When people commit unreasonable actions, they shall suffer. Arrogance often leads to one’s downfall. No sense in taking chances if one does not have to, yet these two individuals decide to take the risk. Death from the cold, these two arrogant men had to suffer through. One on land, clear-cutting trees in frigid temperatures, while the other, hunts ducks with his family, on a sinking hump in the blizzarding seas. In Jack London’s “To Build A Fire” and Lawrence Sargent Hall’s “The Ledge” both protagonists demonstrate similarities in their interactions with nature and themselves, but differ the most in their interactions among other characters. Both main characters in “To Build A Fire” and “The Ledge” exhibit similar interactions with …show more content…
nature. In “To Build A Fire”, the character not only disregards the advice from the man from Sulfur Creek, who accused him not travel alone in such low temperatures, he calls his advice “woman’s fears”. Similarly in “The Ledge”, the fisherman dismisses his wife’s, who pleads with the fisherman twice to stay at home for Christmas, by calling them womanish. But blinded by arrogance or their stupidity, both men disregarded their advice as it was too cold for them. Also, as a female, Mother Nature takes offense to this. In “To Build A Fire”, the character goes off the main trail going on a more dangerous “shortcut”. This is similar to when in “The Ledge”, the fisherman sails into the obscure bay and onto Devil’s Hump; a rocky mound that submerges at high tide and is only accessible at low tide, instead of hunting from the safety of Brown Cow Island. Also, in “To Build A Fire”, the man does not have any idea that the temperatures would drop to negative 50 degrees and the fact the temperature would continuously decrease. Also in “The Ledge”, the fisherman did not expect that his skiff would drift out to sea. This leads to both characters’ undoing, while the man in “To Build A Fire” was unprepared for the cold, the fisherman in “The Ledge” was left stranded on Devil’s Hump without his skiff to get himself to the safety of land as water levels increases and a blizzard. In “To Build A Fire”, the man intends to clear-cut trees, which is more than he needs and in “The Ledge”, the fisherman shoots ninety-two ducks, which is far more than he needs. Both characters display similar interactions with nature but, they also display similar interactions with themselves. Both protagonists in “To Build A Fire” and “The Ledge” display similar interactions with themselves. In “To Build A Fire”, the man detaches emotionally from his canine companion, Pepper, calling it “the dog” also, he relies on his book smarts, ignoring common sense. Similarly in “The Ledge”, the fisherman said he needs to be more scientific and less emotional by calling his son “it” when they were about to die. In “To Build A Fire”, the man knows that one hundred thousand people set out but only forty thousand survive. But despite that, he goes off the main trail anyway, disregarding the fact that he has a less than a fifty-fifty chance of survival. While in “The Ledge”, the fisherman knows there are no other boats out at sea and the fact that it is Christmas, disregarding the fact that no one else is on the ocean on Christmas morning and he should not be out sailing in the ocean too, with his thirteen-year-old son and a fifteen-year-old nephew who can’t swim. In “To Build A Fire”, during the man’s final moments he thought that perhaps the man from Sulphur Creek was right and that he should’ve taken his advice. Also, in “The Ledge”, near the man’s death, he realizes he should have stayed in his wife’s warm bed. But for both characters it was too late as death for them was inevitable and there is no turning back. In “To Build A Fire”, the man envies the dog for its warmth, and in “The Ledge”, the fisherman envies the dog because it doesn’t know what is happening to them and it doesn’t have to see everyone else die. As both characters consider the fate of their canine companion. Both main characters demonstrate similar interactions with themselves, but they differ the most in their interactions with other characters. Both characters in “To Build A Fire” and “The Ledge” differ the most in their interactions among other characters.
In “To Build A Fire”, the man tries to kill his dog, for its natural warm covering because he learned that someone else who was stuck in a blizzard lived because the person killed a deer and then him or her stuffed themselves into the deer’s corpse to avoid death from the cold. In “The Ledge”, the man tries to save his son, which is one of his companions, instead of trying to kill it. In “To Build A Fire”, the man is strict to his dog, his companion the whole time from the beginning to his final moments before running off crazily, as a last-ditch effort to preserve his life, whereas in “The Ledge”, the man is strict at first, because his son and nephew forgot his tobacco, but he later became more tender and caring at the end when the fisherman, son, and nephew all realize that death was inevitable for them. In “To Build A Fire”, the man forces his dog to walk on thin ice to test if the ice is thick enough to be walked over, but the ice proved to be too thin to be walked over and the dog almost falls into the freezing water beneath. Whereas in “The Ledge”, the man warns his son and nephew to be careful not to get their fingers wet, but the son and nephew get them wet anyways. Lastly, in “To Build A Fire”, all the dog wants was for the man to start a fire because of the frigid temperatures; it was impatient. But in “The Ledge”, the pooch waits patiently for the ducks; thanks to its training, while the unseasoned son and nephew are impatient to
shoot. In conclusion, in Jack London’s “To Build A Fire” and Lawrence Sargent Hall’s “The Ledge” both protagonists demonstrate similarities in their interactions with nature and themselves, but differ the most in their interactions with other characters. Whereas one man is on land, clear-cutting trees and the other by sea on a sinking rock shooting ducks. Two men had to suffer a cold demise, due to arrogance and taking too much from others. There is no need to take risks, but these two individuals did anyway, taking the risk. Arrogance may lead to one’s downfall. When people learn to take only what is needed, he shall live in prosperity.
