AKS 21: “To Build a Fire” Constructed Response
Directions: Write an eight-sentence constructed response for one of the following prompts. You do not have to answer both prompts. Choose one!
NOTE: This is not a group activity. Submitting the same response as another student is plagiarism…
Explain how the central conflict in Jack London short story “To Build a Fire” contributes to the story’s overall theme.
The central conflict in Jack London's short story "To Build a Fire" is man versus nature. The main character, who is traveling alone in the harsh and freezing Yukon wilderness, underestimates the extreme conditions and attempts to build a fire to save himself from freezing to death. However, he continuously fails in his attempts due to the wetness of the surrounding environment. This conflict contributes to the story's overall theme, which is the insignificance of human beings in the face of nature's power.
Throughout the story, the man is portrayed as overconfident and ignorant of the risks he is taking. He disregards the advice of the older, more experienced men he encounters along his journey, thinking that he knows better. However, as the conflict unfolds, it becomes clear that the man's arrogance has dire consequences. Each failed attempt to build a fire highlights his vulnerability and the immense power of the frigid wilderness.
By placing the man in a life-or-death situation against the unforgiving elements, London reinforces the theme that humans are insignificant in the face of nature's power. No matter how strong-willed or determined the man may be, he cannot conquer the brutal forces of the environment. The icy landscape is depicted as an indifferent and unyielding force, indifferent to the man's struggle for survival.
Furthermore, the conflict serves to highlight the man's isolation and helplessness. He is alone in the wilderness, facing a deadly battle against the cold. The absence of other characters emphasizes the man's solitary state and his complete dependence on his own resources. This stark isolation adds to the overall theme that humans are ultimately powerless in their attempts to dominate nature.
In conclusion, the central conflict of the man versus nature in "To Build a Fire" contributes to the story's theme of the insignificance of human beings in the face of nature's power. London's portrayal of the man's failed attempts to build a fire and survive in the harsh Yukon environment reinforces the idea that humans are at the mercy of the uncontrollable forces of the natural world. The conflict also highlights the man's isolation and helplessness, further emphasizing the theme that humans are ultimately powerless in the face of nature's might.