Naturalism_in__To_Build_a_Fire_

Naturalism in “To Build a Fire” In his many novels and short stories, Jack London exposes the American readers to a new world outside of their homes, away from their comfy fireplaces. A majority of his writings deal with life, death, and journeys through the tundra regions of the world, mainly The Yukon. London is undoubtedly best known for these things, and also the presence of animals in his classic tales. In “To Build a Fire,” London shows the reader how cruel and unjust nature can be towards humanity. Jack London and his writings, more specifically “To Build a Fire,” portray in great detail, through vivid descriptions, the extreme circumstances brought about by the wilderness, making his Naturalistic outlook on life evident. When looking deeper into the Naturalistic ideas inside “To Build a Fire,” the reader really becomes tied up in the intense setting and mood that the story will prove to have. One quality of Naturalism is an outdoors that is indifferent to humanity; it just doesn’t care, The setting and mood is introduced in the first paragraph of the story. The rigid, unforgiving climate of the Yukon is described as “cold and gray” by London. The same paragraph of the story describes the setting and mood very vividly at the same time, claiming that “there was no hint of sun” and the clouds were nowhere to be found. “It was a clear day” but there seemed to be “gloom that made the day dark.” (London). This line in the first paragraph tells the reader more about the mood of the writing with a slight bit of foreshadowing going on. The reader soon finds out that the temperature is -50 degrees. Evolution and some of its basic principles can be considered Naturalistic in several cases. In “To Build a Fire,” the temperature is approaching -80 degrees. Survival of the fittest is very evident in this story, and it works together with the harshness of nature in order to get the main message across. All humans, especially men, are well adapted for certain environments, but not the tundra. Humans have adapted to live in environments that are much warmer. The Husky, on the other hand, was bred in freezing temperatures, and therefore it has a thick coat, and will survive longer than the man will. Other ideas that make their way into the naturalistic realm are instinct and intellectualism. As the main character stopped and spit when he walked through the freezing tundra, “there was a sharp, explosive crackle that startled him” (London). He knew that in order for spit to freeze this fast, it had to be at least -50 degrees. The man had also heard it said by an “old-timer” that no one should travel the Klondike alone after fifty below, but thought that he was too manly to listen to the old-timers advice. Also the matches, the map, and the thermometer all fail miserably when it comes to survival. Man’s ideas and knowledge, no matter how brilliant or how much they mean, cannot help you survive when conditions are extreme. The dog on the other hand, is basing survival on instincts and adaptations. Its fur helps keep it warm. Its instincts let it know how the environment is changing and getting colder. Its incredible sense of smell tells it where the camp is, because the Husky can smell the fire. The dog, even though less developed and less “evolved,” will still outlive the man because instincts are greater than intellect when it comes to extreme conditions. “To Build a Fire” possesses many qualities that are considered naturalistic. The tundra climate in the Yukon and Klondike regions proves too much for the man, and we can see nature’s indifference to life. Also in Naturalism, more specifically “To Build a Fire,” we can observe that instinct is greater than intellect in certain situations. The climate and environment is extremely unforgiving and cold. This short story has, over time, become a textbook example of Naturalism in my mind. Works Cited