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Course Hero Literature Instructor Russell Jaffe provides an in-depth analysis of Jack London's short story "To Build a Fire."
Download the free study guide for "To Build a Fire" here: www.coursehero.com/lit/To-Bui...
Jack London's short story "To Build a Fire" evinces a brutally naturalistic view of the world.
As the main character trudges back toward his encampment along the Yukon River during the period of the late 19th century Gold Rush, he must face punishingly cold temperatures.
His only companion is a dog, whose dispassionate attitude toward his struggles serves as a counterpoint to his own ill-preparedness.
While the dog, a husky, is well suited to the frigid climate, the man is clearly unaccustomed to such hostile environs.
He repeatedly errs, stepping through the ice into springs bubbling below and unsuccessfully attempting to warm himself by building a fire. This horrifying scene culminates in the fire being extinguished even after the man holds the matches to the kindling through excruciating pain and the scent of his own flesh burning.
Until the very end, the man continues to believe his situation is only as bad as possibly losing some body parts to frostbite. It is not until he nears death that he finally allows himself to acknowledge the reality of his situation.
In the end neither nature nor the dog care about whether the man lives or dies. The man's overconfidence in his own power leads to his demise.
Prolific American writer Jack London’s short story "To Build a Fire" was first published in 1908. Through vivid descriptions of the northern winter and his protagonist's efforts to persevere, London illustrates the vanity of man in assuming he can overcome nature.
The short story "To Build a Fire" contains many important themes, including instinct, as the man is far removed from his survival instincts because neither he nor his recent ancestors have had any need for them; pride, as the man's actions and his downfall pivot around his arrogance and overconfidence; and man versus nature, as nature's ability to wipe out humanity is demonstrated and humans' place in the natural world is seen as hardly different from that of any other animal. Important symbols include fire, the Old-Timer on Sulphur Creek, and the dog.
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