To Build a Fire

Study Questions

1. What mechanical thing is mentioned in the first paragraph?

When you next see this thing mentioned in the story, what time is it?
The mechanical thing mentioned in the first paragraph is his watch. The next time
we see this thing, the time on it is 10 o’clock.
2. What are the prevalent feelings and sights in the first paragraph?
The man does not feel any worry at first for what is yet to come.
3.What is the total length of the trail mentioned in paragraph two? Why do you think the
author wants to be so specific?
I think the author wants to be specific because they want the readers to know how
many obstacles this man is going to face.
4.What is chechaquo?
It means “newcomer”.
5. Why may the man’s lack of imagination be a serious flaw?
This man’s lack of imagination may be a serious flaw because he doesn’t seem to be
the most logical person around, so he also doesn’t know what to do to keep himself
warm, so he is likely to die of hypothermia.
6. What experiment does the man perform?
The man spits out water from his mouth to see if the water freezes or not. To his
surprise, it does.
7. Why is the man not with the rest of “the boys” at the camp on Henderson Creek?
He is not there because he had taken the long trail to look at floating logs from the
islands.
8. How is the dog’s reaction to the cold different than the man’s? Why is it different?
The dog is acting on its instinct and it knows how to protect itself from the cold and
the man. Yet, the man knows nothing because this is not of his area.
9. Before this man, when was the trail last used? Why may this be so important?
It was used about a month ago. This is important because if the man get into
trouble, there will quite possibly be no one to help him. It also shows the idea that
this might not be the best trail to have travelled on.
10. Comment on these lines “He was not much given to thinking…” and “Empty as the man’s
mind was of thoughts…”
The man is portrayed as being not very intelligent, at least not in his awareness of
what was going on around him.
11. What precaution has the man failed to take?
He did not cover his face, so the frostbite got to his cheeks and nose.
12. Read the paragraph beginning “Empty as the man’s mind was of thoughts” through “when
one broke through he kept on breaking through for a while…” Predict what you think will
happen later in the story. (Answers will vary)
I predict that this person will in the end die some way or another, since that’s how
most stories with protagonists in a dangerous situation goes. But I do think that he’ll
save the dog. (Unless it’s already dead, idk what’s happening in the story tbh)
13. What happens to the dog? What does it instinctively know to do?
 The dog fell through the ice when the man pushed it forward. It knows to lick and
bite the ice off of its paw.

14. What is happening to the man’s fingers and toes?

His fingers and toes are beginning to freeze.
15. What do we learn about past generations of man that is different from past generations
of wolves?
Man’s ancestors have not adapted to the outside cold. The dog’s ancestors know that
they should not be walking in this type of harsh cold.
16. What had the old-timer on Sulpher Creek told him the previous fall?
That the man could not fail his first attempt at making a fire.
17. How does the man react to the old-timer’s advice once he gets the fire going?
He was feeling proud.
17. What does the author mean by this sentence? “The wires were pretty much down
between him and his finger ends."
The author means that his nerves were near frozen.
18. What mistake did the man make when he chose the location for his fire?
He built the fire under the tree.
19. What does the dog do which shows that it is in no danger from the intense cold?
The dog digs a hole.
20. How is the man’s opinion of the old-timer different now?
He knows that the old-timer is correct.
21. When the man fails to build a fire, what wild idea does he get?
He was going to kill the dog and then use the dead body to shelter himself against
the cold.
22. What must the man do when he first stands up? Why?
He must look at his feet to see if he is actually standing or not.
23. In his panic, what does the man do?
In his panic, the man runs.
24. As the man sits and rests, what strange sensation does he feel?
The man feels relaxed and warm.
Internet Bonuses: -What does the dog do at the very end of the story?
He walks towards the camp.
-What does the man do?
He lays down to sleep and dies.