Final answer:
The man's second attempt to build a fire fails when snow from above extinguishes it, leading to his eventual acceptance of death.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Paragraph 17 of Jack London's "To Build a Fire," the man finds himself in a dire situation after his second attempt to build a fire fails. The snow from the boughs of the tree under which he made his fire falls and extinguishes it. Realizing his grave mistake, he contemplates death and the critical advice of the old-timer on Sulphur Creek, who had warned against traveling alone in such extreme cold. Struggling to light another fire due to his numb hands, the man eventually succumbs to the harsh conditions, accepting his impending death.