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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. What refers to an incongruity between the actual result of a sequence of events and the normal or expected result?

2. The protagonist shoves the dog in order to make it do what in Part II?

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

4. What does the narrator say depresses the dog that travels with the protagonist in Part II?

5. According to the narrator in Part II, no man had come up or down the silent creek that the protagonist travels on in how long?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the author use symbolism to illustrate “instinct” versus “reason” in the narrative?

2. What causes the protagonist to experience fear when he stops to eat lunch in Part III?

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

4. What is the point of view of the narrative in To Build a Fire?

5. What danger does the protagonist encounter at Henderson Creek in Part II?

6. What stylistic elements characterize To Build a Fire?Give examples in your answer.

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

8. What does the protagonist do after eating his lunch in Part III? How does the dog respond?

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

10. 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?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe and discuss the effects of hypothermia. What causes hypothermia? How is it treated? Where are the effects most often felt first? How do they progress? How are these effects illustrated in To Build A Fire?

Essay Topic 2

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 3

Discuss the author and the publications of To Build A Fire. Where was Jack London from? How successful was he as an author during his lifetime? What differences exist between the two versions of the story?

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