To Build a Fire: Understanding London's Tale

What is the main setting of "To Build a Fire"?

• A bustling city in the early 1900s

• The Yukon Territory during the Klondike Gold Rush

• A deserted island in the Pacific

• A small village in the English countryside

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.3

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.7.3

CCSS.RL.8.3

CCSS.RL.9-10.3

What is the primary conflict in "To Build a Fire"?

• Man vs. Man

• Man vs. Society

• Man vs. Nature

• Man vs. Self

Tags

CCSS.RL.2.10

CCSS.RL.2.2

CCSS.RL.2.3

CCSS.RL.4.3

CCSS.RL.4.4

Which of the following best describes the climax of the story?

• When the man decides to travel alone in the cold

• When the man's first fire is extinguished by snow from a tree

• When the man meets his dog

• When the man realizes he is going to freeze to death

Tags

CCSS.RL.2.10

CCSS.RL.2.2

CCSS.RL.2.3

CCSS.RL.4.3

CCSS.RL.4.4

What theme is most prevalent in "To Build a Fire"?

• The unpredictability of nature

• The importance of companionship

• The struggle for survival against nature's indifference

• The conflict between science and nature

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.9

CCSS.RI.11-12.9

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

How does the man's attitude towards the Yukon change throughout the story?

• He grows to love it

• He becomes indifferent to it

• He increasingly respects and fears it

• His attitude does not change

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.7

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.7.3

CCSS.RL.8.3

CCSS.RL.9-10.3

What role does the dog play in the story?

• Antagonist

• Symbol of nature's power

• Companion and helper

• Narrator

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.3

CCSS.RL.6.6

CCSS.RL.7.6

CCSS.RL.8.6

CCSS.RL.9-10.3

What ultimately happens to the man at the end of the story?

• He is rescued by another traveler

• He finds shelter and survives

• He freezes to death

• He is saved by the dog

What does the fire symbolize in the story?

• Destruction

• Hope and survival

• The man's arrogance

• Nature's wrath

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.9

CCSS.RI.11-12.9

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

What does the man's failure to build a fire represent?

• The triumph of nature over man

• The importance of luck in survival

• The consequences of arrogance

• The need for human companionship

Tags

CCSS.RI.1.1

CCSS.RI.2.1

CCSS.RI.3.1

CCSS.RL.2.1

CCSS.RL.3.1

What does the story suggest about human's place in nature?

• Humans can conquer any natural challenge with technology

• Humans are at the mercy of nature's power

• Nature can be easily understood and predicted

• Humans and nature can coexist peacefully

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.9

CCSS.RI.11-12.9

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2