A Wolf Called Wander

A Wolf Called Wander is written from the first-person perspective of a young gray wolf. In this novel, author Roseanne Parry creates a unique, distinctive voice for her protagonist, through which the young wolf narrates the first two years of his life, beginning with his birth and continuing through his devastating separation from his pack, his 1,000-mile saga across the northwestern United States, and his eventual establishment of his own pack in partnership with a mate. The actions, behaviors, and characteristics of all the wolves in the novel are consistent with and faithful to contemporary research on canid biology and social patterns; thus, all of Parry’s characters are authentic and act as real wolves might be expected to in similar circumstances.

However, Parry does exercise creative license in her development and portrayal of Wander’s intellectual processes, the complexity and insight with which he conveys his emotional experiences, and in the self-awareness and sophistication with which he evaluates his various relationships. The author’s use of anthropomorphism is readily apparent in the narration, for she frequently assigns human characteristics to the nonhuman characters of her story, often interpreting and portraying common animal behaviors through a distinctly human lens. While Parry uses human language, concepts, and themes to convey a sense of Wander’s inner world and perceptions, she does so in order to craft Wander’s opinions and values according to distinctly lupine traits and behaviors. Thus, despite his temporary isolation from lupine society, Wander remains a quintessential wolf throughout his journey, embodying the ideal image of what a wolf can and should be in the context of the natural world. Despite the inevitable element of anthropomorphization that colors the character of Wander, the young wolf’s philosophical complexity throughout the narrative is not intended to be an exception to typical animal behavior. Instead, Parry uses this aspect as a mechanism to bring the world of wolves to life for her readers and encourage them to see these magnificent creatures as beings with a unique set of values, customs, instincts, and needs. Ultimately, her larger goal is to inspire her readers to view wolves with compassion and empathy.