Thursday, October 10, 2013

In "To Build a Fire," what are the three things the dog knew by instinct?

The dog's instincts tell him that it is too cold to be out
on the trail, a truth that eludes the man until it is too late. The dog also knows that
he must avoid getting wet, and when he does get his paws wet, he instinctively bites the
ice away to keep them from freezing. When the man plans to kill the dog, the animal
senses the fear in his voice and behavior and eludes him. Finally, the dog knows
instinctively that fire and its warmth mean security and survival. When the man fails to
rekindle his fire and consequently freezes to death, the dog leaves him to go find
another fire. The dog's instincts in this natural environment proved to be far superior
to the man's human intelligence and faulty judgment.

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