Category: Jack London

Symbolizes that the old man knows of his coming mortality and that he knows he is only hanging on for a short while. The survival of the fittest message is well conveyed by the actions of the members of the tribe who abandon the old man. These people have what it takes to survive. They have the strength and the speed to move away from the harsh weather, but the old man does not possess those abilities. As a result, they cannot mortgage their own survival for the sake of an old man who may not even survive even after they reach their destination. Therefore, their reason for abandoning him is that nature has not naturally selected him for survival, and therefore, he has to face his death, however cruel that decision may be. The story teaches that people, as they struggle to survive in their harsh environmental conditions, will not be derailed by those who have lost the ability to survive, and their end of life is imminent.

The third lesson that the story teaches us that no matter how well a person is equipped for life, nature gradually takes everything from them until their end arrives. Everyone has to obey nature and its many laws. The old man was once a strong warrior who could defend the members of his tribe, but all that strength has been gradually taken away by nature, and he cannot defend himself from a pack of wolves (Pizer 117). During his younger days, he was well equipped for life, but in his old age, all the abilities he had have been taken away slowly by nature. It is an inevitable process in life. Therefore, even though life is all about survival for the fittest, those who are fit enough to survive today will slowly lose that strength and power only again to succumb to that law and rule every living thing must acknowledge.

The fire that the protagonist sits beside plays a symbolic role in the story. London uses it to symbolize life. Koskoosh remains alive as long as the fire is the lighting, but he dies once the fire extinguishers. This reflects on the title ‘The law of life,’ where the author teaches that people will consider one important when their torch is shining bright, but the moment it starts dimming, they move to others whose torches are still shinning. That could be the reason why he was abandoned by his son and members of his tribe because they were aware that his light would not shine for long.

Another lesson the author teaches in this story is that the tribe is more important than an individual. Interestingly, his own son is ready to leave his father behind to die. He is not doing this out of selfishness. He is just following the ways of the tribe. The author sends a message that an individual cannot be a burden to the tribe and its ways, and the tribe can continue in their absence. Life has to continue with or without the old man, and his granddaughter plays the symbolic role of the continuity of life. She represents the new generation while the old man represents the old one. For the tribe to survive, it must protect the new generation that is yet to reproduce and can be productive in the future more than the old one, which is already past its best and is more of a burden than an asset to the society. It is a cycle, and everyone who reaches old age will undergo the same treatment. It is natural for society to attach more importance to the young people whom the society sees as assets than the older ones who have outlived their usefulness.

What London is suggesting in this story is that every individual must face death even though everyone has different ways of doing so. The protagonist in the story seems to have taken the easiest approach and accepts the situation in which he finds himself. He knows that his time to die has come, and death is inevitable. The extinguishing of the fire at the end of the story is the author’s way of suggesting that fighting for one’s life is futile. There is nothing much a person can do when their time to die comes. He sends a message that death is not a thing a person can wage a fight against. It is a matter that the protagonist’s tribe understands all too well, and that is why they have left the old man to fend for himself. What matters most is the survival and the legacy of the tribe. An individual’s life is episodic, but the tribe is here to stay. The law of life, according to the author, is that regardless of how victorious someone has been in their entire life. Death will emerge the winner in the long run. The author says, ‘and in the end, death waited, ever-hungry, and the hungriest of them all’ (London 1109) to illustrate what awaits every person at the end of their life.

To conclude, Jack London, one of the best naturalist authors in the United States, has taught important lessons about life and death in his work titled ‘The law of life.’ The story which is about an old man who is left by members of his tribe, including his own relatives to die in the woods since he could not follow them on their journey to escape the severe winter. Teaching the readers about the concept of death, especially how to face it. According to the author, no matter how well a person is equipped for life, nature gradually takes everything from them until their end arrives. Also, survival is for the fittest, and those who do not have those adaptations and capabilities will inevitably face their demise due to their inability to survive, regardless of how victorious someone has been in their entire life death will emerge the winner in the long run.

Introduction to the Man’s Journey

In Jack London’s “To Build a Fire,” the author reveals how a man goes through a harsh winter in the forest. Through this journey, he faces multiple obstacles along the way. The main character has to fall back on his own critical thinking. He is left to depend on what he thinks he should do when problems suddenly arise. Before the unnamed man leaves on his expedition he was warned by an old timer “that no man must travel alone in the Klondike after fifty below” (London 238). Yet, the man neglects such advice.This foreshadows his own downfall and how pride gets in the way of what is truly right. Disregarding the advice of the old timer essentially led to a series of obstacles for the man throughout his journey. The mindset the man had within himself cost him his life in the end. By doing so, London illustrates how pride can drastically alter many situations.. London states, “The trouble with him was that he was without imagination” (London 231- 232). This means that without a creative mind simple obstacles will be challenging to get away from. The man was simply not creative enough to get his way out of the harsh conditions he faced. London wants readers to understand that not only did the man indeed need the fire for warmth, but he needed the fire to actually last.

The Man’s Pride and Disregard for Nature’s Power

Through tone, theme and characters, in “To Build a Fire”, Jack London reveals the man’s struggle against nature and his battle against within himself to face obstacles. In addition, the theme that follows is that nature has no mercy for humans whatsoever. The man ‘was a newcomer in the land, a chechaquo, and this was his first winter.’ Jack London’s startling, and even cold, observation of a man’s foolish confidence in the face of nature’s power forms the story ‘To Build a Fire'(Kellie Tabor-Hann). This analyst illustrates how the man’s foolishness is a key obstacle he simply will not surpass throughout the story. As the story begins, automatically there is an unpleasant mood that is set. London states, “Day had broken cold and gray, exceedingly cold and gray” (London 231). Already by the first sentence the reader can tell that the setting is in no way pleasant. London makes it clear that it was dark and very cold. However what is the reason for such? After all, London brings up the conditions of the weather of the man countless times. This is to not only remind the reader that the man is in for a road of trouble, but it’s also to set the overall tone of the story. If London had described the conditions as sunny and calm the entire story would be altered. All the details London presents projects a sense of sadness and struggle.

