Knowledge or Instinct? Jack London’s “To Build a Fire”
Introduction
The man "was a newcomer in the land, a chechaquo, and this was
his first winter." Jack London's startling, and even cold, observation of a
man's foolish confidence in the face of nature's power forms the story "To
Build a Fire." As the man and his animal companion take a less-traveled
path to their Yukon camp, they step into a tale of wilderness survival and
dire circumstances. London's stark, distanced portrayal is an excellent
example of American literary naturalism. In this lesson, students will closely
read "To Build a Fire," understand the use of narrative point of view, and
debate the distinction between knowledge and instinct. Students can
then learn about the elements of literary naturalism and how they relate
to London's work.
Learning Objectives
In this lesson, students will learn how to:
 Examine critically the relationship of man and nature in "To Build a
Fire"
 Discuss London's juxtaposition of knowledge and instinct
 Understand third person, omniscient point of view
 Conduct in-depth character analysis

Guiding Questions
 What is the relationship of man and nature in London's short story "To
Build a Fire"?
 In London's story, what is the difference between knowledge and
instinct?
Student’s will carefully read "To Build a Fire". Ask pupils to describe the
main character of the story—"the man"—in a brief character analysis
assignment. Using starting questions, such as:
 How would you describe the man in London's story?
 How experienced is the man? Is he a novice? Prepared?
 What does the man seem to think of his own abilities?
 How does the man behave in relation to his environment?
Ask students to share their brief character assessments. After going over
the basic characteristics of the man, turn students' focus to his relationship
to the environment.
Narration Point of View
Students may have noticed by now that the man is cheerfully unaware of
the situation that he is in during the first section of the story. Ask students to
point to specific passages that allow them to know this information.
Students might point out, for example, that "the animal was depressed by
the tremendous cold." They might also point out the man's recollection of
how he laughed at the "that man from Sulphur Creek [who] had spoken
the truth when telling how cold it sometimes got in the country."
For an extended exercise, ask students to cut and paste the online version
of the story in a word processing document. Using a highlighting tool,
students can color code the narration as they are reading the story.
[Note: students can conduct this activity with print copy of the story using
one or two highlighter colors.] Ask students to mark each time the narrator
 has knowledge unknown to the characters themselves
 provides his own commentary
Ask students to refer to their color coding as you lead a class discussion, or
have students spend ten minutes in group work finding appropriate
passages in the text, considering the following questions:
 Identify passages in the story where the narrator either has
knowledge unknown to the characters themselves or where the
narrator provides his own commentary.
 How would you describe the tone of the narrator?
 Does the narration foreshadow subsequent events? How?
 How does the narrator feel about the character(s) at this point in
the story?
Ask students what point-of-view the narrator is adopting in this story—first
or third person? Students should be able to note that the narration is from
a third-person perspective, since the narrator is not using "I" to describe
him- or herself.
As a follow-up question, you might ask students to consider:
 How would this passage be different if it were narrated via first
person point of view? Would the story change?

How would the story change if it were written in first person?
Instinct and Knowledge
Ask students to consider what it means "to build a fire." While initial
responses may focus on notions of survival or suggest the relationship of
fire to knowledge. Ask students to revisit London's story and to note
passages that discuss knowledge and instinct. The shared space is
available for those passages where the situation is unclear. For example,
London writes: "Empty as the man's mind was of thoughts, he was keenly
observant, and he noticed the changes in the creek…" This passage
suggests a certain assumed kind of knowledge that, we discover later, did
not prevent him from surviving his fall into the ice. Students should also pay
attention to the dog's instincts.
After students have had some time to look for instances of knowledge
and instinct, ask them to first compare the main character to the Sulphur
Creek old-timer who gave advice. What are some key differences in their
attitudes towards nature and their knowledge of nature?
Next ask students to compare the man and the dog:
 How is the relationship between the man and the dog discussed at
first?
 What did the dog instinctively understand that the man did not?
 How does the man and dog's relationship symbolize the man's
relationship to his environment?
