In Jack London’s “To Build a Fire” there many examples of how nature beats man. For one thing nature tore man down with the weather, it was cold below zero and not many men can survive for such a long period of time in below freezing weather. The dog was also another example of how nature beat man because of the dog’s naturally instinct to live and he was able to prevent frost bite by getting the ice off of his foot by gnawing on it. Nature is equipped with certain things that man is not in order for nature to survive. The man in the story also lacked common sense which was another minus for him. He would rather build a fire under the tree with snow on it than to find an open area and build a fire from there. I would say that is was the man’s own fault for dying because common sense should have told you to not go out in below freezing weather and try to hike a trail. Sometimes common sense will help man out but instead he did not use the better judgment and stay out of the cold but if it was absolutely necessary to go out into the cold he should have came equipped with things that might have helped him out on the way. In the story man looked clueless.
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I like how Ms.Mack compared this story to a nature vs. man thing. I also agree that he should have used more common sense. It was obviously too cold to be out there alone. Huskies are dogs that are made to live in very cold weather and the man should have paid more attention to him. He was trying to tell the man that it was way too cold and that they should not go, but he did not listen. If the man would have traveled more safely and went prepared than he would have survived. I do like London's realism in this story showing the reader what the real life outcome of this situation would be.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with Ms. Mack. She made a very good point by comparing nature with man. The man was not very smart. He was not prepared and he did not listen to the advice that was given to him. An old man told him he should always travel with someone else because sometimes you can get into situations that can only be solved with the help of a another person. Also building a fire under a tree that is covered in snow was not a very intelligent decision. The snow melted and caused the fire to go out making him wet as well. He was not prepared for anything. This person obviously did not have a clue on how to survive in below freezing weather.
ReplyDeleteI as well liked the way Mack Maine compared man against nature. another good point was common sense because if its too cold for Huskies, its definitely to cold for a man to walk through the wilderness. Throughtout the story, the dog was trying to show the man that it is way to cold and they shoulden't continue on the journey but the man doesn't listen. I believe that if the man would planned out his journey and used common sense they would have arrived at camp safely.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Mack's take on the lacking of common sense the main character has in the story. He also doesn't have enough domain knowledge of the enviroment or of the weather conditions the enviroment has which led to his fate. This is a true realism story at it's best that if you do not know what to expect the odds are against you. Not only is his understanding of the harsh weather and terrain is limited but yes he doesn't have much common sense. The character seems like he is trying to compenstate for this by completing this task but that is just my opinion. In the end the point the reader should take from this is you should know as much as you can about something befor you take it head on or suffer the consequences.
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