arduous trek in life. In fact‚ many people try to avoid difficulties in life. But in Jack London’s‚ To Build a Fire‚ the main character has to trek through the Yukon and and hopefully survive. In order to better display his journey‚ London uses indirect characterization and external conflict to show that when man has a lack of respect and experience in the environment he may encounter near-death situations. London creates a situation that an experienced outdoorsman would know to avoid. As the man
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nature in unique ways that are displayed through actions and words. Jack London‚ author of “To Build a Fire”‚ and Henry David Thoreau‚ author of Walden‚ both value nature and view it in a unique way that is translated to their works of literature. These two authors apply a unique perspective of how nature can apply to everyday life. The aspects of interacting with nature and human emotions analyzed and examined in the works of Jack London and Henry David Thoreau. Nature can be a dreaded enemy and can
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interpret everything we approach each day differently than the next. In “To Build A Fire” we observe as Jack London describes the constant conflict of man versus nature. In the beginning of the story we open into mid-day and “forty-eight below”‚ a young man with high expectations and a unreliable sense of self mortality. We see this man as an ambitious soul trying to make his journey to a life of fulfillment. “To Build A Fire” mainly focuses on man versus nature‚ however the conflict itself seems
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1) Jack London was born John Griffith Chaney and later he took his step-father’s last name. 2) Jack London’s extensive work experiences included: being a laborer‚ factory worker‚ an oyster pirate‚ sailor‚ railroad hobo‚ journalist and gold prospector in the Klondike. 3) Jack London’s most famous works are The Call of the Wild‚ White Fang‚ and Sea Wolf. 4) At age 10 Jack London sold newspapers on the street to help with his family’s income. 5) London would write new words he learned on pieces
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“Bad things happen. And the human brain is especially adept at making sure that we keep track of these events. This is an adaptive mechanism important for survival.” This quote by David Perlmutter‚ describes how the protagonist in “To Build a Fire” by Jack London did not follow three principles that would have saved his life. The three principles that the protagonist could have utilized from the story‚ “Deep Survival‚” by Laurence Gonzales‚ in his situation that he encountered were: stay calm‚ think
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that fancies himself in control of his destiny. From the naturalistic viewpoint‚ life appoints nature as the final arbiter of the fate of all organisms‚ from the miniscule amoeba to the gargantuan whale to the overconfident human. Jack London’s short story‚ "To Build a Fire"‚ highlights the naturalistic belief that the human attempt at controlling destiny is ultimately futile‚ as human behavior is largely reigned in by their heredity and environment. The short story details the unsuccessful journey
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Jack London’s “To Build a Fire” is a story about knowing your surroundings‚ and listening to your instincts‚ just as the dog in this story did. London’s human character‚ who is nameless in the story‚ is more like a foil; with the main character being the harsh landscape of the Yukon‚ where the story takes place amid -75 below temperatures. The man shows how arrogant and inexperienced he is when he travels to the Yukon Territory without proper clothing‚ the use of a sled‚ or companions. He has no
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Intellectual Reasoning vs. Instinct It has been said from Plato onward that man’s reasoning is his highest faculty and makes him superior to animals. In the short story "To Build a Fire‚" by Jack London‚ man’s intellectual reasoning ability is regarded as “second class” to that of the survival mechanism that is embedded within humans and animals alike. This survival mechanism is sometimes referred to as instinct. If solely depended on‚ man’s intellectual reasoning may be clouded‚ imprudent and
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Jack London : Biography "You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club" (BrainyQuote). This is one of Jack London’s more well known quotes. Jack London was born as John Griffith Chaney on January 12‚ 1876‚ in San Francisco("Jack London"). His mother was Flora Wellman and his father was suspected to be astrologer William H. Chaney‚ who denied his paternity and abandoned London’s mother(Wilson). London was suckled‚ or nursed‚ by an ex-slave named Virginia Prentiss‚ who
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In “War” by Jack London‚ the setting taking place in a war and the steamy temperature is significant to the text because it develops the tone in the story which is concerned. First‚ the setting taking place in a war develops the tone because it is very hot where the war is taking place‚ the heat is almost unbearable. The narrator is constantly battling the heat in the story. Jack London writes‚ “The ban of his cavalryman’s hat was fresh stained with sweat. The roan horse under him was likewise wet
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