F O R E I G N L A N G U A G E S S P E C I A L I S E D

S C H O O L

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A L I T E R A T U R E R E P O R T
G R O U P 4

TO BUILD
A FIRE
“ I N T H E C A S E O F G O O D B O O K S ,
T H E P O I N T I S N O T T O S E E H O W
M A N Y O F T H E M Y O U C A N G E T
T H R O U G H , B U T R A T H E R H O W
M A N Y C A N G E T T H R O U G H T O
Y O U . ”

– M O R T I M E R J . A D L E R

01
 CONTENTS
F O
E L B A T
1 W E L C O M E

3 A U T H O R

4 S T O R Y

5 P L O T D I A G R A M

6 M A I N C H A R A C T E R S

10 L I T E R A C Y D E V I C E S & C R I T I C S

16 R E F L E C T I O N

22 R E F E R E N C E S

Jack London
(1876 - 1916)
“I would rather be ashes than dust! I
would rather that my spark should
burn out in a brilliant blaze than it
should be stifled by dry-rot. I would
rather be a superb meteor, every atom
of me in magnificent glow, than a
sleepy and permanent planet. The
proper function of man is to live, not
to exist. I shall not waste my days in
trying to prolong them. I shall use my
time.“
_ Jack London_
AUTHOR
Author
Jack London, or John Griffith London (1876 – 1916)
was an American writer and progressive societal promoter.
Being a trailblazer of commercial fiction, he was one of the
primary American creators to be a worldwide figure and gain
expansive credits from writing. He was also a pathfinder in the
genre that would afterward become known as science fiction.
London’s most popular compositions are The Call of the Wild
and White Fang, both have a similar background in the
Klondike Gold Surge, as well as the brief stories "To Build a
Fire", "An Odyssey of the North", and "Love of Life". He also
wrote about the South Pacific in stories such as "The Pearls of
Parlay", and "The Heathen". London participated in the radical
scholarly gather "The Crows" in San Francisco and an energetic
advocate of unionization, workers' rights and he was also the
author of a few works managing with these subjects, such as
his dystopian novel The Iron Heel, his non-fiction The People of
the Pit, War of the Classes, and Before Adam.
The writing time of the author was brief, as it was 16 years
long time, however, with brilliant works, London delivered 19
books, 18 commentaries and brief stories, and numerous
related books to the public, accounting for humanism. He is an
American author cherished by the working populace at
domestic and overseas and had an incredible impact on
dynamic writers. Despite his demise on 11/22/1916 at the age
of 40, in the modern era, Jack London's scholarly works have
been deciphered into numerous languages, indeed, numerous
of them have been made into motion pictures.
That appears, Jack London's reputation is still living in his
readers’ hearts.
03
TO BUILD
“To Build a Fire" is a brief story by American
writer Jack London. There are two
adaptations of this story, one distributed in
1902 and the other in 1908. The story
composed in 1908 has ended up a frequently
anthologized classic, whereas the 1902 story
is less well known. Within the gigantic valley
of American composing, Jack London's
passionate authenticity has a mysterious
fascination and he has at times gotten a
handle on the issue of nature significantly.
Jack London is one of the scholars who distinctly
expressed American culture in their pieces. The
space in his work ranges from the frigid Yukon
locales close to the Cold to the warm Pacific
coasts. The brief story "To Build a Fire" may be an
ordinary work, in which he portrays the delicate
and fragile man within the bad manners of nature.
In works, pictures of individuals continuously
appear full of imperativeness and solid soul, they
have fought for the proper to live not as it were
for themselves but too for the entire society.
These wonderful pictures live until the end of time
within the hearts of readers.
04
 P
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05
MAIN

CHARACTERS

06
 “You were right, old fellow.
You were right,”

07
THE MAN
“He was quick and alert in the things of life, but
only in the things, and not in the significance.”

The man - a famous protagonist in adventure

theme stories, is usually portrayed as a brave,
resilient and diligent individual who can endure
great sufferings to conquer evil forces of
nature.However, “The man” character in “To
build a fire” was a stark contrast to that
original prototype. This character appeared
with no difference from the stereotype,stubble
beard with mittens on his hands,laminated
jackets and pants. Middle-aged or in his 30s,
the man was described as a rational individual,
but lacking in the ability to reason, or simply to
acknowledge the dangers held upon his head.
And at the end, this ignorance as well as
arrogance were the main contributors to his
cold demise.

