When it is seventy-five below zero, a man must not fail in his first attempt to build a fire—that is, if his feet are wet. If hi
s feet are dry, and he fails, he can run along the trail for half a mile and restore his circulation. But the circulation of wet and freezing feet cannot be restored by running when it is seventy-five below. No matter how fast he runs, the wet feet will freeze the harder. All this the man knew. The old-timer on Sulphur Creek had told him about it the previous fall, and now he was appreciating the advice. Foreshadowing Figurative language Verbal irony Symbolism
This excerpt was taken from the short story "To Build a Fire" by American novelist Jack London (1876-1926). London is famous for writing stories in which the conflict man vs. nature is developed. He used his own experience as an adventurer as inspiration for his plots.
<u>This particular passage of "To Build a Fire" uses a figurative language known as foreshadowing, in which the author reveals details that will later unfold into something important in the story.</u> Here, the main character has been warned by an old man about the dangers of extreme cold weather. The old man is most likely much wiser than the young main character. However, he does not listen to him and go out into the forest on his own. This will later unfold into the young man's death. The old man's warning served as foreshadowing for that happening.
