Thursday, March 8, 2012

What is the crisis and the resolution in Jack London's short story, ''To Build a Fire''?

Concerning London's "To Build a Fire," a crisis is, according to a college textbook I have:



The point of uncertainty and tension--the turning point--that results from the conflicts and difficulties brought about through the complication of the plot.  The crisis leads to the climax--that is, to the decision made by the protagonist to resolve the conflict.



If the climax of the story is when the snow puts out the protagonist's fire (his last hope of survival), then the crisis is whatever most directly leads up to that point. 


At least two possiblities exist:


  1. When he makes the decision to build the fire under the tree without first shaking the snow off of the limbs, which leads to the fire being put out (this moment is one candidate for the climax, as well, according to the above definition), or

  2. When he breaks through the ice and gets wet. 

I suggest the crisis is when he gets wet, but you might disagree.


Concerning the resolution, that includes everything that occurs after the conflict is decided.  In other words, it includes everything after the man is doomed--when the fire goes out.


He attempts to survive, coming up with a few ideas and trying to put them into effect.  But his situation is hopeless, and at last he resigns himself to his fate. 

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