Final answer:
In 'The Call of the Wild', Hal and Charles contrast with John Thornton, as they embody mankind's negative traits while Thornton represents positive human characteristics. This contrast underlines the naturalistic theme of the struggle between humanity and the indifferent power of nature.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Jack London's The Call of the Wild, the characters Hal and Charles starkly contrast with other characters such as John Thornton. The latter represents the positive human traits of kindness, respect, and love for nature, while Hal and Charles demonstrate the brutality, naivety, and ignorance of mankind towards animals and nature. This depiction aligns with the naturalistic themes in literature, where the raw and often harsh reality of human and animal existence is emphasized, and where characters are frequently overpowered by their instincts or environmental forces.
The naturalistic elements of the story explore the concept that human traits such as justice, liberty, innate goodness, and morality could be mere illusions in the face of the overwhelming power of nature. Life is depicted as a struggle for survival, one where characters often cannot exert free will and are victims of their own hereditary traits and circumstances. In such narratives, the environment, whether that be the frigid Alaskan wilderness or the slums of a city, is shown to be indifferent or even hostile to the human plight.