THE OLD - TIMER

"No man must travel alone in the Klondike after
fifty below."

There was a supporting character

who was mainly mentioned through
the narration, the old - timer - the
Sulfur Creek man. Met once at a pit
stop, the old-time warned the man
about the harsh climate over and
over again, about how deranged one
might be to go hiking by himself
under this condition. The advisor
represented the valuable wisdom and
experience that the protagonist had
failed to appreciate. The last time he
was mentioned in the story, was also
the moment the man took his last
words: "You were right old fellas, you
were right..."

08
 THE DOG
“...there was no keen intimacy between the dog and the man. The one was
the toil-slave of the other,...It was not concerned in the welfare of the
man; it was for its own sake that it yearned back toward the fire.”

“Not in the significance” can also be used to describe the detached relationship between
the man and his companion-a wolf-like dog with a gray coat, an animal native to the
area, bred to endure the harsh climate through physical adaptations. The dog knew this
cold, it clearly knew that no living creatures should be able to survive under this severe
condition, nevertheless, there were no efforts made by the dog to show its
apprehension to the man. This cold-heartedness persisted throughout the whole story
as the bond purely existed because of survival-needs, the animal needed a fire
provider, likewise, the human needed a companion to cater for his emotional sanity.
Following each other instinct to the finis, once the death of the man was smelled by the
animal sharp sense, abandonment happened as a matter of course. The impersonal
relationship ended with no emotional attachment when the only remains of it was the
bitter blizzard, as bitter, as the man’s last breath.

09
TO UNDERSTAND
THE WRITING
THOROUGHLY...

LITERACY DEVICES
&CRITICS

10
LITERACY DEVICES
MODE OF EXPRESSION: NARRATIVE.

REPETITION

There are a few illustrations of repetition all through “To Build a Fire.” The man is
always defrosting and refreezing parts of his body in his endeavors to stay warm.
Three times he tries to build a fire, each time more frantic and desperate than the
final, emphasizing the increasing threat of his circumstance. There are a few times
when the man is underestimating the environment's threat. At last, the man’s
perception of “cold” is continually being redefined—the longer he spends in the wild,
the more frequently he has got to rethink his initial evaluation of the temperature.

FORESHADOWING

Foretelling all through the story, to some extent, makes the readers sense that the
outcome—the man’s solidifying to death—is unavoidable. The man’s naiveté,
appearing through lines such as “Fifty degrees below zero was to him just precisely
fifty degrees below zero,” gave the readers the impression that the man’s lack of
concern will cost him. The old-timer’s counsel, which the man recalls a few times, also
foretells the man’s mistake. In spite of the old-timer’s warnings, for instance, the man
takes off running with wet feet—the last in a series of wrong decisions that leads to
his death.

IMAGERY

London’s depiction of the Yukon scene are wonderful and marvelous, but frequently
emphasize the man’s diminutiveness in connection to the endless amount of snow and
ice surrounding him. Besides, other tactile descriptions—such as the visual and sound of
the man’s spit splitting on the snow—are implied to illustrate the power of nature.

11
 A REVIEW
BY ERIKA
DREIFUS Erika Dreifus is the author of Birthright: Poems,
published in fall 2019. She is also the author of Quiet
Americans: Stories.

