Name ___________________________________
American Studies, ____
Date _______________
“To Build a Fire” by Jack London, 19 pts total
Literal Level Questions, 1 pt. each
1. What does the dog have that the man does not?
2. Why was it difficult for the man to eat?
3. What huge mistake does the man make when building his fire?
4. What was the man's last attempt to survive?
5. How is the man's death described?
Inference Questions- Answer these after you finish reading the story, 2 pts each
1. Why do you think the protagonist is referred to as “the man” instead of being given a name?
2. How are the man and the dog the same? How are they different?
3. How does the man’s opinion of the “the old-timer at Sulphur Creek” change from the
beginning to the end of the story?
4. When he falls in the river, the man curses his bad luck. Do you think his problem is due
more to bad luck or more to bad decisions and carelessness?
5. What happens to the man’s fire and why?
6. Why does the man try to catch the dog?
7. What about this story is typical of realism and naturalism?
“To Build A Fire” Vocabulary
1. significance, 417
15. thresh, 420
2. frailty, 418
16. ancestry, 420
3. immotality, 418
17. intimacy, 422
4. protrude, 418
18. apprehension, 422
5. instinct, 418
19. imperative, 422
6. vague, 418
20. folly, 423
7. appendage, 418
21. capsize, 423
8. discouragement, 419
22. methodical, 423
9. monotonous, 419
23. yearning, 424
10. reiterate, 419
24. apathetic, 425
11. shied (verb, past tense of shy), 419
25. oppressive, 426
12. spring (noun), 419
26. poignant, 426
13. moccasins, 420
27. endurance, 427
14. numbness, 420
28. anesthetic, 428
“To Build a Fire” Vocabulary
1. significance, 417
15. thresh, 420
2. frailty, 418
16. ancestry, 420
3. immotality, 418
17. intimacy, 422
4. protrude, 418
18. apprehension, 422
5. instinct, 418
19. imperative, 422
6. vague, 418
20. folly, 423
7. appendage, 418
21. capsize, 423
8. discouragement, 419
22. methodical, 423
9. monotonous, 419
23. yearning, 424
10. reiterate, 419
24. apathetic, 425
11. shied (verb, past tense of shy), 419
25. oppressive, 426
12. spring (noun), 419
26. poignant, 426
13. moccasins, 420
27. endurance, 427
14. numbness, 420
28. anesthetic, 42