An analysis of the man's epiphany in "To Build a Fire" The short story "To Build a Fire", written by Jack London, is the tragic story of a man an overconfident and inexperienced man who travels through the brutal, subzero conditions of the Yukon with only a dog for company. The man, unnamed in this story, arrogantly decides to leave the main trail to take a road less traveled against the advice of Sulfur Creek's seasoned veteran, who warns of traveling alone in such severe conditions. The man is described as lacking imagination and not aware of the meaning of the things around him, of how fragile his life is. As his journey extends, his confidence increases as he continually deceives nature, but the temperature extends further and further below freezing. Inevitably he is caught in the ferocious cold when he breaks through the ice and gets wet, he desperately needs heat and to dry his moccasins the man must light a fire. Successful in his attempt, the man's ego grows, but the story's implacable antagonist intervenes and extinguishes the flames, while melted snow falls from the branches above. The man's overconfidence begins to wane as his hands go numb from the extreme cold, and the cruel reality of death sets in when he fails to light another flame. As his limbs stiffen, he wrestles with the idea of ​​killing the dog to thaw his immobile hands, but once within reach, his freezing hands prevent him from drawing the knife. In a last ditch effort not to freeze to death, the man begins running in panic, fighting the cold for his life. Then the realization happens, in an epiphanic moment the man realizes that his end is near and instead of struggling like a madman, he decides to go... middle of paper.... ... and the explanations focus on the setting of the narrative and its graphic description, but few underline the undeniable change that occurs in man as he tries to avert death. London amazingly makes this realization as it constructs man to be overconfident, yet green towards the Yukon. Tragedy is inevitable for man, it is how he reacts and deals with the difficulties of his journey that define his character and ultimately allow him to prevail with dignity. Although this change is short-lived in the story, the man dying almost instantly as soon as the revelation is made, I am certain the man would have a greater appreciation and sense of meaning to his delicate life if he had miraculously survived. References Kennedy, X. , & Giona, D. (eds.). (2007). Literature an introduction to fiction, poetry, drama, and writing (10th ed.). New York: Pearson Longman