Text Analysis Activity: “To Build a Fire,” by Jack London
Part I: Write a brief (one-paragraph) summary of the story.
Part II: Provide all the information requested for each of the characteristics listed in the first row of the following chart.
Setting
Protagonist
Conflict
Symbolism
Definition
Textual Evidence
Definition
Textual Evidence
Definition
Textual Evidence
Definition
Textual Evidence
What does this evidence
tell us about the setting?
Why is the setting
important to this story?
What does this evidence tell
us about the protagonist?
What other characteristics
of the protagonist exist in
the story?
What does this
evidence tell us
about the conflict in
this story?
How would you
define the conflict in
this story?
What is the symbolism
demonstrated in this
textual evidence?
What else might be
symbolic in this story?
Part III: See “Guiding Questions” in Short Story Unit PDF.
Figurative Language/
Imagery
Definition
Textual Evidence (one
each)
What type of figurative
language is being used
here?
What type of imagery is
being used here?
What do these examples
of figurative language
and imagery
communicate to the
reader?
Theme
Definition
Textual Evidence
What is the theme of
this story?
How does this textual
evidence illustrate this
theme?