The plot of the story is a simple one: a man who should have heeded the warnings of others must struggle to survive treacherous terrain and reach his friends at their camp. However London’s attention to detail creates a desolate wasteland that in the end destroys the unlucky hiker. London’s words create a chill as they describe the “far-reaching hairline trail” of which the man must follow (London 118). He also describes the temperature as “a bite of frost that hurt and that must be guarded against” which is presumably appropriate for seventy-five degrees below zero (London 118-119). The plot becomes void if the man has not the enemy and companionship of the setting therefore producing a heavy reliance on that setting.Jack London’s tale of a hiker’s fate in the treacherous Yukon is one that relies heavily on detail and reader’s perception of the setting. His attention to detail creates an overwhelming sense of reality that lasts after the story is over. To Build A Fire is a story in which the setting, nature’s frozen timberland, plays more than one role. It not only helps the hiker by being a provider of wood and tinder, but it also plays an oppressor to the weary hiker, an oppressor so harsh that in the end seals the trekker’s fate. This short story provides an excellent example of how important setting is to the entire reading experience. ...
