Final answer:
In 'To Build a Fire' by Jack London, a man struggles for survival against the merciless cold of the Yukon with only a dog for company, highlighting a menacing battle with nature.
Step-by-step explanation:
The passage describes critical moments in Jack London's narrative, "To Build a Fire", where the protagonist faces the brutal Yukon cold while accompanied only by his dog. These excerpts illustrate the man's battle against the harsh wilderness and personify the relentless cold as an antagonist. In facing the severe cold with just a dog, the man struggles against nature, against the possibility of freezing to death, and against his own psychological limitations and fear.
The intense imagery used by London emphasizes the foreboding wilderness and questions whether humans have a place in such an extreme environment. The struggle showcases a classic man versus nature conflict and emphasizes the man's underestimation of the Yukon's deadly cold.