The Theme Of Ignorance In Jack London's To Build A Fire

In the short story “To Build a Fire” By Jack London I believe that he shows man's ignorance in their own mortality through modernization and false security in our intelligence. An example towards that point would be when the narration in the beginning speaks of his blatant disregard of the concept of freezing and the natural fear of cold, unlike the dog who was listening to his primordial instincts. The man had too much faith in his own intelligence and ingenuity, leading to his demise. In the case of the dog though it did not have pride or any form of hubris to get in its way, following only its instinctual feeling to fear the cold and respect the man with the power to bring him pain.

In my personal opinion I believe that the man didn't realize just how hostile and unforgiving the environment around him was. At first, he forged ahead sure of himself and his abilities, but as time goes on he begins to realize his mistake when a shred of fear is planted in his mind. That first little seed is sowed when he has this thought. “Once in a while the thought reiterated itself that it was very cold and that he had never experienced such cold.” On page three of the story. It was observed by me to be the first little bit of paranoia

He stops to build a fire to dry out his wet clothing, and at first it goes well and leaves us relieved and full of hope. Sadly fate decides to take a cruel twist though, and the man’s fire is blotted out by the falling snow of the tree that he built his fire beneath. He almost loses all hope, and by this time you could see why; his hands have gone nearly dead with the cold, his feet are no longer with feeling, and he has a sense of dreadful panic gnawing at his brain. He scolds himself for being so idiotic as to build his flame beneath a snow laden