Tone and Setting: The Harsh Reality of Nature

To make matters worse, the man is simply not prepared for the cold itself. Referring back to the theme of pride, this foreshadows how nonchalant the man is about nature itself. The tone of darkness is carried throughout the entire story. As the story progresses context clues tell the reader that no matter what the outcome for the man will not be a good one. Everything from a lack of supplies to wetting his clothes infers that the man’s own ignorance is the second biggest challenge to be faced. Analysts of London’s story take time to note how significant the overall details of the story are. By pointing out the details of the tone of the story, the reader is left to infer that the theme can relate to nature and one’s own intelligence. The following themes of pride and ignorance are vibrant through the entire story.

Themes: Pride, Ignorance, and Man versus Nature

First, man versus nature is the most common theme readers pull from the story. Yet, taking a closer look one may argue that the theme of pride stands in the way more the theme for nature itself. This is due to the fact that the man had set his pride aside many times, he just might have been able to combat the harsh weather conditions he was faced with. With this said, the central themes from London’s “To Build a Fire” all points back to pride. Numerous warning signs were given to the man that he simply chose to ignore. Not only did the old timer directly warn him of the struggles he was to face, but the man himself failed to use common sense. Pride is a theme that is featured in many stories. Almost every story that speaks of a tragedy starts with the characters own pride. In stories that feature greek literature, this term is referred to as “hubris”. Ultimately, the man seems to do everything in his power to make his journey successful, but his fatal mistake has been made before he even began his journey.

This overall theme is also examined by those who analyze the story into further detail. “He didn’t heed the old-timer’s advice, and decided to travel in temperatures lower than fifty degrees below zero without a traveling partner (Shmoop, 2019). This is yet another example of how from the very beginning of the man’s journey he was destined to fail. Alongside the theme of pride, man versus nature also still remains through the entire story. By neglecting the power of nature the man essentially creates his own fate. It is also key to note that nature has no feelings as humans do. While this is evident to most, the man seems to think that everything will work in his favor. Countless mistakes are made by him time and time again. The warning signs are practically thrown in his face, yet he ignores him. . By accenting the essential parts of his story with irony, London directs the reader’s attention to the heartless indifference of nature and thus the existential theme of man’s living a solitary existence in a capricious and harmful universe (Lonestar College, 2019).

The Role of Irony in Highlighting Human Folly

All in all, nature simply doesn’t have mercy on mankind itself. The man would have had a chance at survival if he was to simply not disregard the power of nature itself. There are numerous ways London portrayed his theme throughout the entire story. Setting, imagery, and overall irony all set the theme of the story. The entire story itself is quite ironic. The reader is well aware from the very beginning that no matter what the conditions will overcome the man. However, the view of the main character is simply that he can overcome what is presented to him with little effort. He simply disregards almost every factor which displays to the reader his poor judgement. Dramatic irony is a key factor in the story itself. Often times the reader clearly understands what the man fails to understand. London strategically places details through the entire story to express his point of pride within the man.

This occured in the story as early as the beginning when the setting was described. It reappeared when the old time approached the man. Most can infer that if there is an elderly man warning the character that nothing good is bound to occur throughout the story. Yet, time and time again the man feels as if his little efforts are all he needs in order to persevere through the journey. The characters in this story are the unnamed man, the dog, and the old-time. It is quite the disappointment that the man simply did not take into consideration the conditions he was to face. London expresses his doubt in mankind through this story. While it is nonfictional, the same concept of pride and ignorance is exhibited in everyday life. Such disappointment in mankind is followed by poor judgment that the newcomer has within himself. This story overall vibrantly expresses how mankind shapes their own fate. It is simply the survival of the fittest in the story along with the reality itself. The story can side by side be related to obstacles in real life in a less hypothetical manner. However regardless of the extremities the man faces, it is easy for the reader to relate overall. London shows how if one is simply not capable of even taking kind advice from others his future will not be pleasant. It is obvious how in no way did the man infer that his journey would result in his own death. Yet, this is exactly what London expresses through the entire story. He goes beyond his way to gather details on the setting, the characters, and the details present to center back to his overall theme. The failure of the newcomer to analyze his situation resulted in his downfall.

Conclusion: Lessons on Pride and Survival

Through the entire story, the reader is well aware of the flaws of the newcomer. The lack of reasoning and knowledge of the man can simply be applied with numerous aspects of life. With this said, pure weakness left the newcomer dead. Overall, what London wants to express is simply that mankind must learn to put their pride aside which is essential for survival. “The story’s central theme is one portrayed by many existentialist writers—that man lives a solitary existence which is subject to the relentless, unforgiving forces of nature; an ever so subtle part of this theme is that it is man’s goal to find meaning in his existence” (Lonestar College, 2019). This also displays how the forces of nature contributed to the death of the man. However, like previously stated simple preparation could have avoided the entire downfall of the man. Fate is just another aspect of the story London includes to further express to the reader that the man essentially created his own death. Death is the overall outcome of the countless mistakes made by the newcomer. London does an outstanding job of pointing out how all the factors presented work against the favor of the man in the story. Simple taking precautions would have led to a better fate for the man. All literary analysts express how pride plays a vital role throughout the entire story. How realistic the story makes it easier to apply it to real life. Finally, as the man navigates through his journey pride is the overall factor that strikes him down. “As the man and his animal companion take a less-traveled path to their Yukon camp, they step into a tale of wilderness survival and dire circumstances. London’s stark, distanced portrayal is an excellent example of American literary naturalism” (Kellie Tabor-Hann).

