Classic American Short Stories | Reading Pointers for Sharper Insights

Reading Pointers for Sharper Insights

To better appreciate “To Build a Fire,” examine some of the concepts and techniques London employs:

Setting:

The Gold Rush of the late 1890s lured many naïve men to the Yukon; they mistakenly thought they could outsmart the Alaskan wilderness. The vast cold and barrenness, as well as stupidity and ignoring of sound advice, contributes to the desperation of the main character's situation.

Theme:

In man's struggle against nature, nature will usually win. In the story, the unnamed man logically figures each situation out, but some natural phenomenon that he neglects to think about turns against him.

Foreshadowing:

The foreshadowing is not clear and notable. Pay close attention to the number of mistakes the man makes in his trip to the wilderness although he was warned by the Old Miner about going into the area.

Characters:

London anthropomorphically portrays the dog's knowledge and wisdom as a juxtaposition to the foolishness of the man. The beliefs London had about Darwin's evolution theories can be seen in the depiction of the wolf-like dog that carries with him instincts of his past heritage. The man, on the other hand, blunders along with no past to rely on. Note how London develops the idea of the survival of the fittest within the short story.

Writing Techniques:

  • repetition of the word cold for emphasis

  • clarity of detail

  • literary devices – onomatopoeia, simile, metaphor, imagery

Unique Elements in London's Story:

  • London's belief in evolution influences the manner in which he presents the man as the weaker character and the dog (part wolf) as the stronger due to its natural senses.

  • London does not name the man who provides food, but as the dog views him, he is the “food-provider” and the “fire-provider.”

  • The journey into the wilderness gets more and more painful for the man, and for the reader as well. Nature deals harshly with the man, who gradually gives up hope of reaching his destination.

  • London was a Naturalist; therefore, he includes many elements of Naturalism: the portrayal of nature as unconcerned with man's fate; a detached, removed narrative voice; a lack of free will; a brutal struggle to survive; an unidealistic view of life.

  • The dangers of the wilderness are apparent to the reader and the dog but not to the man.

  • The reader is given the clues to understand the man's decisions as he thinks each one through.

  • blundered – fell off balance