The Pack

The pack is everything to Wander, symbolizing family, home, safety, companionship, and love. The pack hunts together and takes care of each other. The importance of the pack is clear when Wander is running from the fire and he imagines the other members of his childhood pack urging him to keep running, which gives him the strength to survive.

Wagging

Wagging is a symbol of happiness or excitement. Wander has trouble controlling his wagging when he is very young. At one point, Father is amused by Wander's curiosity about skunks and porcupines, and he wags very slightly.

Bowing

Bowing is a symbol of submission. When Wander is leaving his tunnel for the first time, he encounters Growl, a mature wolf whose very voice makes Wander bow without conscious thought. In another scene, Father says that “Anyone who tangles with a porcupine bows to him forever...