Short story to build a fire. What is the moral lesson in the story "To Build a Fire" by Jack London? 2023-01-04

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"To Build a Fire" is a short story by Jack London that tells the tale of a man's struggle to survive in the frigid wilderness of the Yukon during the Klondike Gold Rush of the 1890s. The story begins with the man setting off on a journey through the snowy landscape, accompanied only by his dog. Despite being warned by an old-timer about the extreme cold and the need to take precautions, the man is confident in his ability to handle the harsh conditions.

As he travels deeper into the wilderness, the man becomes increasingly aware of the dangers he faces. The cold is intense, and he must continually stop to build fires in order to keep warm. However, his attempts at building a fire are repeatedly thwarted by the wet and frozen wood, as well as his own mistakes and lack of knowledge about how to start a fire in such extreme conditions.

Despite his best efforts, the man is unable to get a fire going and begins to succumb to the cold. His fingers and toes become numb, and he is unable to feel the warmth of the matches he uses to try and start the fire. Desperate and alone, the man realizes that his chances of survival are slim. In a moment of clarity, he realizes that he has made a grave error in underestimating the power of nature and the need to respect and prepare for its forces.

As the man succumbs to the cold, his dog remains by his side, trying to keep him warm and alive. Despite its loyalty and devotion, the dog is ultimately unable to save the man, and he dies in the snowy wilderness. The story ends with the dog being forced to leave the man's body and continue on its own, searching for food and shelter in the frozen wilderness.

"To Build a Fire" is a powerful tale of survival and the dangers of hubris. It serves as a reminder of the importance of respecting the power of nature and being prepared for its challenges. The man's stubbornness and overconfidence ultimately lead to his demise, highlighting the importance of humility and caution in the face of the unknown.

Short Stories: To Build a Fire by Jack London

short story to build a fire

Such fact impressed him as being cold and uncomfortable, and that was all. Once he slowed down to a walk, but the thought of the freezing extending itself made him run again. Having chosen a spot under a tree for this fire, he pulls twigs from the brush pile around it to feed the flames; the vibrations of this action eventually cause a large amount of snow to tumble down from the branches overhead and extinguish the fire. He caught the whole bunch between the heels of his hands. He wet himself halfway to the knees before he floundered out to the firm crust. He could freeze to death. A good idea, he thought, to sleep off to death.

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What is the moral lesson in the story "To Build a Fire" by Jack London?

short story to build a fire

The man reached for his knife. It was the time to lie snug in a hole in the snow and wait for a curtain of cloud to be drawn across the face of outer space whence this cold came. The dog is surprised that the man sits in the snow and does not make a fire. His pace of four miles an hour had kept his heart pumping blood to the surface of his body and to all the extremities. It knew the weather was too cold to travel. Placing it on the foundation, he fed the young flame with wisps of dry grass and with the tiniest dry twigs.

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To Build a Fire

short story to build a fire

High up in the tree one bough capsized its load of snow. Both the fur of the dog and the facial hair of the man are frosted from their warm breath freezing. He is in the middle of a cold and isolated setting. When he had recovered his breath and control, he sat up and entertained in his mind the conception of meeting death with dignity. He feels he is flying over the surface of the earth because he cannot feel his feet. He would have to cut them with his knife.

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To Build a Fire: Full Story Summary

short story to build a fire

The man's red beard and moustache were likewise frosted, but more solidly, the deposit taking the form of ice and increasing with every warm, moist breath he exhaled. He reflected a while, rubbing his nose and cheeks, then skirted to the left, stepping gingerly and testing the footing for each step. The man knows now that his life is in danger. If only he could get there, then the boys would take care of him. Fifty degrees below zero was to him just precisely fifty degrees below zero. He was feeding it with twigs the size of his finger.


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Biographical Criticism: To Build A Fire By Jack London Analysis And Summary Essay Example (400 Words)

short story to build a fire

There was no way to do it. After some manipulation he managed to get the bunch between the heels of his mittened hands. He picked it up in his teeth and scratched it on his leg. The dog is not a pet but more of a work dog. Nose and cheeks were already freezing, while the skin of all his body chilled as it lost its blood. Without doubt he would lose some fingers and toes and some of his face; but the boys would take care of him, and save the rest of him when he got there.

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The Elements of Naturalism in the Short Story To Build a Fire by Jack London Free Essay Example

short story to build a fire

But he had forgotten that he could not bend his fingers. The man held steadily on. Sometimes there were alternate layers of water and ice-skin, so that when one broke through he kept on breaking through for a while, sometimes wetting himself to the waist. He thought he knows everything he needs to know about the land and how cold it was going to be; he thought his instincts would help him. There was the fire, snapping and crackling and promising life with every dancing flame.

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Short Stories: “To Build a Fire” by Jack London

short story to build a fire

The dog did not want to go. After a while, feeling came back to his fingers. He pictures them on the trail and himself with them. He pulled on his mittens with his teeth, and threshed his arms back and forth, beating his hands with all his might against his sides. He moves quickly and calmly, preparing a new foundation for a fire out in the open.

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To Build A Fire Story: Comprehension Test! Trivia Quiz

short story to build a fire

He tried to keep this thought down, to forget it, to think of something else; he was aware of the panicky feeling that it caused, and he was afraid of the panic. He was quick and alert in the things of life, but only in the things, and not in the significances. He built his fire underneath the trees because it was easier to gather the wood. Freezing was not so bad as people thought. When he pulls sticks free, he dislodges some of the snow.

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To Build a Fire

short story to build a fire

He would have to cut them with his knife. The man is a newcomer to the Yukon and is traveling alone except for his dog. The man is walking at four miles per hour and predicts his arrival at a place to eat lunch at half-past twelve. It is also very interesting to see that the man tried so hard to kill the dog, but the only one to die in the story was the man himself. Which may leave the reader to suggest that survival is the first instinct for an animal or man.


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