The story of “To build a Fire” by Jack London is about one mans lack of ability to survive under extremely harsh conditions. I found this story to be unappealing and a very boring read. I felt that Jack London wrote it more like an instruction manual of survival than a story, as he repeatedly attempts to teach the reader survival techniques such as building fires, avoiding dangerous springs, and navigating a creek. This idea is especially prevalent in the latter part of the story, when the main character continuously refers to what the old-timer on Sulphur Creek had told him about travel in the Yukon, especially alone. As his situation proceeds to grow worse, the narrator thinks more and more abo