Characterization of the man

The main and single active human character in the short story “To Build a Fire” by Jack London is the unnamed man who travels across the trail. Absent characters that are mentioned in the short story are “the boys”, who are probably the man’s associates and the “old-timer of Sulphur Creek”, who symbolizes common sense and wisdom.

Outer characterization

Elements related to his outer characterization are scattered along the story. The references to him returning to "the States" and the German socks may suggest that the man could be an American of German origin. Anyway, he is “a new-comer in the land, a chechaquo”.

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Inner characterization

The man’s inner characterization is rendered both directly, by the narrator, and indirectly through the man’s actions and attitude.

The narrator first presents the man as someone who lacks imagination, does not care about grand existential questions, and has a practical approach to everything: “The trouble with him was that he was without imagination. He was quick and alert in the things of life, but only in the things, and not in the significances.”

And, indeed, all his subsequent actions suggest such a spirit. First of all, the man decides to travel alone and ignore the dangers of the cold, although he has been advised not to. What is more, he even considers the man who gave him this advice as too fearful and cautious:

The old-timer had been very serious in laying down the law that no man must travel alone in the Klondike after fifty below. Well, here he was; he had had the accident; he was alone; and he had saved himself. Those old-timers were rather womanish…

In fact, the man’s actions and attitude indicate that he thinks he is above nature and that a rational, calm mind can overcome any obstacles: “All a man had to do was to keep his head, and he was all right. Any man who was a man could travel alone.”

However, in his journey, the man keeps count of the practical advice he received. He tries to be careful where he steps on and knows that it is important to keep his body as warm as possible. Still, he is not always rational and forgets to set up a fire when he tries to have lunch.

Although the man is increasingly more aware of the cold, he acts in a stubborn way and continues his journey.

In relationship with his dog, he comes across as lacking any empathy for the animal, which he often beats up:

On the other hand, there was no keen intimacy between the dog and the man. The one was the toil-slave of the other, and the only caresses it had ever received were the caresses of the whiplash and of harsh and menacing throat-sounds that threatened the whiplash.

His treatment of the dog indicates that he views him as a necessary tool, yet still a tool.

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