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   leagye Teacher
   High School - 9th Grade

   eNotes Editor

   There is an obvious external conflict in the story, To Build a Fire. which is man vs. nature. The "Newcomer" as he is referred to is battling the harsh temperatures for the entire story and trying to stay alive by building a fire. He struggles with wet feet, matches, snow, even the dog, in his attempts to combat the cold. An internal conflict would be his underestimation of his own ability to stay alive in such extreme weather: he ignored advice of the Old Timer who warned him that the temperature was too cold. Additionally, he had never traveled this route before, so he in essence was in conflict with himself (not recognizing his limitations).

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   Posted by leagye on Sunday March 9, 2008 at 10:00 PM