Which of the following best describes how the narrator describes nature, especially the cold? AThe narrator describes the cold as a pervasive, almost personified force. BThe narrator describes nature constantly changing and unpredictable. CThe narrator describes nature, even the dog, as indifferent to the struggles of the man. DThe narrator describes the cold as merely an element that can be easily conquered by men and fire.

Question

English

Abraham Bridges

1 October, 21:42

Which of the following best describes how the narrator describes nature, especially the cold? AThe narrator describes the cold as a pervasive, almost personified force. BThe narrator describes nature constantly changing and unpredictable. CThe narrator describes nature, even the dog, as indifferent to the struggles of the man. DThe narrator describes the cold as merely an element that can be easily conquered by men and fire.

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Answers (1)

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Anne Harris · Answer 1

This question is in reference to the short story "To Build a Fire", by Jack London.

Answer:

The options best suited for the way the narrator describes nature and the cold is:

C. The narrator describes nature, even the dog, as indifferent to the struggles of the man.

Explanation:

"To Build a Fire" is a short story by author Jack London in which a man learns a most valuable lesson at a very high cost. The main character ignores how powerful nature is, thinking too much of his own skills. He is new to the winter at the Yukon region and naive enough to forget his own weaknesses as a human being.

The narrator in the story makes it clear that nature is not concerned with man. Nature has no mind, it simply is, in a powerful manner. It is man who wishes to conquer nature but to no avail. Throughout the story, the man thinks to himself that "it is certainly cold". That's it. Simply put, no exaggeration, no personification.

The dog that accompanies the man, for instance, is merely confused by the man's lack of fear. The dog understands danger better than the man. Notice that it is indifferent toward this man. What concerns it is survival. The same goes for nature. It is relentless, unstoppable. The cold is still cold, even if it kills someone:

Never in the dog's experience had it known a man to sit like that in the snow and make no fire. As the evening grew darker, its eager longing for the fire mastered it. [ ... ] Later, the dog howled loudly. And still later it moved close to the man and caught the smell of death. This made the animal back away. A little longer it delayed, howling under the stars that leaped and danced and shone brightly in the cold sky. Then it turned and ran along the trail toward the camp it knew, where there were the other food providers and fire providers.