Who Beauty Smith is
Beauty Smith is a small, cowardly man at Fort Yukon during the gold rush. His pleasant name contrasts with his cruelty toward White Fang, whom he sees as a source of money.
What Beauty Smith wants
Beauty Smith wants to own White Fang because the dog's fighting ability promises a profit. When Gray Beaver refuses to sell him, Smith supplies whiskey until the hunter becomes willing to trade.
Once he has White Fang, Smith chains, starves and beats him to deepen his anger. He puts the dog into fights for the entertainment of a crowd that bets on violence.
Beauty Smith and the others in the story
White Fang responds to Beauty Smith with hatred, and Smith answers that hatred with more punishment. Their relationship shows how human cruelty strengthens the fierceness that others already fear in the dog.
Gray Beaver treats White Fang with hard fairness, but Beauty Smith uses him for profit. Through this contrast, London presents White Fang's violence as something shaped by treatment, rather than proof that he is a villain.
Questions
Who is Beauty Smith in White Fang?
Beauty Smith is a man at Fort Yukon who buys White Fang and forces him into dogfights.
Why does Beauty Smith want White Fang?
He wants to earn money from White Fang's ability to win fights.
Is Beauty Smith cruel to White Fang?
Yes, he torments White Fang with beatings, hunger and confinement. His treatment makes the dog more bitter and dangerous.