Man's Ignorance In 'To Build A Fire'

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Throughout history it has always been shown that nature can overcome man. Natural disasters such as Earthquakes and blizzards are just two examples of how nature overcomes man. It is shown that man is no match to nature because the humans do almost always end up dying to the hands of nature. Man, can also die to nature because of how nature controls the seasons. We rely on nature to rain to help grow crops, and without it none of the food would grow. Also, if the temperature gets too hot or too cold and we are not clothed properly, then we would die to the hands of nature. Usually, nature is more powerful than man. There can not be a balance between man and nature because of man’s ignorance, arrogance, and inexperience and it is shown through …show more content…

Ignorance is found when the man ignores the old man’s words of advice about bringing a companion, “The man had been very serious when he said that no man should travel alone in the country after 50 below zero” (72). This shows ignorance because the man knows not to travel alone in the wild when the temperature is below 50 degrees, but he still goes there anyway because he is ignorant. Nature ends up overcoming man because of this, because had he brought a companion then he would not have died to the hands of nature. Inexperience is found in this story when the snow crashes down on his fire, “The snow fell without warning upon the man and the fire, and the fire was dead” (73). If the man was experienced, he would have known not to build the fire under the tree that was filled with snow. This is a prime example of inexperience because he would not have died if he was experienced. Arrogance is found in this passage after he ignores the man from Sulphur Creek’s life, “Well, here he was; he had had the accident; he was alone; and he had saved himself” (72). This shows arrogance because he has not got through the wild yet, and he is already saying that he is amazing. The arrogance led him to believe that he was better than nature, but then nature ends up killing him. To conclude, in the short story, “To Build a Fire” shows examples …show more content…

The first example of ignorance is found when Hal, Charles, and Mercedes decide to cross the frozen pond even though it is spring, “The bottom’s likely to drop out at any moment. Only fools, with blind luck of fools, could have made it” (69). Hal, Charles, and Mercedes were told that they would die if they continued, but they did and they died. They died in nature because of their inexperience ignorance and arrogance. A second example from the call of the wild is an example of inexperience and it is found with Hal, Charles, and Mercedes when they overfeed the dogs, “It was inevitable that they should go short on dog food. But they hastened it by overfeeding the, bringing the day nearer when underfeeding would commence” (63). This is an example of inexperience because if Hal, Charles, and Mercedes were experienced then they would have known to spread out the rations for the dogs instead of overfeeding and then underfeeding the dogs. This resulted in the dogs being fatigued for the days that would follow and is one of the reasons that the three of them and the dogs all died. Third is arrogance and is found when Hal, Charles, and Mercedes are talking to John Thornton and he tells them not to continue their journey and Hal says, “That’s because you’re not a fool, I suppose. All the same well go on to Dawson” (69). Hal thought that he was better than

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