Project Blog #16 - Jack London — “To Build a Fire”

"To Build A Fire" by Jack London strongly demonstrates the power of nature, similar to the philosophies and ideas Henry David Thoreau. The story's strong position on nature proves to the protagonist that society should respect the delicate and serene power beheld in mother nature. In a way, nature is sort of like another being. The man in the story felt he could continue his trek through the snow with his dog. Each step he took further into his journey, he was setting himself up for failure. Ralph Waldo Emerson says that man should respect nature because of its pristine beauty and significance. He says that an individual should look to nature for somewhat of self-help and guidance. I think the man in the story did not respect nature in the way he should. It can also be compared to how the man thinks. In one literary criticism, Patricia Brugman says that a man also has his own "nature". She says that it cannot be changed and that one must first find it through themselves. This would then allow the individual a detox of the burden of life itself. She then makes the connection that Emerson says regarding a man's nature. "I suppose no man can change his nature," (Brugman).

Even in today's society, we try to be like the main character in "To Build A Fire". We feel as if our technology and standard of living is so much better than that of nature. Trees are being torn down to build multi-million housing complexes. We cannot be like the man in the story. We cannot think that we have control over something so natural and beautiful like that of the forest, the snow covered bushes, or the stars in the sky. When we find our inner nature, according to Emerson, we then have so much power, not in the sense of superiority over nature, but in the sense that nature is on our side and not going to deceive us in any way. These ideas by Emerson demonstrate a high knowledge of respect and intellect.

Brugman, Patricia. "Nature in 'Self-Reliance'." McClinton-Temple, Jennifer ed. Encyclopedia of

Themes in Literature. New York: Infobase Publishing, 2011. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc.

London, Jack. "To Build a Fire, by Jack London." The World of Jack London 2012®. Web. 11 Mar. 2012.