What is a common narrative technique that enhances character development through contrasting lifestyles?

Juxtaposition is a narrative technique that involves placing two or more elements side by side to highlight their differences or contrasts. In the context of character development in "The Call of the Wild," juxtaposition serves to emphasize the varying lifestyles and experiences of characters, particularly the domesticated Buck against the wild environment and the savage life he increasingly embraces.

This contrast between Buck's initial life in a comfortable home and his subsequent experiences in the harsh wilderness enriches the reader's understanding of his transformation. By illustrating the stark differences between these two lifestyles, it becomes clear how Buck adapts, learns, and ultimately evolves into a creature suited for survival in the wild. This technique illuminates the fundamental themes of the novel, such as the struggle for survival, the pull of instinct versus civilization, and the concept of the "call of the wild."

The other techniques—flashback, foreshadowing, and symbolism—play different roles in storytelling, but they do not specifically focus on contrasting lifestyles or experiences to develop character. Flashbacks provide background information, foreshadowing hints at future events, and symbolism conveys deeper meanings through objects or concepts, but it is juxtaposition that distinctly enhances character development by highlighting contrasts in lifestyle and experience.