Free Essays on To Build A Fire

The story of â€Å"To build a Fire† by Jack London is about one mans lack of ability to survive under extremely harsh conditions. I found this story to be unappealing and a very boring read. I felt that Jack London wrote it more like an instruction manual of survival than a story, as he repeatedly attempts to teach the reader survival techniques such as building fires, avoiding dangerous springs, and navigating a creek. This idea is especially prevalent in the latter part of the story, when the main character continuously refers to what the old-timer on Sulphur Creek had told him about travel in the Yukon, especially alone. As his situation proceeds to grow worse, the narrator thinks more and more about survival ideas that he had learned or that the old-timer had told him. The story even goes as far as killing animals and using their fur as warmth in order to thaw out from the frostbite. This idea is also evident with Jack London’s character development or the narrator. He purposely created him simplistic and this enabled Mr. London to talk about survival. This concept holds true all the way to the point that we, the readers, do not even learn the narrators or the dogs name. London also tells the readers that his character â€Å"was without imagination† and â€Å"he was quick and alert in the things of life, but only in the things, and not in the significances.† By not being held down by character development and deep thought by the character, London is able to constantly discuss the what to do and what not to do while in a severe environment. While you can argue this was a story of a naà ¯ve man traveling foolishly through the Yukon, one that attempts to take on nature and loses badly. Yes, this story does involve the aspect of the ignorance of man and their arrogance toward nature and peoples advice. This is portrayed by the narrator through thoughts like, â€Å"any man who was a man could travel alone.† This point is also reaffirme... Free Essays on To build a Fire Free Essays on To build a Fire The story of â€Å"To build a Fire† by Jack London is about one mans lack of ability to survive under extremely harsh conditions. I found this story to be unappealing and a very boring read. I felt that Jack London wrote it more like an instruction manual of survival than a story, as he repeatedly attempts to teach the reader survival techniques such as building fires, avoiding dangerous springs, and navigating a creek. This idea is especially prevalent in the latter part of the story, when the main character continuously refers to what the old-timer on Sulphur Creek had told him about travel in the Yukon, especially alone. As his situation proceeds to grow worse, the narrator thinks more and more about survival ideas that he had learned or that the old-timer had told him. The story even goes as far as killing animals and using their fur as warmth in order to thaw out from the frostbite. This idea is also evident with Jack London’s character development or the narrator. He purposely created him simplistic and this enabled Mr. London to talk about survival. This concept holds true all the way to the point that we, the readers, do not even learn the narrators or the dogs name. London also tells the readers that his character â€Å"was without imagination† and â€Å"he was quick and alert in the things of life, but only in the things, and not in the significances.† By not being held down by character development and deep thought by the character, London is able to constantly discuss the what to do and what not to do while in a severe environment. While you can argue this was a story of a naà ¯ve man traveling foolishly through the Yukon, one that attempts to take on nature and loses badly. Yes, this story does involve the aspect of the ignorance of man and their arrogance toward nature and peoples advice. This is portrayed by the narrator through thoughts like, â€Å"any man who was a man could travel alone.† This point is also reaffirme... Free Essays on To Build A Fire In the story â€Å"To Build a Fire† by Jack London the cold outdoor setting is what determines the outcome of the story. As well as in the story â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† by Charlotte Perkins the setting with the yellow wallpaper determines the outgrowth of the story. Physical setting determines what the story is going to be about in the majority of stories not just these two. If the weather had been normal or if â€Å"the man† had a partner with him in the setting of London’s story, then the outcome would have been completely different and altered the story altogether. Or if there wasn’t yellow wallpaper in the room if maybe it was just in the narrators imagination then the setting would not of been the same, because nobody else would be able to see the wallpaper but the narrator. In London’s story â€Å"the man† shows an act of heroism by trying to not think about the conditions he is encountering. If he gives in to his surroundings (the weather) he is putting his cultural beliefs aside and would not be an act of heroism. Both characters are victims of the settings in their story they are both trapped with know way out. Towards the beginning of London’s story it seems as if â€Å"the man† i s going to defeat the setting and make it through alright! . Also in Gilman’s story the narrator attempts to get away from the setting by asking her husband if they could leave the house. In my eyes that makes them victims of setting and have no way out....