How does the author begin the novel?

The Call of the Wild, by Jack London, tells the story of a dog named Buck who goes through a challenging journey after being forced to work as a sled dog. The novel takes place in Yukon Canada during the Klondike Gold Rush in the 1890’s. At the beginning of the book, the author introduces the main character, Buck, who is a mix between a sheep dog and a St. Bernard. Buck was living an easy and domesticated life with his owner, Judge Miller, in Santa Clara Valley when the Klondike Gold Rush began, increasing the demand for sled dogs. Buck is ripped away from his old life when he is kidnapped by a man who sells him to people who trade dogs. The man who takes his is extremely violent, and this is the first instance where Buck is exposed to brutality. On his shipment from California to the North, he is physically abused and tormented because the man is careless and is only interested in making profit. Buck then arrives in the Klondike, and the first thing he witnesses is a dog named Curly being mauled to death by a pack of huskies. This opens Buck’s eyes to the reality of his situation, and he realizes that any wrong decision could put his life in potential danger. Then, Buck is purchased by two men, Perrault and Francois, who work for the Canadian government. From this point forward, Buck is used a sled dog and his primitive instincts continue to emerge throughout the course of the novel.

What is the novel mostly about?

The novel is mostly about Buck’s experiences as a sled dog, and it also portrays how Buck slowly loses his civilized side as he becomes more dependent on himself in order to survive in the wilderness. Throughout the novel, Buck shows a lot of character development as he perseveres through his intense and harsh journey. He also uncovers his primitive instincts and skills, which help him survive the difficult realities of life on the frontier. When Buck first starts working with Perrault and Francois, he realizes that it is hard work, especially since he has never done it before. Buck also has to adapt to the wild, which is when he discovers the instincts from his ancestors. These instincts help him make the right decisions, and ultimately they help him stay alive. While this is happening, Buck begins a rivalry with one of the lead sled dogs, Spitz. The two dogs fight countless times in the novel, and Buck tries to weaken Spitz’s authority. In the final battle, Buck and Spitz fight each other, ultimately resulting in the death of Spitz. Buck is determined to be the leader, so Perrault and Francois agree to give him his earned position. With Buck being the leader, the team accomplishes their tasks significantly quicker than in the past. However, Buck and the team end up being sold to another mail carrier. This time though, the loads are heavier and they put a lot more strain on the dogs. Under the ownership of this man, one of the dogs becomes fatally ill. Since the dog was too weak and malnourished to continue, the driver shot it, making the other dogs sad. The dogs are sold, once again, but this time it was to people named Hal, Mercedes, and Charles. They do not know how to take care of the dogs because they are inexperienced, and they often beat the dogs for no reason. As time passes, the number of dogs on the team drops, and the dogs do not have very much strength left. Buck’s life does not look hopeful until he finally reaches John Thornton’s camp.

How does the novel end?

The novel ends with Buck’s journey as a sled dog coming to an end. When Buck arrives at John’s camp he is exhausted and overworked. John Thornton tries to tell them that the ice they want to go across is not completely frozen and there is a good chance that they will fall through. The group disregards what John is saying and begin to start crossing the ice. When Buck refuses to go, Hal begins to abuse him. Seeing the harassment, John steps in and saves Buck’s life. Hal, Mercedes, and Charles become impatient, and they decide to cross. This was a huge mistake, and they ended up breaking the ice and falling in the water, leading to their deaths. John Thornton ended up taking care of Buck, and the two helped each other a lot. Buck shows how thankful he is by helping John win money and by saving his life when he falls in the river. Although Buck had a strong love for John, he felt the wilderness calling him. Buck disappeared for days at a time to connect with nature, and over time he drifted away from civilization. The men then search for gold, and while this is happening, Buck goes into the forest. When he returns, he sees that the Yeehat Indians have killed John. This angers him, and he ends up killing some of the Indians as the remaining ones ran away. The novel comes to an end with Buck going into the wilderness, where he becomes the leader of a wolf pack. He also becomes known as the Ghost Dog, and every year he comes back to the place where John passed away to mourn his loss.

Examine important themes in the work.

One of the most important themes in the book is that perseverance is key to survival. Throughout the novel, London incorporates many scenes that portray how Buck would not have survived if he did not have the courage to persevere. The wilderness is unforgiving and brutal, but the strength and determination Buck shows keeps his spirits high. He also has a strong desire to be the leader of the group, which gives him a sense of motivation that allows him to keep pushing forward, even when he is at his lowest point. Another important theme in the novel is that primitive instincts are powerful. In many instances throughout the novel, Buck is forced to learn new tactics in order to survive the harsh environment. However, most of the time he is not actually learning new things, but instead he is discovering things that his old ancestors used to do. Buck uncovers many skills and primitive instincts as he faces more obstacles that challenge his knowledge of survival. In addition, he also uses his instincts when he suspects something is wrong, and this saves his life countless times. For example, Buck knew they should not go on the ice because he had a feeling it would break. Everyone else decided to move on, which ultimately lead to their tragic death because they did not listen to him. Another theme is that the wilderness and civilization affect life in different ways. At the beginning of the novel, Buck lives an easy life with Judge Miller, and he does not have to worry about anything because he is taken care of. However, as the novel progresses, Buck has to become dependent on himself in order to survive in the wild. The wilderness showed no sympathy towards Buck, which is the opposite of how his previous owner, Miller treated him. Lastly, another theme is that only the fittest survive. Buck is a type of dog that has adapted well to the environment around him. However, some of the dogs are not as fit to live in these conditions, making them weaker. Buck also did not struggle as much with becoming familiar with the wilderness because he had primitive instincts from his old ancestors. These instincts allowed him to be physically more prepared for challenges in the environment, allowing him to work his way to the top. The weaker dogs that did not have as much drive either succumbed to the power of other dogs or the wilderness overpowered them, thus showing how only the fittest survive. Although a majority of these themes are from the point of view of a dog, they are still important to life outside of the book and can teach humans lessons too.