Jack London’s “To Build a Fire” (1908) is one of those stories—paralleled by certain films—
that I always return to with an odd yearning. Each time, despite myself, I hope that the
story (or film) will somehow end differently. That Connie won’t leave with Arnold Friend.
That Christopher Reeve won’t discover that penny from 1979. Or, in the case of London’s
story, that “the man” won’t break through the ice—and that the fire won’t go out.

Perhaps part of the story’s great appeal is how very different it is from my own lived
experience and writerly tendencies. My version of the great outdoors is Manhattan’s
Central Park. My stories are set in New York and Berlin and Paris. I’m not particularly fond
of animals (and neither, it seems, are my characters, since I cannot think of a single one
who even has a pet). So it is difficult to imagine myself somewhere to the side of “the
main Yukon trail” in subzero (way subzero) temperatures, let alone accompanied only by
“a big native husky, the proper wolf-dog, grey-coated and without any visible or
temperamental difference from its brother, the wild wolf.”

London’s story makes me feel life-threatening cold. It makes me visualize unfamiliar

geography and landscape. Like Megan Mayhew Bergman’s new collection, it teaches me
about animals and their instincts—without requiring me to get up close and personal with
them. In short, “To Build a Fire” accomplishes one of fiction’s most noble goals: allowing
me to broaden my understanding of life and experience. Even if, in the end, the man
always dies, and the dog always turns around, trotting “in the direction of the camp it
knew, where were the other food-providers and fire-providers.

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 A REVIEW
BY RICHARD
E.KIM Richard Eun Kook Kim was a Korean–American
writer and professor of literature. He was the author
of The Martyred (1964), The Innocent (1968), and
Lost Names (1970), and many other works.

It is hard to be humble when you believe that you are perfect in every way. Accepting
your limitations may save your life. To build a fire, by Jack London, portrays those very
statements through a stubborn man who faces an apocalyptic weather not knowing the
risks. The bearded man had a preconceived idea that he has it all, and failure was not an
option. With that said, the man later finds himself contemplating his previous decision and
dies in regret. London utilizes the protagonist’s personality to prove the inadequacy of
human calculations and the importance of the open-mind.

Human capabilities are far from perfect, and knowing his or her flaws may benefit one
from making rash decisions. For example, the protagonist ventures his way through
mostly solid ground and comes across a long plain of ice. He believes walking on ice was a
good idea and fully trusts the ice’s durability. However, without considering the dangers,
the ice cracks and plunges the man into the water getting his feet wet. This handicaps him
from walking properly. Another example is his knowledge of building a fire. He
successfully built a fire three times in order to cook and warm himself; but, every time he
did so, he would accidently put it out. Cases like these show that humans are imperfect,
and miscalculations dwell in their lives. Only those who are able to accept it, can lower the
risk of making mistakes.

London carefully uses the protagonist’s character as a result to demonstrate the flaws in
humans. The bearded man was led by his competence, leading him to believe anything is
possible. He did not know the problems and risks outside of his spectrum. He lacked
awareness in situations like these, creating more problems and eventually dying. If one
understands what he or she is truly capable of, then he or she will likely survive.

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A REVIEW
BY KATE
PRUDCHENKO Kate Prudchenko's haiku and poetry
"No Need for a Ladder: A Collection
of Haiku inspired by Monterey Bay,"
have been published and translated
in literary journals and newspapers in
Canada, UK and Japan.

“To Build a Fire” is told using the third-person point of view. The narrator is an outsider
who tells the reader a story about the main character. London establishes this point of
view right from the beginning of the story, saying, “when the man turned aside from the
main Yukon trail and climbed the high earth-bank.” The outsider narrator sets the stage
by introducing the setting and referring to the main character as “the man.” Later, in the
story, the narrator also refers to the man using the pronoun “he.”

The theme of the story is that a man’s arrogance in the natural world will result in his
untimely death. The young man is warned against going too far into the wild, but he does
not listen because of his arrogance. Though he successfully starts one fire, he falls into
water, gets wet and struggles starting another fire. His hands grow cold and numb, but
eventually he manages. However, when that fire is accidentally extinguished, the man is
much less successful at building a fire for a third time.

