The theme of Jack London’s 1908 version of “To Build a Fire” is that nature’s significance overpowers the unimportant needs of man. In the 1908 version, a half-wolf dog was added into the literary work to further the plot and significance of the story, highlighting this central theme of existence. The addition of the dog in the revision helped emphasize the theme by representing the primitivity of nature, and providing contrast. By combining these two elements, London asserts his understanding of the tragic and brutal relationship between man and nature.
The brutality and utter wildness of the dog represents the ferocity and unforgivable power of nature that trounces the miniscule thoughts of the mere man. Nature shapes the fate of humanity,…
The grating cold and bleak surroundings “made no impression on the man” (6) while the dog became “depressed by the tremendous cold” (7), painting the man as a figure unaffected by the severe conditions, immortal and daunting. He viewed the conditions as “cold and uncomfortable, and that was all” (6), which gave him a tough aspect of character, showing the ultimate power and force of nature over man, no matter how fortifying and strong he may be. These characteristics illustrates a contrast between the state of mankind and the state of nature. The animal also provides a comparison of the ignorance of humans’ instinct in comparison to the animal who understands the ferocity of nature. Allowing the environment to kill the man indicates that he is weak both mentally and biologically, while on the other hand the dog is stronger by surviving the same harsh surroundings of the brutal Yukon. “The brute had its instinct” (7) and “its instinct told it a truer tale than was told to the man” (7), because the man was “not much given to thinking”, displaying his obvious ignorance about the ways of nature and how the animal’s instincts trumped his own. Although the man was “keenly observant” (8), he was woefully inept at survival and despite the man’s tough aspects of character, his utter ignorance and over-confidence in himself led to his demise and allowed nature to shape his grisly…
