To Build a Fire

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. What do you know about Jack London? If you are not familiar with the author, have you heard of The Call of the Wild or White Fang? What might you already know about London’s life, or about his adventure and survival stories?

Teaching Suggestion: Jack London was a man who was as adventurous as his stories. Many of London’s stories are set in locations in which he spent time. He is considered part of the naturalism movement of the late 19th and early 20th century. Understanding the author’s life may help students access the text at a deeper level.

• This biography from National Geographic overviews London’s life and many adventures.
• This webpage from SuperSummary provides an overview of naturalism.
• This article from Washington State University gives more information on naturalism.

2. What do you know about the Klondike gold rush or any of the gold rushes of the late 1800s? What might life have been like for the people and prospectors of this era?