Book report – “ To build a fire” by Jack London

One man against the cold is naught but a scared animal fighting against a
primordial enemy it has no chance of conquering. Multiple men against the cold
can resist and even subjugate this great foe, through willpower and intelligence.
That is why you do not travel alone through the Yukon when it’s 50 below. The
man in Jack London’s horrifying short story “To build a fire”, however didn’t have
any companion with him, other than a native dog and a packed lunch.
Written in the third person, the book tells the story of a prospector making
his way to a camp on Henderson Creek, accompanied by a dog native to the Yukon
region. In the beginning, everything goes well, the man keeps a steady pace, makes
a fire, warms himself and eats lunch, but tragedy strikes once the man falls in a
small pool of water, and builds a fire, only for it to be extinguished twice. His
desperation gives way to the dignity with which he will face death.
In my opinion, the man and the dog in the story are polar opposites, the man
signifying the arrogance of humanity, thinking we are invincible and not the fragile
creatures we truly are, but also the power of the indomitable human spirit, which
will fight to the bitter end, while the dog embodies nature itself, fearing and
respecting the cold even if the man is oblivious to its dangers.
The short story touches on many themes, including the arrogance and will of
humanity, the all-encompassing power of nature, and simply, fear. I think that Jack
London’s style and great use of repetition makes this book extremely terrifying and
extremely alluring at the same time.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has 30 minutes to spare
and is a fan of horror and doomed heroes.