The third-person point of view allows London to cast judgment on his main character’s ill-
advised actions and establish his overall argument, which is that a man who is too
arrogant in the face of nature will suffer the consequences of his arrogance. The use of
the third-person point of view allows the reader to see the man as London sees him – as a
foolish man who deserves whatever consequences nature throws at him. The third-person
point of view does not give the reader intimate access to the man’s thoughts or feelings,
and as a result, the reader has no choice but to conclude that the man is indeed an
arrogant and naïve fool.

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AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST

A REVIEW
BY US.

The story “To build a fire” by Jack London is not only captivating but it also encompasses
certain meanings. Following the flow of the story, readers can find themselves in an exotic
place - Yukon, feel the coldness described in words written by the author. Through the
man’s journey and death, the story wants to show the relationship between man and
nature, that in this case nature is stronger than man. Weather is the true threat in this story
with its (very) low temperature and a hiding danger: snow, trying to defeat the man. The
main character has underestimated the deadly temperature, the danger of nature which
eventually leads to his death. Another thing the story delivers is to listen to others and
animals. The man in this story didn’t take an experienced old man’s advice, the dog sensing
dangers. He insists on continuing his journey, and his ignorance has cost him his life. Which
is utterly interesting but still, disappointing when reckoning on the fact that the man is a
representation for humanity.

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R
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“The trouble with him was that he was without imagination.”

17
THE JOURNEY
LED US TO A
BRILLIANT PIECE
OF LITERATURE...

GROUP'S RATIONALE

Our decision is driven by two primary factors. Firstly, we feel intimately

linked to the protagonist illustrated in the story. To be more specific, he
bears a striking resemblance to teenagers nowadays in terms of
characteristics, namely arrogant, stubborn, relentless and ambitious.
Therefore, we find his tragic death in the end really thought-provoking
and thus demanding our self-reflection. Besides, the author’s style of
writing also justifies our choice. Jack London’s unadorned prose
combined with imagery as well as artful irony has made it easier for us
to envision and deduce the hidden message.

18
 WITH SUCH
IMPERISHABLE
DETAILS...

All in all, I am impressed with the chronological order of

events, among which two details stand out.

The moment the man tries to light a fire to prevent his feet
from freezing is a prime example of sheer determination.
After one half-successful fire-starting endeavor, he still
FAVOURITE DETAILS

remained calm and struggled to build the second and third

one with a glimmer of hope despite his gradually paralyzed
limbs by the tremendous cold. Although every effort he
made went down the drain, his eagerness to survive does
deserve praise and admiration.

Moreover, the instant he was stuck in his internal conflict is

also worth mentioning. While the man was running away in
fear of death, two thoughts came up simultaneously in his
mind, placing him on the horns of dilemma. He then had to
decide whether to continue heading towards the fork or stop
to rest because his destination is too far away. Taking into
consideration the perilous setting of the wilderness and the
deadly cold of Yukon’s winter, not to mention the man’s
frailty as a creature of temperature, moving on means
putting his life on jeopardy. However, the character has
decided to stick to his gun and opt for the former one, which
demonstrates his remarkable persistence and resilience.

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 DISLIKED DETAILS
On the whole, the
moment when the
man needs to dry his
moccasins and his
socks due to the
broken ice is such an
unfortunate story. As a
result, we can witness
the true face of
society in the past -
where the gap The Klondike Gold Rush had revealed a wide
between the rich and gap between the rich and the poor in the
the poor can never be 1900s.
resurrected.

As a result, we can witness the true face of society in the past - where the
gap between the rich and the poor can never be resurrected. This detail at
some point has revealed that there is no such thing as a free lunch, just
some people have the opportunity to have a new life. Despite my distaste
for this detail, this point still holds a very important role in the flow of the
story so it cannot be changed.

