The she-wolf in the novel helps focus attention on one of the novel's important themes — the question of human nature. At least one reason that the wolf fascinates Billy Parham is its wildness. Though the wolf is occasionally mistaken for a dog, Billy recognizes that the wild wolf is worlds apart from domesticated dogs. As Billy examines his own connections to the animal kingdom, he may be wondering if the nature of humanity is primarily wild or domestic. When he forsakes the comfort of home life for the trail to Mexico, tethered to a symbol of predatory power, he seems to answer his own call of the wild.
McCarthy also returns once again to an initiation theme in The Crossing. At different points in the novel both Billy and Boyd by their actions declare.....
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