To Build A Fire Man Vs Nature

The protagonist in Jack London’s “To Build a Fire”, lacks his strength and ability to accomplish the mission, while the companion, the dog exhibits the instinct and wisdom that the man failed to display. A story begins with gloomy tone and setting because how London described the weather as, “Day had broken cold and gray, exceedingly cold and gray” (London, 124) London assured the readers that how cold it is throughout the story by using words, such as no sun, no hint of sun, gloom, gray, dark, and cold, etc.. Then London described the man as “a newcomer in the land, a chechaquo” (London, 124) and the tremendous cold weather made no worries or impression on the man. London gave a hint to the readers that some troubles are going to happen in the story by saying, “The trouble with him was that he was without imagination.” (London, 124) By London’s statement, the readers can already tell that this man lacks his strength and ability and will fail to accomplish his mission. The story is based on the theme of man versus nature. Even though it was man’s first winter in the land, he had some good advices and sources about the cold weather from the old timer from Sulphur
London described, “The animal was depressed by the tremendous cold. It knew that it was no time for traveling. Its instinct told it a truer tale than was told to the man by the man’s judgment.” (London, 125) In this story, the dog knew better than the man by its survival instinct, and it contrasts with the man who only trusted his intellect. The dog and the old-timer represent the survival resources that have been available over years and years to all life-instinct and appropriate protection on the one hand and racial knowledge on the other hand. (Donald,