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To Build a Fire: Difference between revisions
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Critic Donald Pizer explains how the limit of individualism is a key theme in this story. {{sfn|Pizer|2010|p=219}} The protagonist of the novel frequently claims his ability to travel alone and feels he can survive the harsh winter conditions. {{sfn|Pizer|2010|p=220}} Despite the cautions of the old man at Sulphur Creek, he refuses to travel with a companion, which ultimately leads to his death. {{sfn|Pizer|2010|p=221}}The man is unaware of the value of receiving assistance from others and believes that his own abilities will assure his survival. Apart from declining to go with a companion, the man demonstrates independence by dismissing the old man's wisdom and ignoring experience and guidance. The fact that the old man is an American in unfamiliar terrain is one piece of information that we are provided with. Individual freedoms and liberties are prized in American culture, and London's experience exemplifies the risks that these beliefs can engender. | Critic Donald Pizer explains how the limit of individualism is a key theme in this story. {{sfn|Pizer|2010|p=219}} The protagonist of the novel frequently claims his ability to travel alone and feels he can survive the harsh winter conditions. {{sfn|Pizer|2010|p=220}} Despite the cautions of the old man at Sulphur Creek, he refuses to travel with a companion, which ultimately leads to his death. {{sfn|Pizer|2010|p=221}}The man is unaware of the value of receiving assistance from others and believes that his own abilities will assure his survival. Apart from declining to go with a companion, the man demonstrates independence by dismissing the old man's wisdom and ignoring experience and guidance. The fact that the old man is an American in unfamiliar terrain is one piece of information that we are provided with. Individual freedoms and liberties are prized in American culture, and London's experience exemplifies the risks that these beliefs can engender. | ||
A theme of "To Build A Fire" by London, is self destruction. The protagonist not only ignores the old-timers warning to travel with a partner, lacks imagination but he is incapable of companionability. {{sfn|Hillier|2010|p=173}} He traveled alone except for a wolf dog, | A theme of "To Build A Fire" by London, is self-destruction. The protagonist not only ignores the old-timers warning to travel with a partner, lacks imagination but he is incapable of companionability. {{sfn|Hillier|2010|p=173}} He traveled alone except for a wolf dog, which he treated with contempt and hostility. {{sfn|Hillier|2010|p=173}} Not only by trying to use him to check for faults in the ice, at the end he thought about killing him to warm his hands. The protagonist also contuses to chew tobacco causing an amber beard to form, which later obstructs his mouth when tries to eat. {{sfn|Hillier|2010|p=175}} Then we are presented by the repetition of him trying to build a fire and failing again and again at his own despise. first by having the fire blotted out by an avalanche of snow, second, by having his book of Sulphur matches extinguished in one fell, and third by having fire snuffed out by a large piece of moss. {{sfn|Hillier|2010|p=173}} These failed attempts show that his arrogance and unwillingness to listen to others will lead to his own downfall. | ||
Another theme for "To Build A Fire is pride. It is the man's pride which allows him to start his uncertain journey, prevents him form moving back when he realizes how cold it is which ultimately leads to death. The man was warned him not to travel alone but instead of preventing the man from making the trip he set out anyway and after soaking his feet he thought about the advice, given by that man.{{sfn|Sipiora|2002|p=154}} Few hours into his trip when he has a chance to turn back, he finds that it is very cold and still have overconfidence which puts him in a danger because the temperature matters.{{sfn|Sipiora|2002|p=149}} The man's pride is deep seated, after the falling snow put out his fire and his hands and feet are freezing totally he thought that old-timer from Sulphur creek was right and even after knowing that the death is not so far he doesn't realize that he was wrong.{{sfn|Sipiora|2002|p=154}} | Another theme for "To Build A Fire is pride. It is the man's pride which allows him to start his uncertain journey, prevents him form moving back when he realizes how cold it is which ultimately leads to death. The man was warned him not to travel alone but instead of preventing the man from making the trip he set out anyway and after soaking his feet he thought about the advice, given by that man.{{sfn|Sipiora|2002|p=154}} Few hours into his trip when he has a chance to turn back, he finds that it is very cold and still have overconfidence which puts him in a danger because the temperature matters.{{sfn|Sipiora|2002|p=149}} The man's pride is deep seated, after the falling snow put out his fire and his hands and feet are freezing totally he thought that old-timer from Sulphur creek was right and even after knowing that the death is not so far he doesn't realize that he was wrong.{{sfn|Sipiora|2002|p=154}} | ||