this poem manifests in the realist literature we have read thus far in this course because it upholds many of the realist themes. Such realistic themes include determinism and survival‚ which are also portrayed throughout the short stories “To Build a Fire” by Jack London and “The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant. In the poem “A Man Said to the Universe” by Stephen Crane‚ the man declares‚ “Sir‚ I exist!” to which the universe basically responds by saying it does not matter because it is
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produce stories with twisted plots in which their protagonists encounter many obstacles and setbacks by nature‚ and these predicaments often injure or even take the characters’ lives. Of the many works in The Norton Anthology‚ I find the work “To Build A Fire” represents this literature movement best. The author‚ Jack London‚ skillfully engages his readers by reflecting this notion on his characters - the cruel nature‚ an instinctive dog‚ and an ill-fated man - and in which their behaviors are clarifications
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Ice collects. Death is near. In the story “To Build a Fire” by Jack London‚ the man in the story is in quite a predicament. He is freezing to death travelling along the Yukon while trying to get to the boys at the camp. While he tries his best to make it to camp‚ the cold gets the best of him‚ and he dies from the cold. Since he does not survive the trip‚ a question arises. What led him to that fate? There are several mistakes that led to his demise. The three worst mistakes that led to the man’s
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beginning of time‚ man has been intrigued by the power and sheer beauty of nature. From‚ the mountains to the desert or even the cold of Alaska‚ stories of man fighting the dangers of the wild have been recorded. In Jack London’s short story‚ To Build a Fire‚ he tells a tale of an unnamed man and his dog fighting through the barren Alaskan wilderness. The man‚ unexpecting of the power of the cold‚ ignoring the warnings he has received‚ brutes his way through the wilderness to meet up with his companions
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To Build a Fire takes place in the cold and grey‚ no sun‚ colder than fifty degrees below zero‚ Yukon Territory in Canada. Knowing where this story takes place is important to the story because it defines the conflict within the story. “The Yukon lay a mile wide and hidden under three feet of ice. On top of this ice were as many feet of snow. It was all pure white‚ rolling in gentle undulations where the ice jams of the freeze-up had formed (London‚ 1127-128).” The author wants the reader to know
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In the story “To Build a Fire” by Jack London‚ a man of inexperience‚ stubbornness‚ and lack of imagination embarks on the less traveled route of the Yukon trail without a companion or any means of survival resources at his disposal. In fact‚ the only necessity that was given an ounce of thought was the man’s lunch for that very evening‚ sticking close to his bare chest so the food would not freeze. The man‚ however‚ decided that his husky’s company would be enough of an aide as he makes his way
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horrible things in their lives. According to the short story‚ “To Build a Fire”‚ it says “That man from Sulphur Creek had spoken the truth when telling how cold it sometimes got in the country. And he laughed at him at the time!” In other words‚ the main character in this story had lots of confidence throughout this story and faces a serious situation that leads him to lose his life. A man from a place where he is from‚ told him once how serious the cold was in the country‚ but the guy laughed and didn’t
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The nineteenth century paved the way for American to practice different faith. Social Darwinism founded by the British naturalist Charles Darwin. His theory was the world operates in the survival of the fittest and humans are powerless in the presences of authorities. Darwin debated that all creatures struggled to survive with a competition. They adapt and survive to the environment Many Americans believed to have accepted his Darwin’s theory of evolution‚ however refused his natural selection
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Social Darwinism Introduction Social Darwinism is a quasi-philosophical‚ quasi-religious‚ quasi-sociological view that came from the mind of Herbert Spencer‚ an English philosopher in the 19th century. It did not achieve wide acceptance in England or Europe‚ but flourished in this country‚ as is true of many ideologies‚ religions‚ and philosophies. A good summary of Social Darwinism is by Johnson: In these years‚ when Darwin’s Origin of Species‚ popularized by Herbert Spencer as "the survival
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can lead to the worst outcome of all‚ death. When put in a situation that forces one to concede defeat and realize that nature is an environment in which the occupants are solely reliant‚ a feeling of confidence can switch to dubiousness. In To Build a Fire‚ author Jack London strengthens the effect of nature on a man when he develops traits of egotism and ascendancy. The Yukon‚ a territory in northwest Canada‚ is a wild and mountainous region that is sparsely populated. Though it doesn’t embrace
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