Into the Wild by John Krakauer is a rare book in which its author freely admits his bias within the first few pages. “I won't claim to be an impartial biographer,” states Krakauer in the author’s note, and indeed he is not. Although it is not revealed in the author's note whether Krakauer's bias will be positive or negative, it can be easily inferred. Krakauer's explanation of his obsession with McCandless's story makes it evident that Into the Wild was written to persuade the reader to view him as the author does; as remarkably intelligent, driven, and spirited. This differs greatly from the opinion many people hold that McCandless was a simply a foolhardy kid in way over his head. Some even go as far as saying that his recklessness was due to an apparent death-wish. Krakauer uses a combination of ethos, logos and pathos throughout his rendition of McCandless’s story to dispute these negative outlooks while also giving readers new to this enigmatic adventure a proper introduction.
Many people were puzzled on why the young man decided to go on such an expedition without being properly prepared. His death has led to a controversy between whether he should be idolized for having the courage to follow his dream or repulsed for his grand stupidity. Although Krakauer never met McCandless, he provides his readers with personal examples that explain why the young man went on this journey. Expecting his readers to comprehend McCandless, Krakauer’s primary purpose is to help his readers understand the importance of embracing one's personal dreams. In order to achieve his purpose, he uses a variation of literary and rhetorical techniques. Some of these techniques include epigrams and ethos. These devices are essential to Krakauer’s purpose because they illustrate and explain the reasons why McCandless went into the inhospitable landscape of Alaska.
In the fiction short story “Greasy Lake” author Bruce Springsteen writes about three young adults who think of themselves as tough characters only to have a run-in with actual bad people which put into perspective how they were merely acting like rebels and that they didn’t truly have it in them. There are many notions of epiphany and evolution in “Greasy Lake”. The protagonist which is also the narrator of the story tells the events in a sorrowful way. He forms his sentences in a way that lets the reader know that he doesn’t feel the same way anymore. This regret, this remorse is a rhetorical appeal known as pathos, which focuses on emotions. Author Springsteen uses pathos in his bildungsroman, more distinctly realism and foils in order to persuade the reader of the epiphany and evolution that the protagonist now has in his life.
In 1990, when he was 22 years old, Christopher McCandless ventured out into the Alaska wilderness in search for true happiness, and 2 years later he suffered a tragic death. An aspiring writer, Jon Krakauer, found McCandless’ story fascinating and chose to dedicate 3 years of his life to write a novel about him. The book entitled “Into the Wild” tells the tale of Christopher McCandless, an ill prepared transcendentalist longing for philosophical enrichment, who naïvely, failed to consider the dangers of isolating himself from human society for such a long period of time. Though Christopher McCandless made a courageous attempt to separate himself from society, in order to achieve self-fulfillment, the stubborn nature of this reckless greenhorn led him to his unfortunate demise.
Jon Krakauer, fascinated by a young man in April 1992 who hitchhiked to Alaska and lived alone in the wild for four months before his decomposed body was discovered, writes the story of Christopher McCandless, in his national bestseller: Into the Wild. McCandless was always a unique and intelligent boy who saw the world differently. Into the Wild explores all aspects of McCandless’s life in order to better understand the reason why a smart, social boy, from an upper class family would put himself in extraordinary peril by living off the land in the Alaskan Bush. McCandless represents the true tragic hero that Aristotle defined. Krakauer depicts McCandless as a tragic hero by detailing his unique and perhaps flawed views on society, his final demise in the Alaskan Bush, and his recognition of the truth, to reveal that pure happiness requires sharing it with others.
Although, Chris McCandless may be seen as stupid and his ideals uncanny, he gave up everything to follow his heart he escaped the world that would have changed him, he wrote his own tale to feel free, and he left a conformist world to indulge in true happiness. How many people would just give up their lives, family, material goods, to escape into a world of perfect solitude and peace; not many and Chris was one of those that could and he became and inspiration. “The idea of free personality and the idea of life as sacrifice” (187).
