Man's Best Friend

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Man’s Best Friend

The character in “A Blizzard under Blue Sky,” by author Pam Houston is clinically depressed, and desires to go winter camping it hopes to gain some relief from her daily stresses. The character views nature as something that is good for a person, and is somewhat rejuvenating. “ One of the things I love most about the natural world is the way it gives you what’s good for you even if you don’t know it at the time”(284). The character in “To Build a Fire” by author Jack London, is somewhat numb as far as emotions are concerned. “Fifty degrees below zero meant eighty-odd degrees of frost. Such fact impressed him as being cold and uncomfortable, and that was all” (295). His only hope and desire, is to get back to camp, where the “boys” are.

The character in “A Blizzard under Blue Sky” decides to go camping and takes Jackson and Hailey with her, her two best friends. Jackson is an oversized male dog and Hailey is a female. The character proudly goes into detail about each of her dog’s personalities. She speaks of her dogs as companions, and she converses with them. “It’s fabulous here”, I told the dogs. “But so far it’s not working” (285). “Come on Mom”, Jackson said. “Ski harder, go faster, climb higher” (285). The character also shares her sleeping bag with her dog Haley, so that she can stay warm too.

On the other hand, the character in “To Build a Fire” has a dog as well; it is a large native husky. The character is this story does not pay as much attention to his dog. “The dog dropped in again at his heels, with a tail drooping discouragement, as the man swung along the creek bed” (296). The character also sends his dog in ahead of him, when he senses danger. “The dog did

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not want to go” (297). In addition, he tries to kill the dog near the end in hopes keep warm. “He would kill the dog and bury his hands in the warm body until the numbness went out of them” (302).

Both characters do have some similarities however, because both characters are warned, about the extremely cold weather conditions. The character in “To Build a Fire” is warned by a man in Sulphur Creek. “That man from Sulphur Creek had spoken the truth when telling how cold it sometimes got in the country.

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