The Cost of Pride in Jack London’s To Build a Fire Essay

In Jack London’s â€Å"To Build a Fire,† the nameless man’s pride cost him his life. Throughout the story, the character exhibits many indications that there is a possibility of his demise. It begins with the character’s inability to ground himself to reality, he observed the events happening around him, but he does not fully grasp the impact they have on him. He is naà ¯ve and overconfident, believing he could survive on his own; he does not take advice from an experience man from that country. The nameless man is unable to grasp at the events occurring around of him. He presents himself in a form of astral projection, removing his mind and senses from his physical body. During the course of the man’s journey, he demonstrates how he leaves his†¦show more content†¦He also does not pack the necessary equipment to overcome the harsh climate and terrain. In addition, he was a newcomer to the area; it was his first winter (pg.128). Normally p eople would never travel under the same conditions the nameless man was facing. If they did, they would be very well equipped and would maintain themselves protected by the warmth of a fire. He was arrogant believing he could withstand Mother Nature’s force, without the proper gear. Finally, he does not listen to his only â€Å"companion,† a native dog, natural instincts. The dog does not have a superior form of intelligent over the man; however, even the dog knows it is not safe to travel under those circumstances. The dogs seeks out warmth and shelter, all of which the man takes away from himself and the dog. If he had bothered to have communication with the dog, the dog would have surely guided his owner toward safety (pg.137). He also ignores the advice given to him by an old timer on Sulphur Creek. The man warns the nameless man of the punishing temperature of the country (pg.132). Most importantly, the older timer tells the man to travel with a companion; if anything happens to him his mate could help him out. However, the man carelessly continues his voyage to meet his buddies. If he had traveled with someone he could have been alive. He later acknowledges the old man and admits he was wrong (pg.136). The nameless man’s lack to grasp realit yShow MoreRelated`` The Cask Of Amontillado `` By Edgar Allen Poe Essay816 Words   |  4 PagesBlack Cat,† by depicting a protagonist failing to realize the significance of his wrongdoings. By articulating characters with rather narrow mindsets, authors show the vulnerability of ignorance. Perhaps the greatest example is Jack London’s masterpiece, â€Å"To Build a Fire,† in which a protagonist a journey leagues above his capabilities. Perpetuating detrimental hubris, protagonist’s tragic flaws are exploited through the boastful conoseighership of wine, through the contempt satisfaction of crimeRead MoreBritish Culture11529 Words   |  47 Pagesmodern English). Why is England so dominant: - The system of politics is identical in all four nations - The English language is identical in all four nations - The English customs and practices are dominant in all four nations. Union Jack It’s important to remember that England does not make up the whole of the UK. Today, there live lot of people in England from other British countries who would never describe themselves as English. England 48.9 mln Scotland 5.1 mln Read MoreInterpretation of the Text13649 Words   |  55 Pageshidden. Person vs. Nature is the type of conflict that places a character against the forces of nature. It is predominant within many survival stories as well as in stories about struggling for survival in remote locales, such as Jack Londons short story To Build a Fire. Person vs. Supernatural type of conflict places a character against supernatural forces. â€Å"Frankenstein† by Mary Shelley is a good example. Conflicts of this kind are also very common in comic books 12 Person vs. Machine / TechnologyRead MoreExploring Corporate Strategy - Case164366 Words   |  658 PagesOF SOUND with no links to the local drugs gangs. He even hired a psychoanalyst to cope with the gangland threats that followed his drugs crack-down: If they say ‘we’re going to kill you’, you know what you’re up against. But the threats [from London’s East End drugs gangs] are much more sinister. The word is fed back that if the business is cut off, they will follow you home, go for your family, stab you or murder you.2 But Palumbo persisted in making his club a safer, cleaner environment.