CLASSXII ENGLISHII Echoes A Collection of ISC Short

  • Slides: 13
Download presentation
CLASS-XII ENGLISH-II Echoes: A Collection of ISC Short Stories Chapter: 4 To Build a

CLASS-XII ENGLISH-II Echoes: A Collection of ISC Short Stories Chapter: 4 To Build a Fire – Jack London

To Build a Fire Jack London [1876 -1916]

To Build a Fire Jack London [1876 -1916]

Description of the Harsh Terrain The story opens with the description of a terribly

Description of the Harsh Terrain The story opens with the description of a terribly cold and gray day on which an unnamed protagonist had set out on a journey. It was nine o’clock in the morning and there was no sun. The wide Yukon trail lay hidden under three feet of ice, and as far as the man’s eyes could see it was broken white.

The Man’s Initial Indifferences to the Cold The man who wished to travel on

The Man’s Initial Indifferences to the Cold The man who wished to travel on the Yukon trail to reach the camp by six in the evening in extremely brutal cold was initially indifferent towards to the cold. This was the man’s first winter in the Yukon, but because he was “without imagination” and thus unaccustomed to thinking about life and death, he was not afraid of the cold, which he estimated as fifty degrees below zero. He did not meditate about man’s general weakness - ability to live only within narrow limits of heat and cold. It was only when he spat and it cracked- in the air, he realized it was colder than fifty below zero but this did not bother him.

The Big Native Husky Dog as the Man’s Sole Companion The man was accompanied

The Big Native Husky Dog as the Man’s Sole Companion The man was accompanied by a big native dog. It was a wolf dog, gray-coated and noticeably different from its brother, the wild wolf. The animal was worried by the cold and its instinct told him that this was not the time to travel. The dog did not know anything about temperatures. But the animal sensed the danger. Its fear made it question eagerly every movement of the man as if expecting him to go into a camp or to seek shelter somewhere and build a fire.

Depiction of Intense Cold The actions of the man and the dog have been

Depiction of Intense Cold The actions of the man and the dog have been used by the author or depict the intensely cold weather. The moisture of dog’s breath was fast freezing and was setting on its fur, its jowls, muzzle and eyelashes. The man’s red beard and mustache were likewise frosted. The man was chewing tobacco which formed a growing crystal “appendage” on his chin.

The Man’s Arrival at Henderson Creek At ten o’clock the man reached the forks

The Man’s Arrival at Henderson Creek At ten o’clock the man reached the forks of the Hender Creek. The man then believed that he was making good use of time in his journey by travelling four miles an hour. He decided to stop and rest. His face was numb, and his cheeks were frostbitten. He began to wish that he had foreseen the danger of frostbite and had brought a facial strap for protection. Somehow, he realized the danger of springs hidden beneath the snow covered only by a thin sheet of ice. Getting wet would only delay him, for he would then have to build a fire to dry off his feet and clothes. Every time he came on a suspected trap, he forced the dog to go ahead to see if it was safe. He began to feel increasingly nervous about the cold.

The Man Builds a Fire At half past twelve, the man arrived at the

The Man Builds a Fire At half past twelve, the man arrived at the divide of the creek. His rate of travel assured him that he would reach the camp in time so he decided to stop for lunch. He unbuttoned his jacket and took out his lunch but he startled at the speed with which his fingers went numb. For the first time he thought of the man from Sulphur Creek who told him how cold it sometimes got in this country. Knowing the numbness precedes hypothermia, he planned that he must build a fire “and thaw out” before trying to eat.

The Man Resumes his Journey Warmed and reassured after eating lunch by the fire,

The Man Resumes his Journey Warmed and reassured after eating lunch by the fire, the man continued his journey - much to the dog’s disappointment. As it longed to remain by the fire. With his confidence restored, he became less aware of his surrounding. He stepped into a hidden spring which wet him halfway to the knees. The man’s immediate reaction was anger as building another fire to dry himself would delay him. He built another fire. His fire was a success and he was safe. He concluded that any man can travel alone as long as he keeps his head.

The Treacherous Tree As soon as the man started to untie his moccasins to

The Treacherous Tree As soon as the man started to untie his moccasins to dry his feet, the fire flaming with life blotted out. The had built the fire under a large tree that was laden with snow, and when he pulled down some twigs to feed the flame, the snow descended and fell on the man and the fire. It was at his deathly moment that the man realized that if only he had a trail-mate he would have been in no danger now.

The Man’s Vain Attempts to Build Fire Again The man decided to rebuild the

The Man’s Vain Attempts to Build Fire Again The man decided to rebuild the fire in the open space. He gathered dry grasses and tiny sticks. When the time came to light the matches, his fingers could not hold them and the whole pack fell in the snow. He somehow lit the matches but burnt himself badly in the process.

The Man’s State of Panic He began moving his arms, beating the mittened that

The Man’s State of Panic He began moving his arms, beating the mittened that hands against his sides but no feeling was created in his hands. He finally realised that it was a matter of life and death. The fear of death made him lose control of himself and in freanzy he began to run along the creek bed. He ran frantically hoping to regain the feeling in his feet and to reach the camp, but he lacked endurance. The man dropped in exhaustion. Realising that the numbness was creeping up his body, he started off again in wild terror. The dog remained with him

The Man’s Resignation to his Fate The man finally resigned to his fate. He

The Man’s Resignation to his Fate The man finally resigned to his fate. He thought of accepting death with dignity. He thought to sleep his way to death. Drowsiness overtook him and he had visions of walking along with his companion and discovering his own frozen body the next day. Then he also heard himself telling the old-timer from Sulpur Creek that was right about not travelling alone in the brutal cold. Once the dog sensed the man was dead, it left him and moved towards the camp, where it knew it would find “other food providers and fire -providers”