Include one important quote/passage with parenthetical reference (your quote should illustrate theme, style or both). What does this quote illustrate? Why did you choose it?

“And strange Buck was to him, for of the many Southland dogs he had known, not one had shown up worthily in camp and on trail. They were all too soft, dying under the toil, the frost and starvation. Buck was the exception. He alone endured and prospered, matching the husky in strength, savagery, and cunning. Then he was a masterful dog, and what made him dangerous was the fact that the club of the man in the red sweater had knocked all blind pluck and rashness out of his desire for mastery. He was preeminently cunning, and could bid his time with a patience that was nothing less than primitive” (London 29).

This passage contains multiple important themes from the novel and it also portrays London’s writing style. The passage explains how Spitz, who was the leader of the pack at the time, asserts his dominance over the other dogs. However, it also conveys that Spitz feels threatened by Buck, and he knows he is stronger and more determined than the previous dogs. The other dogs he had known were weak, and let the wilderness take advantage of them. The quote also shows his style in writing. He is very descriptive with his words, which allows the reader to envision the scene and have a deeper understanding of the text. It also has a darker side when it talks about being beat by the club, but London is still able to portray the situation in a more positive way. Since beating a dog is cruel, the author makes it seem less horrendous by explaining that it shows how Buck knows when to submit to authority, rather than pushing the limits. This passage also illustrates many themes from the novel. The first theme it has is that only the fittest survive. The quote talks about how many of the dogs were too weak and fragile to stay alive because the conditions were too intolerable. The climate was too harsh for some of the dogs, which is why they did not not survive. Another theme this passage shows is how perseverance is key to survival. Buck has a lot of determination, which gives him an advantage over the other dogs. He is also able to pick himself back up after being physically abused by his owners. This shows that Buck has a tremendous amount of strength and perseverance in his character. Finally, it also shows the theme of the power of primitive instincts. Buck has many characteristics that come from his old ancestors, and these instincts help him survive. The discovery of these instincts is what makes him able to be better than the other dogs. Furthermore, Buck is also very patient, which is another attribute to this skills, and this allows him to make the correct decisions in logical ways.

Analyze the literary techniques the author uses. (How does the author craft the novel?)

Throughout the novel, Jack London uses literary techniques and different strategies to craft an interesting novel. One of the major techniques he uses in the book is he writes about harsh and graphic scenes in an eloquent way. In many circumstances in the novel, London is able to portray violent scenarios in almost poetic ways, which makes the reader think deeper about the true meaning and significance behind the writing. The scenes are usually also a metaphor for bigger things in life. In addition, Jack London also uses very straightforward writing so the reader is never left questioning what is happening. This eliminates any possible confusion that the reader may encounter while reading the novel. London also uses a naturalist style that allows the reader to immerse themselves into the nature setting and picture themselves in the scenery. This connection with nature makes the reader understand how important it is to the storyline, and the reader can envision how the scenario would be in real life. Along with these techniques, London also incorporates some literary devices such as imagery, tone, and personification. He is very descriptive with his writing, which takes advantage of the reader’s senses. The tone of the story also affects the mood, which then affects the reader’s emotions. Personifications are used many times throughout the novel to give some of the things, such as the dogs, human characteristics. Overall, Jack London combines these literary techniques and devices to craft beautiful novels that are captivating and thought-provoking.

Discuss one excerpt of literary criticism written on your author. You should paraphrase the critic’s comments in your own words and include a parenthetical reference.

Many people say that Jack London is an influential writer whose intriguing novels interest others. However, some critics do not agree with this statement. When first looking at a novel from London, it may appear to be a normal book with a regular plotline. However, numerous people believe that he does not write not actual books because the story is not successive. A critic from Literary Theory and Criticism stated that, “some critics have complained that a few of his novels (such as Burning Daylight, for example) are not novels at all, but merely strings of short stories hung together by the merest contrivance,” (Literary Theory and Criticism). This means that some parts of his novels do not necessarily go together since they do not flow nicely. People think that novels should contain situations that build off of each other in order to drive to plotline, which is why critics are unsure about London’s writing style. In addition to this issue, critics also believe that his writing lacks structure and has an extreme amount of didacticism. Some people think that the element of teaching in works of writing is beneficial, but many people think that London does it excessively in some of his novels. They believe that this takes away from the main message and meaning of the book, and it leaves the reader less interested. People also think the lack of structure throughout his books corresponds to his writing style. Despite these critiques made about him, he is still one of the most successful American authors whose unique style of writing puts a twist on his novels.

How successful is your author in your personal opinion?

In my personal opinion, Jack London is a highly successful individual when it comes to writing. He is one of many well-known American authors, and almost everyone is familiar with the books he has written. Every book he crafts has a combination of emotion, style, and organization, which makes the novel even more intriguing. London’s ability to write interesting novels while keeping them informative at the same time makes him even more respected. His books also convey motivating life lessons that encourage the reader to think deeper about the situation. Specifically, in The Call of the Wild, he created an interesting plot by designing scenarios that built off of each other. He also incorporated messages within the book that are important in real life. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel, and the intensity of the situations kept me on the edge of my seat.

