To Build a Fire

In "To Build a Fire," the exposition occurs in the first three paragraphs, describing the setting, weather, and the man's lack of imagination and experience. The falling action happens in the final...

In "To Build a Fire," the protagonist's disregard for the old-timer's advice highlights his overconfidence and lack of respect for nature's dangers. Despite warnings about traveling alone in extreme...

Jack London builds suspense in "To Build A Fire" through the story's setting, isolation, and the protagonist's inexperience. The frigid, dark Yukon wilderness heightens the reader's awareness of...

The first paragraph reveals the man's disregard for common sense and overconfidence. He chooses a less-traveled path instead of a safer, well-known trail, indicating a desire to prove himself against...

In the short story "To Build a Fire," the dog serves two main purposes. First of all, dogs were important and ever-present in the Yukon Territory in that era, and so it provides realistic background....

In "To Build a Fire," the man receives warnings about the extreme cold from several signals. He notices that his spittle freezes before hitting the ground, indicating temperatures below fifty degrees...

The protagonist in "To Build a Fire" faces cultural differences between his familiar American environment and the harsh realities of the Yukon wilderness. He underestimates the extreme cold, failing...