was having trouble getting there since he was old and he had no dogs. Along the way, he had frozen his feet and it took him time to recover before he could resume his journey again. Soon, a group of professional stampeders tried to steal Loren’s Claim, planning to go to Dawson to record this claim for themselves. Walt was hiding and spying on them and he realized that his claim was in serious danger of being jumped. Walt acted quickly and took 10 dogs with him from the steers, and using a dog sled, went to Dawson to tell. On the way there, he encountered the stampeders, and they chased after him, shooting revolvers and guns at him. One dog was killed, but Walt still made it to the town. Now, because of his courageous actions, the claims were saved and people call him “The King of Mazy May”. The characteristics of Walt Master could be analyzed from three perspectives: Loyalty, Bravery, and Resourcefulness. 

Loyalty provides a sense of faithfulness or devotion to someone or something, showing one’s support, standing by, or being committed to a person or a group. When people are loyal, people will remain with a person and not betray their ideals or other people. They are reliable and will stand up for people if they have to. They will always get things done without a doubt. Walt was very loyal to Loren, and because of this he was willing to go great lengths to save Loren’s claim. He was always accounted for, and his strong sense of justice and loyalty proved him, since when the stampeders arrived, he stole their dogs and their sleds just to tell Loren. Even though the stampeders had guns, he kept running for Dawson, until he found Loren. Walt was born with a sense of justice and bravery; that his ability to react quickly in a crisis and to keep functioning through a long, difficult night are qualities that may be inborn, but are also brought out in a harsh and demanding environment. His loyalty to Loren is also unparalleled. Walt rides all the way to Dawson to help Loren Hall get his claim. So he was standing up for Loren Hall, even though he was in serious danger. Loyalty is one of the significant characteristics in Walt. Loyalty to people is an admirable quality, which can earn people’s respect and can add to overall likeableness. 

Bravery involves the willingness to face risks so that it does a greater good, such as to protect oneself or others, even when the potential outcome is bad. It also includes facing fears, as being unafraid doesn’t mean that people are brave. Their commitment to values, holds strong, even after peer pressure or injustice. Their empathy and compassion also comes into view, as people need to have the moral bravery to stand up for others. Walt Masters shows bravery by protecting his neighbor’s land, even when it meant risking his own life. “Walt lay in the snow, thinking rapidly. He was only a boy, but in the face of the threatened injustice against old lame Loren Hall he felt that he must do something. He waited and watched, with his mind made up, till he saw the men began to square up new stakes. Then he crawled away till out of hearing, and broke into a run for the camp of the stampeders.”  Walt bravely decides to save Loren’s claim, and despite the stampeders having guns, he is very resourceful and dodges them. It also took bravery to let him stand up to a whole gang of stampeders. He is only fourteen, and yet he made a run for the town to tell Loren. This signifies that even though there are many people pursuing him, he doesn’t give up. Bravery allows us to overcome fears, such as swimming or playing a sport. And, on a moral level, doing what we know to be right, despite the risks, gives us the sense that we are acting on behalf of a larger purpose. On a group level, bravery is inspiring and contagious. It inspires us to be good to others, and lets us also stand up for ourselves. Bravery lets us achieve our goals, adds to our resilience, and can overall boost confidence.

Resourcefulness shows one’s ability to think outside of the box and come up with innovative solutions by using the tools, materials, or options whatever he could access. It involves using creativity, adaptability, and ingenuity to make the most of available resources, often in challenging or limited situations. Walt was very smart, as he could use the terrain to his advantage, such as using the ice jams on the river to make ground for his sled to go across. Whenever he got cold, he ran alongside the sled so that the wind would get blocked. When the lead dog got killed, He replaced it with another dog that was a better lead dog, and thus made use of a dead dog. Resourcefulness refers to the adaptability of people, the quality to use what is at hand and make the most out of them. They are very efficient in making things work, and their problem solvings skills can let them find practical solutions to serious problems. With the quality of being resourceful, individuals are able to navigate uncertainties, make use of opportunities and overcome obstacles with limited resources, which in turn, foster  innovation, creativity, resilience and adaptability. This is exactly what Walt does, and he proves that his resourcefulness aided him in his escape from the gang, who are professional claim jumpers. Resourcefulness lets us navigate life, and not stick to the plan, which can sometimes save us. Resourceful individuals can think critically and strategically to get rid of obstacles effectively. 

A difficult journey might make people feel fear, danger, and risks. How could people overcome a mission in a difficult journey? From reading the story The King of Mazy May, Walt Masters teaches readers three attributes that can drive us to undertake a mission: loyalty, bravery, and resourcefulness. Walt Master is a very brave character who uses the tools around him, and also stays loyal to his vows. He stays loyal to Loren, and even when faced with adversaries such as a professional claim jumper, he still has the bravery to go to Dawson and tell Loren using the sleds that they had. This means that he is very loyal, and will not abandon his loyalty and beliefs because the opponents are very formidable. He is very brave, as he does not give up even when the people are shooting bullets and revolvers after them. Finally, he is very resourceful, as he makes use of the environment to let him successfully escape. This means that he is a great person, and that is why people call him the “King of Mazy May”.