Conclusion

In addition to being a great American author, Jack London was also a journalist and a social activist. Throughout his life, he became well-known around the world and accumulated a significant fortune from his writing. Although he did not win any major awards, his talent for writing has inspired many individuals throughout the country. When it comes to his lifespan, however, he was not the most successful. He died at forty years old from multiple health issues, ending his career early. Nonetheless, Jack London is still one of the most influential writers of the twentieth century, and his legacy will continue to inspire others in numerous ways.

Jack London’s “To Build A Fire” explores the stubbornness of man. And the risk men take to achieve something even if it is not in their reach. The setting takes place in the woods during Yukon winter which is one hundred and thirteen degrees below frezing point. Now throughout this story winter or nature symbolizes dominance you cant change the outcome of nature. The man, dog, and nature are all important symbols throughout this story as they show a characteristic of human life.

First of all a very important symbol Is the “Yukon Trail” when the man takes off from the right direction. That’s a symbol of risk see before the man left off the right direction of the trail he was on the correct path with his boys or in other term his companions. The main trail symbolizes safety and security and the departure from his comrades symbolizes the danger that he is to face ahead throughout the story. The relationship of man and nature are very important as you read through this story see a trail helps man survive nature and survive the wilderness. As well as the expectations a person needs to survive the wilderness. “The trouble with him was that he was without imagination he was quick and alert in the things of life but only in the things and not the significance.,” Jack London shows no sympathy for the man he seemed to make the character arrogant and very disrespectful to the environment of the elders all of the good attributes were given to the dog. To me it seems jack London likes the dog more than man.

Another Important symbol Is the old man the old timer at Sulphur creek he is used repeatedly as a symbol throughout the story. The old man gave the man advice stating that “No man should be out here if temperatures are below zero especially alone by yourself.,” The old timer bridges the gaps between humans and nature. Because he has a very healthy perspective on how nature can be a threat if not cautious. The dog also sees the view of the natural world and the dog seems to know that the man cannot rely on his resources for survival. “And to get his feet wet in such a temperature meant trouble and danger., “ The old Timer or old man had been very serious in laying down the law stating that no man must travel alone in Klondike after fifty below. See its more of intellect vs instinct because the old timer is trying to convey to the man that he has no chance of withstanding that Yukon weather. But with the man it is instinct why because he knows of the harsh wind but he chooses to still go instead for the search. But the mans fellow traveller the dog has a very natural instinct the man dies because of the miscalculations of his trip and underestimating the power of nature. Every problem the man encountered he realized that the old timer was correct moments before his death the man admits to the old timer. “You were right, old hoss you were right,.” The man mumbled to the old timer of Sulphur creek. See I believe that it was luck that the man met the old timer from Sulphur creek because the old man speaks of taking someone with the man so the man is not alone in the wilderness. Also if you notice the old timer talks about keeping your feet dry and then he states this about the cold “ There must be no failure when it is seventy-five below zero a man must not fail in his attempt to build a fire that is if his feet are wet the circulation of wet and freezing feet cannot be restored by running when it is seventy-five below.,” So throughout this story all the old timer was doing was trying to help guide the man but negligence by the man led to his downfall that is why to me it is human vs nature.

Third and most important symbol is the fire it shows the difference between life and death. The title of the story keys in the important role of fire within the story the goal of the man is to build a fire and he fails later on in the story. The Building of fire symbolize life in the story but it shows life through human knowledge skill and also technology and failure by the man to build the fire is showing the failure of things expressed by man and by the brutal cold of nature.

Works Cited

1. London, Jack. “To Build a Fire.” Short Stories and Classic Literature, americanliterature.com/author/jack-london/short-story/to-build-a-fire.

Welcome to the wild where you have to hunt, or be hunted. Where White Fang has to learn the rules of the wolves, and obey those before him. Will White Fang pull through? Let’s find out.

White Fang is a book written by Jack London about a young wolf who must find food and shelter to survive. The book starts with the she wolf and her pack stalking 2 men, Henry and Bill and their sled dogs trying to escort the coffin of a man named Lord Alfred to Fort McGarry, but every day when they go to sleep one sled dog gets taken and eaten. When 2 more disappear Henry runs after the pack with a rifle that contains 4 bullets and keeps up the chase. He fires at the she wolf and runs after them until Henry goes out of Bill’s sight. Bill then hears the 3 remaining bullets fire and a scream of Henry before it goes silent. Bill goes and puts the coffin of Lord Arthur in a tree and returns to camp then waits until it’s night time and starts a fire then goes to sleep. When he wakes, the wolves are nearing him. Then a group of men run in and scare the wolves off. They bring Bill and his dogs, along with the coffin to Fort McGurry.

I think White Fang is considered a classic because it uses vocabulary that is different from what we use at present time like, “Well i’ll be gosh-swoggled” and “tip-top.” White Fang was written in 1906, 115 years ago. It has been enjoyed all over the world and has been read countless times. The author of the book Jack London went to where the setting of White Fang is and got to know the territory.

I’m choosing to count down my top 5 favorite fights in White Fang,

Number 5. White Fang vs deer-hound. When White Fang is in California chasing after a carriage he gets aware of an attack coming from the side White Fang tried to turn but was knocked clean off his feet. White Fang got to his feet and surprised the hound and clamps his jaws barely missing the hounds throat. Before he is able to make the finishing blow, a sheepdog named Collie, runs in and knocks White Fang over.

Number 4. White Fang vs John Hall. John Hall is a wanted criminal after he was sentenced to prison for something he didn’t do. And so he broke out of prison and went after Judge Scott who sentenced him but the judge was staying with Weedon Scott White Fang’s new owner. So when John Hall breaks into the house, White Fang goes to stop him.

