View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

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

2. What drug does the protagonist compare to the onset of death in Part VI?

3. What does the protagonist do once the fire is a success and he remembers the advice of the old-timer in Part IV?

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

5. What simile occurs to the protagonist regarding his behavior in panicking in Part VI?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

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

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

5. How does the protagonist’s emotional state evolve as he works on building his second fire in Part V?

6. How are the protagonist’s socks and shoes described as he tries to remove them in Part IV by the fire?

7. How does the protagonist eventually re-gather the matches in Part V?

8. What does the protagonist hope to do as a last resort in Part VI? What happens?

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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?

Essay Topic 2

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?

Essay Topic 3

Describe and discuss the Klondike Gold Rush. When did the gold rush take place? How many people were involved? What environment did these people encounter? How is this period related in the story?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 858 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample