Language
The language used in the story “To Build a Fire” by Jack London is rather complex because it abounds in descriptive passages, with elaborate sentences, often filled with figures of speech. The choice of words reflects the natural setting, as the semantic field is related to winter in nature.
The story is also written in the narrative or discursive mode which means the narrator renders everything that happens. There is no dialogue except for a final quote, the man’s last words before dying of hypothermia: ““You were right, old hoss; you were right,” the man mumbled to the old-timer of Sulphur Creek.”
The rest of the narrative simply describes what is happening and includes the characters’ thoughts (the man’s and those of the dog).
As the story is highly descriptive, it is important that you also pay attention to some of the figures of speech employed by the author:
- Imagery
- Similes
- Metaphors and personifications
- Repetition
Imagery
Imagery pervades the whole narrative, as the author constructs numerous images related to setting and characters with the help of descriptive words. Here is one example of imagery in connection to the setting:
There was no sun nor hint of sun, though there was not a cloud in the sky. It was a clear day, and yet there seemed an intangible pall over the face of things, a subtle gloom that made the day dark, and that was due to the absence of sun.
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Metaphors and personifications
A number of metaphors create implicit, unusual comparisons and associations. Some of the metaphors also imply a personification, such as “that cheerful orb” which designates the sun and associates it with a cheerful person.
Another personifying metaphor is “the stars that leaped and danced” which compares the celestial bodies with dancers.
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