Number 3: White Fang vs Lip-Lip. This fight was really quick, after White Fang leaves the Native American camp after a famine he runs into the woods seeking new food and shelter. Then he runs into Lip-Lip, his bully while at the camp. Lip-Lip tries to back away but White Fang knocks him over and defeats him.

Number 2: White Fang vs Cherokee. When White Fang is in illegal dog fight tournaments he defeats several wolves and a lynx, but then a bulldog Cherokee is brought in. White Fang uses speed to his advantage but can’t do much damage to the throat of the animal because it’s being covered up. But when White Fang takes his chances and goes for the throat, Cherokee catches him in his strong jaws. White Fang struggles to break loose but before any of this happens a man named Weedon Scott and his crew comes in and buys White Fang from his abusive owner Beauty Smith. Weedon Scott and his crew break White Fang free of his jaws and attempt to tame him.

Number 1: White Fang and the she wolf (or his mom) vs A Canada Lynx. When One Eye, White Fang’s father, gets defeated by a Canada Lynx when trying to take it’s litter for his family. When he doesn’t return, the she wolf goes and finds the remains by the lynx’s cave, she completes the job by snatching the lynx’s litter and takes them for White Fang. The lynx seeking revenge goes into the cave that White Fang and the she wolf are staying in. Then the fight breaks out. The lynx starts biting and attempting to scratch the she wolf, but the she wolf also plays aggressively. When White Fang sees his mom struggling, he bites the lynx’s ankle but the lynx kicks him back and scratches his arm until the bone is visible. That enrages the she wolf causing her to go into rage and pull out a victory.

Jack London was born on January 12th, 1876. His mom Flora married William Chaney. Flora was living in the San Francisco Bay when she got pregnant. Chaney then left her because she wouldn’t get rid of the baby, and Flora shot herself but survived. She then gave birth and remarried John London, a partially disabled Civil War veteran and brought her baby John, later Jack to live with them around the San Francisco Bay before moving to Oakland. In 1897 Jack was 21 and attended school at The University of California, Berkeley. He then dropped out of school and went to the Klondike during the gold rush. On July 12th of 1897 he struggled in many jobs. He decided to go back to California in 1898, and published ”To the Man on the Trail” his first published work since high school “To the Man on the Trail.” When the Overland Monthly offered $5 for it London came close to abandoning his writing career when The Black Cat accepted his book “A Thousand Deaths.” He got $40 dollars from it. He then continued writing and in 1900 he made $2.500 from writing. In early 1903 London made “The Call of the Wild” and sold it to The Saturday Evening Post for $750 and the rights of the book to MacMillian for $2,000 and the book was a success. Then in 1906 he published White Fang, which was intended for a companion piece to The Call of the Wild.

I would recommend this book to everyone 9 and up because it has some not kid friendly scenes but it’s overall a good book.

One of the biggest struggles people deal with in life is getting through an obstacle and doubting themselves in the process. Whether it be a physical, emotional, or mental struggle, having the strength to persist through it is a very important characteristic that will give you the confidence to get through anything that comes along the way. Each of these works portrays aspects of perseverance in different scenarios but has the same universal theme.

In “To Build a Fire” the man is enduring sub-zero degree conditions and still has the courage to want to conquer and make it out alive through his tenacious efforts. Similarly, the song “Eye of the Tiger” shows the boxer’s determination to survive through fighting and not to give up physically and emotionally no matter how discouraged. Lastly, “The Old Guitarist” shows the old man grasping onto his guitar in the hope to get through a rough period in his life. The common theme of man vs. nature and aspects of survival/perseverance are displayed in Jack London’s “To Build a Fire,” Survivor’s Eye of the Tiger,” and Pablo Picasso’s “The Old Guitarist”.

Jack London’s “To Build a Fire” showcases the hardships of a man going through the Yukon trail in Alaska enduring seventy-five below zero weather. His mindset going into this is strong, courageous, and tenacious. The old-timer tells the man that under no circumstance should one go to Yukon. The man’s pride and overconfidence get in the way and he does not abide by the advice and continues towards these extreme conditions. This hostile environment can be deadly but this story shows moments of survival and what the man had to do to get through this challenging circumstance. The freezing cold and absence of the sun could only not phase him for so long. It did not bother him and he continued to persevere through miles and miles of trail. The key to survival was fire. The man constantly built him and the big native husky that he found along the way a fire so that the numbness would go away in his body and he would defrost. Many times the fire would fail; this would be life-threatening, and time was ticking. London describes the man’s many attempts, “Well it was up to him to build the fire over again, and this second time there must be no failure. The dead fingers could neither touch nor clutch. He was very careful. He drove the thought of his freezing feet, and nose, and cheeks, out of his mind, devoting his whole soul to the matches” (5). Through his actions, you can sense the man’s persistent spirit and motivation to not give up. Undergoing excruciating pain, he was still determined to continue the trail. He kept failing over and over again while numb all over his body, but still kept going. This exemplifies the basis of the story and its theme showing the man’s tenacious approach to the situation. He needed to be tactical about time, food, warmth, and many other things in order to survive these treacherous conditions. London states, “He was making four miles an hour, and he calculated that he would arrive at the forks at half-past twelve. He decided to celebrate that event by eating his lunch there” (2). The man was very keen on time and had a set routine for his daily adventure and meals. He struggled to battle extreme conditions against nature as one lonely man and his once pride turned into fear and doubt to make it out alive. Nevertheless, desperately came bizarre thoughts; his last hope of surviving was the dog. He schemed out a plan. London describes the man’s state of mind at this point of desperation, “The sight of the dog put a wild idea into his head. He remembered the tale of the man, caught in a blizzard, who killed a steer and crawled inside the carcass, and so was saved. He would kill the dog and bury his hands in the warm body until the numbness went out of them” (6). Survival mode geared him towards this idea but he was helpless to the fact he could not kill the dog because his hands were too weak and numb. In times of desperation, people will think of and do anything in order to survive, as they would not usually just think of an idea so cruel. Survival is heavily present in “To Build a Fire” and it teaches the lesson no matter what the circumstances, persist and fight your hardest through it no matter the result.

