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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. The Yukon lay hidden under how many feet of ice, according to the narrator in Part I?

2. What had been the protagonist’s response when the old-timer told him how cold it could get in the country?

3. The trek that the protagonist takes is expected to last how long?

4. When the protagonist reaches Henderson Creek in Part II, he knows he is how far from the forks?

5. What does the protagonist use to ignite his fire in Part III?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the narrator describe the setting at noon in To Build a Fire? What is the protagonist’s state of mind at this time?

2. What is symbolized by the lack of a shadow cast by the protagonist in To Build a Fire?

3. What were Jack London’s experiences like during the Klondike Gold Rush?

4. How is the relationship between the protagonist and the dog significant to the plot of the story?

5. What role does the old-timer play in the narrative?

6. When did Jack London drop out of school? Where did he go to work at that time?

7. At what time does the story open?Who is present in the opening paragraphs of the story?

8. What does the dog do after falling through the ice in Part II? How does the protagonist help?

9. How does the narrator describe the protagonist’s experience of the cold in Part III?

10. How is the dog described in To Build a Fire?What is his relationship to the protagonist?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Define and discuss literary conflict. What are the differences between internal, external, and relational conflict? What are examples of each in To Build A Fire? What type of conflict is the most prominent in the narrative? Why?

Essay Topic 2

Define the literary term “character foil,” and discuss how this term applies to the dog in To Build A Fire. How does the dog compare with the man? In what ways does the author juxtapose the two characters? Is the dog an ally or enemy to the man?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the character of the old-timer in the story. Where is the old-timer from? What do you think he represents in the narrative? How does the protagonist feel about this character? How do his feelings evolve through the narrative?

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