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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. According to the narrator in Part IV, “The old-timer had been very serious in laying down the law that no man must travel alone in the Klondike after” what?

2. How does the ending of the earlier version of To Build a Firediffer from the later and more popularized version?

3. The protagonist’s socks are described as being like what “halfway to the knees” in Part IV?

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

5. Which word from Part IV means the favorable or prosperous termination of attempts or endeavors?

Short Essay Questions

1. What causes the fire to be extinguished in Part V of the story?

2. How does the protagonist react when the fire is extinguished in Part V?

3. Is the protagonist aware of the danger he is in after falling through the ice? What is the danger?

4. What does the protagonist envision of his family in Part VI? How does he envision the old-timer?

5. How does the theme of “survival” apply to Part IV of To Build a Fire?

6. What is the first mental image that overtakes the protagonist as he dies in Part VI?

7. Why does the dog do as the protagonist fades from existence in Part VI?

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

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

10. What idea comes to the protagonist after his second fire is a failure in Part V?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe and analyze the setting of To Build A Fire.What are the outstanding elements of the setting? How does the setting play a part in the plot of the narrative? What clues in the text reveal the setting?

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

Describe and analyze the point of view of the narrative in To Build A Fire. What is the narrator’s relationship to the protagonist? What effect does this point of view have on the reader? How does it help to establish the tone of the piece?

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