Symbols

The short story “To Build a Fire” by Jack London also relies on some symbols through which the theme and author’s message are suggested.

The trails and warm springs

The trails — Yukon trail and the less traveled one the man takes — symbolize the idea of risky decisions and paths. Instead of staying on the Yukon trail and waiting for better weather, the man takes the risk...

The hands and fire

The hands of the man which are warm inside the mittens but gradually freeze and begin to numb when he takes them out are a symbol of life and death. As long as the hands are not frozen, the man is rather safe;

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The dog and old man

The Wolf Dog/the husky is symbolical of nature’s supremacy. Unlike the man, the dog is physically adapted to face the cold, and his instinct of survival is better developed.

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