illustration fo a man in winter clothes lying on the snow under a tree with a dog standing near him

To Build a Fire

by Jack London

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Topics for Discussion

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1. How does London depict the cold in the story? What motivates someone to live in such frigid conditions? How do residents of Canada, Alaska, Siberia, and other Arctic-adjacent regions manage the severe cold?

2. The man in the narrative feels superior because he is human. Are humans generally superior to other animals? Why or why not? Are there instances where humans are inferior to other animals?

3. In the story, the man mistreats the dog by whipping and yelling at it. What other forms of abuse are evident in everyday life? What measures can be taken to prevent abuse?

4. What would life be like without imagination? Some believe that people lose "the sense of wonder" as they mature, meaning they lose the ability to be amazed by the natural world. Why is this problematic?

5. How similar are dogs to wolves? In what ways do they differ? Is it advisable to keep a wolf as a pet? What about other wild animals as pets?

6. Pride is one of the man's significant flaws in the story. What are you proud of? When can pride become excessive and lead to problems, as it did for the man in the story?

7. What do you know about the Arctic? What types of animals and plants thrive there? How does a glacier function? Where exactly is the North Pole? How do people survive in such extreme cold?

8. How did humans develop fire? Why is fire so crucial? What other inventions did the mastery of fire enable humans to discover? How do you think travelers in the past built fires without matches? (Hint: You might want to research the Bronze Age Ice Man discovered in the Alps and how he carried fire during his travels.)

9. How would the story change if the man perished in a jungle? What dangers are present in jungles? Would the man have been as ill-prepared in a hot climate?

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