...ne that when reading from an objective point of view the audience is able to place themselves in a similar position as the man. A story about man without a name and a face to visualize leaves only his personality for the readers to connect with. In “To Build a Fire” the man’s determination is the character of the story, through all the events that transpire he is still willing to meet his friends, “the boys”, by six o’clock. Although it took another writer’s opinion to help me comprehend the true intentions of London’s “To Build a Fire”, my appreciation for the piece has grown along with my understanding of what sets naturalism apart from other writing styles.
“Thin Between Love and Hate” is a popular 1970’s song that highlights the possibility of caring for someone one minute and suddenly disliking them the next minute because of an intense situation. This song relates to enjoyment and stupidity in life because a person can have the tendency to want to have fun but end up taking imprudent and hazardous steps in order to fulfill their amusement. “Death of an Innocent” written by Jon Krakauer features the unpredictable events that result from the radical acts of an individual named Chris McCandless. Chris McCandless’ wilderness expeditions transfigured him into an imbecile because he demonstrated signs of being overconfident, negligent, and stubborn.
His yearning, in sense, was too powerful to be quenched by human contact. The succor offered by women may have tempted McCandless, but it paled beside the prospect of rough congress with nature, with the cosmos itself. And thus was he drawn north, to Alaska” (66). These clear and intelligent principles of McCandless’s achievable attitude maintained his decision to endeavor into the wilderness because it displays that he was allured to it because of the gratification it would deliver him, one that could not be satisfied by a mere human. Krakauer shifts to his comparisons of other travelers before McCandless. “Reading of the monks, one is moved by their courage, their reckless innocence and their urgency of desire. And with that one can’t help but think of Everett Russ and Chris McCandless,” (Krakauer 97). The author declares this in order to exemplify a similarity of individuals who were in comparable situations like Chris and took the same
Stephen Crane’s short story, “The Open Boat” speaks directly to Jack London’s own story, “To Build A Fire” in their applications of naturalism and views on humanity. Both writers are pessimistic in their views of humanity and are acutely aware of the natural world. The representations of their characters show humans who believe that they are strong and can ably survive, but these characters many times overestimate themselves which can lead to an understanding of their own mortality as they face down death.
Richard Connells “The Most Dangerous Game” is a short story which illustrates how calm analytical thinking can increase your odds of survival and controlling panic. We are introduced to the protagonist and main character, Sanger Rainsford, who is a big game hunter and a WW1 veteran. The story starts off with a conversation between Whitney and Rainsford discussing the island, so we can understand the reputation it holds. Whitney is a fellow hunter, a flat character and used mainly as a plot tool.
"I am absolutely confident that beyond the motif itself, there is no similarity of treatment whatever" (544). Jack London, writing in December 1908, was responding to an inquiry from the Richard W. Gilder, editor of Century Magazine. Gilder, having just published "To Build a Fire" in his magazine, was worried when he came across another version published 6 years earlier. London's explanation was that the first story was for boys and the new one was for men; the only similarity being the motif itself. Through careful analysis of the two stories, in light of this letter to Gilder, and another letter to Cloudesly Johns, it is apparent that although London claims no similarities (besides the motif), they definitely exist.
Altho somewhat similar the two stories are very different in many ways. The first story is called “Mystery of Heroism” by Stephen Crane and the other one is “To Build a Fire” by Jack London. Both of the books are part of the short story genre and realism stories. The author's purpose for writing the “Mystery of Heroism” is to tell a story about a brave man who went to get water for a dying man. The purpose for writing “To Build a Fire” is to tell about a man and his dog and how he tried to fight the below freezing temperatures to stay alive. Both authors use realism because they want to tell real stories about people and how they had to overcome struggles in their lifetime. These two stories have similarities but they are way more different than anything else. One of the stories is about a man who has to overcome fear to get water for a man.
Kloss, Robert. "Balancing the Hurts and the Needs: I Stand Here Ironing." Journal of Evolutionary Psychology. Vol. 15. Nos. 1-2 March 1994: 78-86. Rpt. in Contemporary Literary Criticism. Ed. Roger Matuz. Vol. 114. Detroit: Gale Research, 1990. 244-249.
E.J. Pratt is a poet who is especially well known for his narrative poems, which are in the nature of epic tales that are told about man’s battle with nature, and his experiences at sea and other Canadian stories [Froesce, n.d.]. His poems may be divided into two categories, the longer epic narrative poems which have drawn more public attention and the shorter variety. The poem “Ice floes” is an example of the former, while the poem “Newfoundland” is an example of the latter. The poem “Ice Floes” details the experiences of several men who are battling the frozen waters of the arctic in the pursuit of seals, but as they are busy skinning and scalping the seals, the fury of a storm ravages the area. The poem ”Newfoundland” is also about the sea, a descriptive poem that touches upon the tides and the weeds, the winds and the crag. Therefore, both these poems essentially deal with the theme of the sea and its constituents. There are other similar themes explored in these two poems, of which the fury of the wind and the power of the sea are the predominant ones.