Fire, one of the most useful of the classical elements, is a sign of life and
of death. The short story “To Build a Fire” by Jack London is a survival story
that follows an unnamed man on his way to a mining claim in the Yukon
Territory of Canada; however, the man allows his pride to cloud his judgment,
succumbs to the elements, and never reaches his destination. The story,
published in 1908, is considered a classic by scholars around the world.
Throughout the story, London emphasizes the critical situation the man is in
with his use of plot details, thematic elements, and external conflict.
The story “To Build a Fire” follows a man trekking through one of the
coldest areas in North America to a mining claim. Throughout the story, the
man experiences the harshness of the subzero temperatures. He soon learns
that every decision he makes, such as getting his feet wet in the negative
seventy degree cold, could have a fatal consequence in his life or death
situation. He continually refers back to an old-timer’s advice of having a
trail-mate and begins to regret not taking the advice. After getting severe
frostbite, the man, who is terribly injured, freezes to death while his cautious
dog hovers in the background.
One of the major themes of “To Build a Fire” is how carelessness and
ignorance affect survival. If the man had listened to the old-timer from
Sulphur Creek, his chances of survival, especially in such an extreme situation,
would have drastically increased. According to the narrator, “If he had only
had a trail-mate he would have been in no danger now. The trail-mate could
have built the fire,” shows how the man’s mistake resulted in his untimely
death.
The entire storyline of “To Build a Fire” revolves around the conflict of
man vs nature. Throughout the story, the man faces the challenging and even
oppressive forces of nature bestowed upon him. It shows how he knows how
dangerous the temperatures are in the quote “...this second time there must be
no failure. Even if he succeeded, he would most likely lose some toes. His feet
must be badly frozen by now, and there would be some time before the second
fire was ready,” the consequences of his wet feet were caused by the harsh
climate of the Yukon.
Anyone interested in camping, hiking, or backpacking should read “To
Build a Fire” because of its strong plot, theme, and conflict can be a lesson on
how unpredictable and dangerous the forces of nature are and how to always
pay attention and be weather aware. The man in the story taught me to be
safety conscious in situations where I could be in immediate danger, especially
in nature. Everyone who reads the story should take its central message to
heart: if a person is not careful, someone might take advantage of him or her,
just as nature took advantage of the man.