Jack’s novel The Call of the Wild was released in 1903. The story is established in the Yukon Territory, which is located between Alaska and modern-day Canada. The story takes place nearly after gold was discovered in the Klondike in 1896, during the Klondike Gold Rush. As a 19-year-old, was one of hundreds of young men who hurried north in the hopes of striking it rich. He based this story on his own experiences during the period, which helped to define the tone of the work. Buck is a dog who is kidnapped and transported up north to work as a sled dog, and the story follows him as he travels across the Yukon Territory. Natural tragedies play a significant effect.

Jack’s ‘Call of the Wild’ is a past story, a kid’s story taught from the viewpoint of a sled dog. This is remarkable. authority’s readers to feel all the feelings when they argue about the Klondike gold rush in the Yukon in 1890. To create this historic novel, he used the know-how he grouped at some stage in the year he explored for gold in the harsh, frozen region.

London focused on Bucks’s life. He used to be robbed of his luxurious home in California, sold to prospectors, and taken on the cold trails of Alaska and northern Canada. Buck’s journey, which covered membership beating, new owners, the battle for food, arguing with different sled dogs, and fighting for survival, inspired the characters of his wild families and was denoted for his spiritual power. The lengthy trip turned him from a loyal pet to a wild one.

This trip story, cleverly instructed in beautiful and easy language, clearly appeals to humans of all ages. I can go on to describe how ‘Call of the Wild’ is nicely suitable for young readers, such as its courses on flexibility, inner strength, appreciation for authority, and appreciation for nature. But this is no longer an easy kid’s book.

London comes to life Buck and gives him an excessive level of the human mind. Buck witnessed people’s experiences and realized from them. He began to understand human nature, and what makes people appropriate or bad. Discover and make every effort to gain authority amongst your peers.

After going through the content, characters, and themes, it’s clear that this is a book about a confident character. On the other hand, there is a sense of appreciation for Buck, while on the other, it is unclear whether he is higher to the people he first despises. When trying to know the nature of a living organism, the book offers a clear message that several variables must be considered. Because life is in constant change, it is not as black and white as it may appear.

Reading ‘The Call of the Wild’, I was also surprised by how explored the primitive nature that Buck found in him and summoned his families. Many ways are to describe Buck’s feelings about his family and the families of modern people. seems to have such a precise understanding of evolutionary science and natural selection, which shocked me.

Jack London was a socialist who lectured and gave speeches urging members of the working class to join together and fight for a better form of government than the one they were living under. His message to the capitalist class of his day was, “No quarter! We want all that you possess.”

From an early age, London was determined to succeed as a writer. He soon discovered that he could make readers clamor and editors pant for his work if he gave them something new and fresh, something that was his and not “a garbled mouthing of things the world had already heard.” He worked hard to develop a view of his own that underlies all that he wrote.

His philosophy of life is based on:

– First-hand knowledge of life from the varied perspectives of a factory hand, sailor, tramp, soap-box orator, gold prospector, photojournalist, writer and farmer;

– Extensive reading in history, biology, evolution, ethics and other branches of knowledge;

– Study of commercially successful literature of the day.

In the last 18 years of London’s life, he wrote and published 23 novels, 21 collections of short stories, three autobiographical memoirs, three books of nonfiction, three plays and dozens of essays. When he died at 40, he was one of the highest-paid and most widely read celebrity authors of his time. The cause of his death is still being debated a century later. Most of us remember London as the handsome and gifted writer of “The Call of the Wild,” his most famous story. It follows the adventures of a dog named Buck who becomes a legend.

After being transported to a hostile Yukon wilderness during the Klondike gold rush, where he is beaten into submission and worked nearly to death as a sled-dog, Buck goes feral and is last seen running with his throat “a-bellow” at the head of a wolf pack. The legend of Buck the ghost-dog imbues readers, especially young ones, with a sense of hope and the belief that they will overcome their misfortunes. Readers may be surprised to learn that London’s favorite piece of his own writing was a work of social nonfiction. He once explained, “As to my favorite of my own books, that is a hard question to answer. I think I put more of my heart into ‘The People of the Abyss’ (1903) than into any other book.”

“The People of the Abyss” is London’s account of the appalling social realities he encountered in the East End slums of London in 1902. He found men, women and children living amidst chronic and heart-wrenching poverty, crowding, disease, starvation, criminality and lack of shelter during what were considered “good times” in England. London’s sociological study of life in the underworld of London was itself influenced by an 1890 slum narrative, “How the Other Half Lives” by Jacob Riis, who used photographs, graphic descriptions and statistics to depict slum conditions in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Other key works by London, including his dystopian novel, “The Iron Heel,” reflect the Progressive Era better than most of the novels of his socialist contemporaries, with the possible exception of “The Jungle” by Upton Sinclair.

Although “The Jungle” led to passage in 1906 of the Meat Inspection Act and the Pure Food and Drug Act, it did little to further Sinclair’s larger goal: the rejection of capitalism and the victory of Socialism. By contrast, George P. Brett, president of The Macmillan Company that published many of London’s books, considered “The Iron Heel” to be “the greatest compendium of Socialism ever written.”

