To Build a Fire Group

Question:

lilzzy
lilzzy
Student
High School - 11th Grade

What is the significance of the title, "To Build a Fire"?

Could you please explain the significance of the title.

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Posted by lilzzy on Saturday April 19, 2008 at 1:18 PM and tagged with significance, title, to build a fire.

Answers:

  1. pmiranda2857
    pmiranda2857 Teacher
    High School - 10th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    The significance of the title is simple.  The book is about a man who embarks on a journey into the frozen wilderness.  He is advised to not make this trip and ventures to go anyway, seemingly unprepared.  The simple act of building a fire would keep the man warm and alive. 

    The title symbolizes the simplicity of survival that the character is unable to achieve.  Since the man cannot maintain a fire to keep himself alive, the author uses this title to represent the conflict in the book, man vs. nature.  The man is revealed to be foolish and stubborn having brought very little in the way of supplies into the frozen wilderness.  

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    Posted by pmiranda2857 on Saturday April 19, 2008 at 1:33 PM