to build a fire
Storyboard Text
- Jack London's main argument in "To Build a Fire" is to recognize the dominance that nature poses on humans and animals alike, who seem miniscule compared to nature, understand human limitation, and demonstrate the unforgiving forces of the wilderness.
- Here, the wilderness is displayed as cold, bitter, and harsh. This supports London's argument of how humans are vulnerable to the constantly changing conditions of nature. Moreover, his beard of icicles symbolizes the physical toll the extreme cold has taken on him.
- The man builds his first fire, which is crucial to his and the dog's survival and is able to pass some time in warmth and comfort.
- By stating "protection of the fire's warmth", "cold had been forced away", and "the dog took comfort”, London conveys how fire represents survival and that it's impossible to live without it (70). The “comfort” and “warmth” it provides present a sharp contrast to the cold weather and the ability to build a fire helps to avoid death. The fire further symbolizes human achievement and skill to combat nature’s harshness and cruelties.
- The man’s lack of care with what the old man had told him regarding the conditions posed in Yukon ultimately leads him to his demise, unable to survive through the power and unknowingness of nature.
- "Be careful"
- "Those old men were rather womanish."
- London writes, “those old men were rather womanish, he thought” (9). He believes he is superior to the old man in that he can survive conditions greater than that of other journeymen, which lead to be false. Through this arrogance, the man leads himself to failure by not listening to the advice of the old man, and simply acknowledging it without the thought of him being even partially correct.
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