Although “The Iron Heel” never achieved the popularity of “The Call of the Wild,” it has been hailed as a great prophetic work of art by Leon Trotsky, the exiled Russian revolutionary, and by Anatole France, the Nobel Prize-winning French novelist. Sinclair Lewis, author of “It Can’t Happen Here” about the advent of a Nazi regime in Washington, D.C., was inspired by London’s “The Iron Heel,” as was George Orwell when he wrote “1984.”

In “The Star Rover,” London helped awaken the nation to the corrupt prison system that existed a hundred years ago when it was legal in California to sentence a man to life-imprisonment in solitary confinement. Just last year, inmates succeeded in getting California to agree to an overhaul of the use of solitary confinement in its prisons, including strict limits on prolonged isolation.

In his day, London’s social and artistic vision made a real difference, and it is having a resurgence. Although odds are long that a socialist will win the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016, supporters want Bernie Sanders to have a shot at it.

The desire for equity, or the rejection of injustice, is something Americans hold dear, and it helps to explain why we root for an underdog. In any era undergoing dramatic social change, the work of a writer like London who can arouse people’s sense of fairness and justice will remain relevant and engaging. Susan Nuernberg is a past president of the Jack London Society and a recipient of the Jack London Foundation’s Woman of the Year award. She is currently writing a biography of Charmian Kittredge London with Iris Jamahl Dunkle.

“It was the masterful and incommunicable wisdom of eternity laughing at the futility of life and the effort of life. It was the Wild, the savage, frozen-hearted, Northland Wild.” In this quote, American author Jack London establishes the key theme of his novel White Fang. Throughout this work, London seeks to portray his conception of nature, which is dark, ominous, and all-powerful. In order to convey this belief, he utilizes unique personification and symbolism, a wild setting, and particular vocabulary. Moreover, London reveals his belief that human life is infinitesimal when compared to the all-encompassing power of nature.

The very first paragraph of White Fang contains intense imagery, signifying its importance in conveying the theme of White Fang. Silence and desolation are key images in the opening paragraph. “A vast silence reigned over the land. The land itself was a desolation, lifeless, without movement, so lone and cold that the spirit of it was not even that of sadness.” It is crucial to analyze London’s portrayal of nature, as it contrasts with alternate depictions of nature in literature. For example, modernist poet Katherine Mansfield gives an entirely different depiction of nature in her poem, A Very Early Spring. She writes, “So many white clouds–and the blue of the sky is cold. Now the sun walks in the forest, He touches the bows and stems with his golden fingers… A wind dances over the fields. Shrill and clear the sound of her waking laughter.” Mansfield depicts nature as active and full of life. London’s portrayal however,utilizes imagery of stillness and silence to evoke the image of nature as lifeless and ominous. “On every side of them was silence, pressing upon them with a tangible presence.” London personifies silence as a force encroaching on the main characters which evokes an eerie sense of stillness. In addition to the imagery associated with nature, the symbolism of the “narrow oblong box” is crucial to understanding the story. This box first appears as a combination table and seat for the main characters, Bill and Henry. Only later does the reader discover that this box is in fact a coffin, containing the body of Bill and Henry’s friend, Lord Alfred. This coffin symbolizes the constant struggle between nature and man and its eventual outcome. “On the sled, in the box, lays a third man whose toil was over—a man whom the Wild had conquered and beaten down until he would never move nor struggle again.”

Not only does the narrow oblong box serve as a means of exposing Lord Alfred’s fate; it also serves as a device for foreshadowing, because as Bill suffers the same fate later in the novel. Through Lord Alfred’s demise and the narrow oblong box, London imbues the novel with symbols of death and nature’s power over man. He writes, “It is not the way of the Wild to like movement. Life is an offense to it, for life is movement; and the Wild aims always to destroy movement.” Through the symbol of the oblong box, London emphasizes the stillness of nature and the effect it has on anything that threatens the status quo. Although imagery and symbolism are crucial in establishing the themes in White Fang, the setting is also important to London’s portrayal. The setting acts as a vehicle which allows the reader to fully access the imagery and themes of the story. London utilizes setting to establish Bill and Henry’s grueling situation. While he could have selected any uncivilized location, London specifically picked the Alaskan wild. White Fang was written in 1906, three years prior to the successful discovery of the North Pole. London’s readers would have seen the the entire Arctic region as mysterious and untamed, therefore allowing his imagery to have deeper impact and re-inforcing his underlying theme. London would not have achieved this same effect if he had selected a different setting other than the “savage, frozen-hearted, Northland Wild.” Finally, London carefully crafts his word choice to invoke the themes of the novel. One particular word that London uses is “toil”. In fact, this word appears over five times throughout the first chapter of White Fang. The reader can extract tone and meaning from London’s use of toil.

First, toil could refer to the physical toil that Bill and Henry have experienced from their plight in the Alaskan wilderness. Tired, hungry, and freezing, Bill and Henry have reached their breaking point. However, it is more likely that toil refers to the constant battle between man and nature that underscores the story. London believed in the futility of life and felt that man existed only to toil. Only upon death would this toil conclude. This is evident in the line, “On the sled, in the box, lays a third man whose toil was over.” Therefore, the reader can deduce that London’s choice of the word toil was intentional in conveying his viewpoint on life.

Moreover, White Fang reveals Jack London’s philosophy on both nature and the purpose of man. Throughout the novel, he repeatedly invokes themes of the futility of life, stillness, and the immense power of nature over man. Through his masterful use of literary techniques, London conveys his message to readers. As such, it is nearly impossible for the reader to ignore the author’s point of view, regardless of his or her own opinion.