When considering literary realism and naturalism, there are many stories that come to mind. However, there is one I often think of that is extremely important to both genres. The short story I am referring one of the more popular stories of the realism and naturalist movement: “To Build a Fire” (1908) by Jack London. Much like how one feels after reading “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” (1890) by Ambrose Bierce, “To Build a Fire” (1902) typically ignites an emotional reaction. Essentially, it has much to do with London’s ability to tell a story about humanity’s fight with nature, and its often despondent outcome.
In this post, we will summarize the story and analyze it, reflecting on its themes.
Summary of “To Build a Fire” by Jack London
In “To Build a Fire,” a nameless man attempts to travel to a campsite near the Yukon River on a winters day. He is a chechaquo (or newcomer) and finds himself woefully ill-equipped to venture into the wilderness. This becomes apparent when he makes novice mistakes along the way. For instance, he travels alone save for a dog (husky), and does not take enough equipment with him to make the jaunt.
London also states that the man lacked imagination:
The trouble with him was that he was not able to imagine. He was quick and ready in the things of life, but only in the things, and not in their meanings. Fifty degrees below zero meant 80 degrees of frost. Such facts told him that it was cold and uncomfortable, and that was all. It did not lead him to consider his weaknesses as a creature affected by temperature” (London).
In other words, the man was narrowminded in his conception of danger. The cold would affect him, he resolved, but he did not formulate more intense disaster. The cold could cause hypothermia. The water could cause frostbite. The cold could cause death. These ideas were not at the forefront of his mind; rather, he intended to be to camp by 6 o’clock.
However, after stopping for lunch and a fire, he breaks through thin ice and wets his legs–something that is quite dire in the frozen landscape of the Yukon. After this, he stops to build another fire to warm up, but it is extinguished due to his ignorance while attempting to fan the flames underneath a snow-laden tree. The snow falls from the upper branches and puts out the fire. Afterward, he fails in his attempts to relight the fire, and he burns his own numb hands with his matches.
London writes: “Each stick smoked a little and died. The fire provider had failed.”
In a last ditch effort, he attempts to draw the husky near him so he can strangle it and use its warmth for his frozen limbs. However, he is too numb to enact his goal, and fails to both strangle the dog and kill it with his knife. London writes that the man “could not grasp” the dog and there “was neither bend nor feeling” in his fingers. Similarly, he realized “all he could do” was “hold its body encircled in his arms…” The man “realized that he could not kill the dog.”
He then tries to head for the camp but continuously stumbles, unable to regain his former strength. Slowly, the cold overtakes him, and as he imagines himself with his friends discovering his own body, he dies of hypothermia. “He did not belong with himself any more,” London states. “Even then he was outside himself, standing with the boys and looking at himself in the snow. It certainly was cold, was his thought.”
Analysis of “To Build a Fire” by Jack London
In “To Build a Fire” by Jack London, there are a variety of themes to interpret. Mostly, it is a quintessential man versus nature story, set within the realm of literary naturalism. The environment in the story serves as the antagonist. The cold, freezing temperature and the inhospitable environment all link itself to a harsh, uncaring world (a theme in naturalist writing). The unnamed protagonist struggles against this malevolence as anybody would, but he also suffers from his own lack of foresight (another determining factor for naturalism). There is not fate, per say, but he does experience his own choices in real time, as he falls prey to the icy cold.
What is more, our protagonist is unnamed, which allows the reader to put themselves into his shoes, feeling the cold creep inside us in a similar fashion. London does this intentionally to give the story a gritty, relatable feeling. When the protagonist’s fingers are numb–our fingers our numb. And, when he decides to kill the dog to save himself, London forces us to think about this choice personally. Would we do the same if it meant saving our own lives?
Similarly, the ending is not determinist, but a result of the character’s actions overall. While there is futility in his death, there is also a lesson to be learned: heed the warnings of those with experience. His own naivety and stubbornness causes his death, because he failed to follow the wisdom of those accustomed to the harsh Yukon winter. The man thinks that while “he had had the accident … he had saved himself” and that the men who had advised him “were rather womanish.” Instead, to survive, all he “must do was to keep his head …”
Of course, none of these thoughts turn out to be well-guided. The failure to utilize the wisdom of others is a limiting factor in our lives, London says, because it creates rudimentary and incredulous thought toward survival. As the protagonist thinks: he just needs to keep his wits about him. Yet, nature does not care about one’s wits. It is a uncaring, hostile place where only the strong survive.
Conclusion
In the story “To Build a Fire” by Jack London, the reader learns a great deal about nature and its dangers. On one level, we learn that the Yukon itself is a dangerous place. We learn that one should listen to those with experience, and we also learn to be sensible. On another level, we learn that nature itself is neither a villain nor an ally. Nature is neutral in its affectation. With that being said, humanity is not sacred, and it is certainly not special. It just exists–like nature. Therefore, it is humanity’s job to protect itself from its indifference.
Works Cited
London, Jack. “Great Short Works of Jack London.” Harper and Row. 1965. Print.
