Question

Jack London, "To Build a Fire" – Which of the following best describes the man's way of knowing and responding to his surroundings?

1) He calculates his position in the natural world using only man-made measurements.
2) He is oblivious to his surroundings and takes them for granted in their abundance.
3) He inappropriately compares the natural world to the urban world through metaphors.
4) He relies on instinct and intuition to survive in a harsh environment unfit for man.

Answer 1

In Jack London's 'To Build a Fire,' the man uses man-made measurements to calculate his position in the world (option 1), ignoring the natural indicators and ultimately succumbing to the harsh environment due to his underestimation of the natural world's power.

Step-by-step explanation:

Jack London's To Build a Fire details the struggles of a man who underestimates the severity of his environment. In the story, the man's way of knowing and responding to his surroundings is best described as option 1 - he calculates his position in the natural world using only man-made measurements. He fails to heed the advice of more experienced individuals and pays the ultimate price. Throughout his journey, the man consistently overlooks the cues nature provides, instead relying on his judgment and artificial sense of control.

London depicts the man as someone accustomed to the lack of sun and undeterred by the cold, yet in an almost dismissive state of denial about the dangers he faces. His decision to build a fire under a spruce tree, which eventually leads to the extinguishing of the fire by snow from the branches above, highlights his lack of instinctive respect for the natural forces he is pitted against. In contrast to the man's hubris, the dog in the story displays a natural instinct and a better understanding of the perilous situation.