Final answer:
In literature, wolves often symbolize the harshness of the wilderness, as they represent the challenges and dangers present in untamed environments. This is reinforced by their real-world ecological role, such as in Yellowstone National Park, where their reintroduction had significant impacts on the ecosystem. The correct option is B.
Step-by-step explanation:
The wolves at the end of the story can symbolize various aspects depending on the narrative context, but commonly they represent the harshness of the wilderness. This is seen in literary works that use the wolves as a means to showcase the struggle for survival in a natural, untamed environment.
For example, wolves in Jack London's stories often play this role, highlighting the dangers the protagonists face in the wild.
The significance of wolves and their symbolic meaning ties directly to how they interact with the environment and other species, such as in the case of Yellowstone National Park where the reintroduction of wolves changed the behavior of other animals and the ecosystem.
It's also important to consider the narrative's focus; if the story compares the characteristics of a human and a wolf-dog, as in the case of London's works, there can be a contrast between the natural instincts of survival versus the human's lack of understanding of the wild. The correct option is B.