The character of Kiche, the she-wolf in White Fang from LitCharts

White Fang

Jack London

White Fang's mother. Half wolf, half dog, Kiche is also the red she-wolf, who lures members of Bill and Henry's sled dog team into the forest. Raised by Indians, Kiche escapes to the wild, where she mates with One Eye and gives birth to White Fang. A fierce fighter and hunter, she teaches White Fang how to survive in the Northland.

Kiche, the she-wolf Quotes in White Fang

The White Fang quotes below are all either spoken by Kiche, the she-wolf or refer to Kiche, the she-wolf. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

). Note: all page numbers and citation info for the quotes below refer to the Dover Publications edition of White Fang published in 1991.

[The she-wolf] looked at [Bill and Henry] in a strangely wistful way, after the manner of a dog; but in its wistfulness there was none of the dog affection.

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Page Number and Citation: 12

Explanation and Analysis:

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In [the she-wolf's] instinct, which was the experience of all the mothers of wolves, there lurked a memory of fathers that had eaten their newborn progeny. It manifested itself as a fear strong within her, that made her prevent One Eye from more closely inspecting the cubs he had fathered.

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Page Number and Citation: 31

Explanation and Analysis:

There was something calling to him [White Fang] out there in the open. His mother heard it, too. But she heard also that other and louder call, the call of the fire and of man—the call which it has been given alone of all animals to the wolf to answer.

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Page Number and Citation: 62

Explanation and Analysis:

Kiche, the she-wolf Character Timeline in White Fang

The timeline below shows where the character Kiche, the she-wolf appears in White Fang. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Domestic Yearnings v. Natural Instinct Theme Icon

...towards something in the darkness. In the firelight the men see a "doglike animal," a she-wolf. Henry realizes that she is the cause of Fatty and Frog's disappearance. (full context)

From the she-wolf's doglike behavior, Bill and Henry conclude that she has not only run with the wolves,... (full context)

That evening, the she-wolf comes to the campsite. Bill and Henry observe the dog's peculiar gait, its wistful, yet... (full context)

...to unharness the dogs from the sled. One Ear breaks into a run towards the she-wolf, who greets him with a coy and playful smile, Yet One Ear retreats from the... (full context)

...to keep the hungry wolves at bay. He doses off, but awakens to see the she-wolf before him. Fearing for his life, he becomes acutely aware of the lifeblood running within... (full context)

The next night is like the one before. Henry doses off, the she-wolf awakens him, but this time, he drives a searing hot brand into her mouth, burning... (full context)

We learn that it is the she-wolf who led the pack onto Bill and Henry's trail and it is she who saves... (full context)

...pack's leaders, and a gaunt, old wolf, One Eye, run on either side of the she-wolf, jostling for her affections, but the ongoing famine prevents them from fighting to mate with... (full context)

One Eye, the young leader, and an ambitious three-year-old remain to fight for the she-wolf's affections. One Eye and the young leader team up to eliminate the three-year-old from the... (full context)

One Eye and the she-wolf romp through the forest, until they reach an Indian campsite. Its sights and smells incite... (full context)

The she-wolf and One Eye linger about the camp, until a gunshot scares them off. The she-wolf... (full context)

...his mate has given birth to a litter of pups. He approaches them, but the she-wolf, fearing that One Eye will eat her pups, snarls at him. One Eye obeys the... (full context)

The she-wolf rebukes the gray cub for crawling towards the light. From her sharp nudges and swift... (full context)

Famine strikes the she-wolf's lair. One Eye desperately hunts for meat, but all the cubs, save the gray cub,... (full context)

One Eye no longer returns to the cave, so the she-wolf ventures out of the cave to investigate. She finds his remains on the trail, as... (full context)

...a yellow mother weasel. It attacks him at the throat, nearly killing him, but the she-wolf rescues the cub in the nick of time and kills the weasel. (full context)

The famine is broken when the she-wolf brings home a lynx kitten for the cub to eat. But this meat does not... (full context)

...ki-yi, or yelp. The Indians laugh at his wailing, but the cub's cry summons the she-wolf to his aid. (full context)

The she-wolf defensively stands over her pup, but wilts into submission at the sound of her name,... (full context)

Gray Beaver takes White Fang and Kiche to the Indian camp, where White Fang meets Lip-lip, a fierce fighting puppy, who snarls... (full context)

One day White Fang and Kiche stray to the edge of the forest, where they hear the wild's call. But the... (full context)

Gray Beaver sells Kiche off to another Indian to pay off a debt. In terror at losing his mother,... (full context)

Later in the summer, White Fang encounters his mother, Kiche, tending to a new litter of pups. Not recognizing her son, she attacks him. White... (full context)

...kills small animals and even a grown wolf with ease. In the forest, he encounters Kiche again, but only one of her pups remains alive. (full context)

Gray Beaver

Symbols

White Fang

Jack London

Kiche, the she-wolf Character Analysis

Kiche, the she-wolf Quotes in White Fang

Kiche, the she-wolf Character Timeline in White Fang