#To build a fire man full

Unlike the man, who requires the products of intellectual civilization-warm clothing, matches, maps, thermometers-the dog simply uses its own natural advantages-fur, a keen sense of smell. The dog represents pure instinct, a trait necessary for survival in the harsh Yukon.

#To build a fire man full

Ultimately, the man's lack of free will exonerates him from any deep responsibility for the accidents he has, which is why London writes that the second accident was his 'own fault or, rather, his mistake.' A 'fault' implies full responsibility, whereas a 'mistake' suggests an isolated incident out of one's control. The dog, conversely, instinctively understands the danger of the cold without knowing what a thermometer is. He never uses instinct, which would inform him without thinking that certain actions are dangerous. In all his actions, the man exercises only intellectuality-he thinks about the temperature in terms of degrees Fahrenheit, for instance, a scientific indicator.

More pertinently, the man does not realize that building a fire under a spruce tree may be dangerous. The man's greatest deficiency, leading to his death, is his inability to think about the future consequences of present actions or facts at the beginning of the story, London describes how the extreme cold does not make the man meditate upon mortality. His goal at the start of the story is to reach the camp to meet 'the boys,' presumably to prospect for gold. The man in 'To Build a Fire' is purposely not given a name, as the deterministic environment is more important than his free will and individuality.