"To Build A Fire by Jack London.

A man traveled in the Yukon (in Alaska) stepped off the main trail on an extremely cold and gray morning. He traveled with a husky wolf-dog. The cold did not faze the man, a newcomer to the Yukon, who planned to meet his friends by six o'clock. As it grew colder, he realized his unprotected cheekbones would freeze, but he did not pay it much attention. He walked along a creek trail, mindful of the dangerous, concealed springs; even getting wet feet on such a cold day was extremely dangerous. He stopped for lunch and built a fire.

Analysis: This introduction prepares the reader for what seemingly begins as an adventure by foot. It indulges the reader into considering the temperature and the long journey the man has to encounter, knowingly, according to our reality, that it is unsafe to withstand such temperatures for long periods of time. At this point there is little significance as to what the fellow dog represents.

Dog Looking at and Listening to a Phonograph, "His...

Australian Dog Head

English: Brown Creek, Yukon - Alaska border

The reader should be aware that the building of the fire will allow the man to have several "pit stops" to refuel during the journey, thus assuming that this will safely allow the man to reach his destination, where the story would possibly continue.

The man continued on and, in a seemingly safe spot, fell through the snow and wet himself up to his shins. He cursed his luck; starting a fire and drying his foot-gear would delay him at least an hour. His feet and fingers were numb, but he started the fire. He remembered the old-timer from Sulphur Creek who had warned him that no man should travel in the Klondike alone when the temperature was fifty degrees below zero.

Analysis: This was merely a simple dramatic pitfall; one of which would be expected by...