It is impossible for an individual to survive in such a severe cold condition.

Without warmth, he can only suffer from the dreadful cold. Hope is once
again lightened when the man succeeds in his attempt to build the fire.
However, misfortune comes when some snow falls down and extinguishes
the fire. At that time, his life seems to have come to an end in stark
condition. Why I regard this detail with disrelish is because the gap between
the rich and the poor in the past had forced them to suffer inequity. I dislike
that the man has to face unexpected difficulties. Under the incisive pen of
the author, the man’s journey is shown to be harsh and has brought
sympathy to all the readers.

20
 AND AN INTERESTING
BACKGROUND.
PERSONAL BACKGROUND HISTORIC BACKGROUND

In retrospect, endurance and single-
mindedness are vital personality traits if
the man is to survive in such a hostile
environment in Yukon, especially when
he travels without a sentiment
companion. This existential theme is not
a mere coincidence, but rather a part of
Jack London’s intention. Since he spent
most of his early years self-studying at
public libraries with the writings of
Charles Darwin and Friedrich Nietzsche,
all prominent thinkers in London’s time,
he is likely to be greatly influenced by
the ideas of such men.
“To Build a Fire" is written during the Klondike
Gold Rush, a surge of gold-mining activity in
the Yukon region of Canada between 1896 and
1899. Numerous prospectors traveled to this
region in an effort to make an asset, some
became wealthy but the majority went in vain.
In 1897, young Jack London sailed to the
Yukon as a gold prospector. Unfortunately, he
never found gold and was soon stricken with
disease, suffering hip pains, and a gum
ailment that took four of his teeth. Despite
these setbacks, his Klondike experiences
provided him inspiration for many of his early
stories.

SOCIAL BACKGROUND

Abandoned by his father, Jack lived with his

mother and stepfather in extreme poverty. At
the age of 10, he was forced to quit school and
do all the labor work only to satisfy his hunger
with the minimum wage he got. Until he reached
19, he still struggled to pay for the university
tuition fee. London seems to have been trapped
in a vicious spiral of poverty and starvation;
therefore, he set off immediately with a view to
seeking a fortune on hearing the discoveries of
gold in Alaska. With a glimmer of hope of striking
it rich, London had ventured his life on such a
risky trip and ignored warnings about harsh
winters he might encounter. He is relentless as
the man in the story, but luckily he survived
against all the odds.

21
 REFERENCES

MAIN SOURCE

https://americanenglish.state.gov/files/ae/reso
urce_files/to-build-a-fire.pdf=

OTHER REFERENCES

Information

https://www.google.com.vn/?client=safari

Review

https://www.erikadreifus.com/about-erika/bio/?fbclid=IwAR2velu38u03VTSGR9RYRfsj7Gy0Wa9-ir-
Sw01BrOUaBd2iNZm2_uf-wWA

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_E._Kim?
fbclid=IwAR2pmlY5eYhtW5NkkPHkMa7jYrPNwFuuxCvvOPCJLwfmcdgrtZfmE95cy_0

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7203788.Kate_Prudchenko?
fbclid=IwAR13A_x16l3vFr01yx7VM8JnyRp2s2E3BPYG_CfX5ji7UL5om-WLzXI7emk

Author and Story

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_Build_a_Fire?
fbclid=IwAR3H94TMRc0pFMILjDOy0sJOiqyJKyBYFxT_kwjw8U36vFi7BrRfTsqNboM

Page cover's animation belongs to Canva.

Picture source: Google Image

22
 Group leader: Thao My Dang

Design:
Thao My Dang
Phuong Ha Nguyen
Content:

Author & Story brief introduction: Phuong Ha Nguyen

Review & Literacy devices: Quoc Trung Vu
Characters: Thao My Dang
Reflection: Khanh Chi Tran
& Duc Kien Cong Phi

A LITERATURE REPORT- GROUP 4

To build a fire.
reading report
flss - eng4
group 4
2020-2021