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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 of the protagonist’s “ebbed away and sank down into the recesses of his body” in Part IV?

2. After falling through the ice, the protagonist believes this mishap will delay him for how long in reaching his destination?

3. The man is described as speaking in what way to the dog in Part V, meaning leaving no opportunity for denial or refusal?

4. The protagonist wonders if Mercury felt as he does doing what in Part VI?

5. Which word from Part IV means a large destructive fire?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the protagonist respond when the fear of death begins to overtake him in Part VI?

2. Why does the protagonist curse the dog in Part VI? What last effort does he make before accepting his fate?

3. How does the protagonist’s body respond when he begins to build a fire after falling through the ice in Part IV?

4. How does the narrator describe the protagonist’s journey when he departs from lunch in Part IV?

5. How does the protagonist go about starting his second fire in Part V? What obstacles does he face in the process?

6. How is the protagonist able to separate the matches in Part V? How does he attempt to light a match once he does?

7. What does the protagonist do after his fire is extinguished in Part V? What danger does he face?

8. What does fire symbolize in the story? What message does the author convey through this symbol?

9. How does the protagonist go about building a fire after his fall in Part IV?

10. How does the protagonist regain the feeling of his fingers in Part V?What happens when he goes to light a match?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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?

Essay Topic 2

Analyze the imagery that the author uses in depicting the setting of To Build A Fire. Consider lines such as: “the spittle crackled…in the air.” How does this imagery develop the tone and mood of the story? What colors does the author focus on? Why are these significant?

Essay Topic 3

In what ways does the protagonist in the story represent American individualism? What actions does the character take and how can these be seen to represent the American mindset of the 1880s? What do you think the author is saying about American values of his time?

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