Students will likely point out that the man was initially established as the
master of the dog. The narrator discussed the "whip lash" and the "harsh
and menacing throat sounds" the man used towards the dog, which even
convinced the dog to risk its life for the man. Students should be able to
point out several passages that establish what the dog knew about the
weather and landscape that was not obvious to the man. They should
highlight a key passage:
"On the other hand, there was no keen intimacy between the dog
and the man… so the dog made no effort to communicate its
apprehension to the man."
Students might note that the dog in many respects symbolizes the natural
landscape that surrounds them. Just as the man did not respect the dog,
so too does the man fail to respect the world around him. Ask students to
consider this suggestion as they reread the passage of the story that
describes the struggle between the man and the dog. The man, freezing,
attempts to kill the dog in order to steal its warmth, a futile struggle that is
an apt symbol for the life and death struggle he is experiencing in the
wilderness.
As students draw to the close of the story, ask them to consider the
following questions:
 What does the man's failure to "build a fire" symbolize?
 Does the man have either knowledge or instinct?
 Did the man finally gain knowledge at the end of the story?
 What is the significance of the dog's final movement towards
civilization at the end of the story? What does this suggest about the
dog's relationship to nature? Is instinct driving this movement?
New Discovery
Break student’s up into groups and have them discover for themselves
pertinent information regarding different aspects of our reading. This
project is open to the students interpretation on what they deem
important. Students may use any means to present their work. Their
findings can be presented as a poster, report, Powerpoint, diorama, play,
model, etc… The pupils must work together and each have a part in
contributing to the presentation.
 Jack London
 The Yukon Territory
 Frostbite
 Hypothermia
 Wilderness survival
 Emergency Preparedness
 Snow Travel
Oral Presentation Rubric : To Build A Fire Discovery
Teacher Name: S Miller
Student Name: ________________________________________
CATEGORY
Comprehension
Collaboration
with Peers
4
Student is able
to accurately
answer almost
all questions
posed by
classmates
about the topic.
Almost always
listens to, shares
with, and
supports the
efforts of others
in the group.
Tries to keep
3
Student is able
to accurately
answer most
questions posed
by classmates
about the topic.
2
Student is able
to accurately
answer a few
questions posed
by classmates
about the topic.
Usually listens
to, shares with,
and supports the
efforts of others
in the group.
Does not cause
"waves" in the
Often listens to,
shares with, and
supports the
efforts of others
in the group but
sometimes is
not a good team
1
Student is
unable to
accurately
answer
questions posed
by classmates
about the topic.
Rarely listens
to, shares with,
and supports the
efforts of others
in the group.
Often is not a
good team
people working
well together.
group.
member.
member.
Enthusiasm
Facial
expressions and
body language
generate a
strong interest
and enthusiasm
about the topic
in others.
Facial
expressions and
body language
are used to try
to generate
enthusiasm, but
seem somewhat
faked.
Very little use
of facial
expressions or
body language.
Did not
generate much
interest in topic
being presented.
Vocabulary
Uses
vocabulary
appropriate for
the audience.
Extends
audience
vocabulary by
defining words
that might be
new to most of
the audience.
Student uses
several props
(could include
costume) that
show
considerable
work/creativity
and which make
the presentation
better.
Facial
expressions and
body language
sometimes
generate a
strong interest
and enthusiasm
about the topic
in others.
Uses
vocabulary
appropriate for
the audience.
Includes 1-2
words that
might be new to
most of the
audience, but
does not define
them.
Student uses 1
prop that shows
considerable
work/creativity
and which make
the presentation
better.
Uses
vocabulary
appropriate for
the audience.
Does not
include any
vocabulary that
might be new to
the audience.
Uses several (5
or more) words
or phrases that
are not
understood by
the audience.
Student uses 1
prop which
makes the
presentation
better.
The student
uses no props
OR the props
chosen detract
from from the
presentation.
Props
Date Created: Nov 09, 2009 12:43 pm (UTC)
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