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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 “dark hair-line” of trail visible in Part I is said to be the main trail that leads south how many miles to the Chilcoot Pass?

2. What does the narrator refer to the dog as in Part III?

3. What type of dog travels with the protagonist?

4. In literature, what refers to the struggle occurring within a character's mind?

5. What is the temperature, according to the narrator in Part II?

Short Essay Questions

1. Where is the protagonist traveling in the story? What supplies does he carry?

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

3. Where does the protagonist decide to eat lunch in the narrative? Why?

4. How is the protagonist described by the narrator in Part I?

5. How is the advice of the old-timer perceived by the protagonist in To Build a Fire?

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

7. What symbolism is tied to the character of the dog in the story?

8. What is the setting of To Build a Fire?What clues indicate this setting?

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe and analyze the motifs of fire and ice in the story. How do these motifs relate to the story’s themes? What does fire represent to the protagonist? What does ice represent in the story?

Essay Topic 2

According to the story, the "trouble" with the man is that he is "without imagination" and therefore never speculates about "man's place in the universe," his "frailty in general," or the fact that people are "able only to live within certain narrow limits of temperature." What is the result of this weakness in the story’s plot? Does the man reach any form of enlightenment through his travails?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the element of fear in the narrative. What causes the protagonist to first feel fearful of his situation? How does he cope with this fear? What effect does the protagonist’s fear have on the reader?

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