1、Junior English PPT by Guidorizzi,“To Build a Fire” By Jack London,Jack London (1876-1916):Early Years,Born into poor family San Francisco As boy, uncared for by parents Jobs: Delivered newspapers Worked on ice wagon Set up pins in bowling alley Worked in cannery (canning fish, vegetables, etc.) “Alm

2、ost the first thing I realized were responsibilities I worked hard from my eighth year.” Graduated from grammar school in Oakland,1885: London (9 yrs.) with dog Rollo,As a Teenager,Avid reader Fond of real-life adventure stories Took on dangerous jobs “I joined the oyster pirates in the bay; shipped

3、 as sailor on a schooner*; took a turn at salmon fishing; shipped before the mast and sailed for the Japanese coast on a seal-hunting expedition. After sealing for seven months I came back to California, and took odd jobs”,Settled in Oakland, California Began to write Sold a few pieces to local pape

4、rs Attended high school one more year Managed to pass entrance exam for University of California at Berkeley by cramming on his own,*Schooner: Sailing vessel having at least two masts,Teenager to Young Adult,Combination of work, school, and writing was too much Quit halfway through freshman year Nex

5、t three months focused on writing Earned nothing 1897 took off to prospect for gold in Klondike (part of Yukon Territory in northwestern Canada),London in Yukon,Writer of Realism,Due to illness, left Klondike in less than a year Experience convinced him that life is a struggle Strong survive, weak d

6、o not Belief that “civilized” beings are either destroyed or re-created in savage environments (dramatized in writings),Writer of Realism Cont.,First major success was short story collection The Son of the Wolf (1900) Readers thrilled by shocking brutality Hooked by action and adventure Most famous

7、short story “To Build a Fire” (1908) Focuses on survival Most famous novel The Call of the Wild (1903) Celebrates the escape to freedom of a sled dog named Buck,Remaining Years,Became millionaire from writings Success greatly altered his life 1900, married, had two daughters Wife sued for divorce in

8、 1905,Remarried and established home (north San Francisco) Intended to have large ranch estate Lost interest when Wolf House (completed mansion) burned down in 1913 Alcoholic for years, later years suffered kidney disease and depression One evening in November 1916 Physical pain became unendurable T

9、ook lethal dose of narcotics Lapsed into coma Died next evening Forty years old,1902: London and daughter Joan. Removing splinter from Joans hand,“To Build a Fire” (1908),Ideas behind “To Build a Fire” Naturalism: Nineteenth-century literary movement that claimed to portray life exactly as it is, wi

10、th detachment and objectivity Writers influenced by Charles Darwins theories of natural selection and survival of the fittest, believed human behavior is determined by heredity and environment Presents humans as subjects to natural forces beyond their control Conflict between human being and the ele

11、ments of nature Grimly realistic London draws on own experience when in Yukon,Location,Yukon Territory,Bleak, nearly sunless region of northwestern Canada Bleak: Gloomy, somber; depressing; cold and cutting; exposed to the elements; unsheltered and barren (lacking vegetation),Yukon River,Yukon Terri

12、tory,Alaska,Canada,Border,Closer Look,“To Build a Fire” Conditions,No sun Severe cold Partially frozen Yukon River Mile wide Three feet of ice under three feet of snow Temperature below zero 50 to 75 degrees below zero Below freezing is when temperature is below 32 degrees Man is wearing warm clothi

13、ng Mittens, earflaps, moccasins, warm socks No insulation, can easily become wet Moist or wet hands and feet lower the bodys resistance to cold,Yukon River,Hypothermia,Common causes: dehydration, exhaustion, wet clothes and extreme cold Blood vessels in skin and extremities clamp down Minimizes furt

14、her heat loss,Standing on cold ground or ice Takes heat out of feet Toes freeze Frozen tissue constricts Blood flow slows as blood becomes thick and syrupy Clots form and deprives tissues of oxygen and nutrients When core temperature drops, tissues begin to freeze Feet, hands, ears, and nose are mos

15、t vulnerable to frostbite Difficulty with fine motor skills,Deep Frostbite,Caused by prolonged exposure to temperatures below 32 degrees Fahrenheit Freezing of nerve, muscle, tendon, and even bone Effected part is hard as wood Purple or red in color Cool to the touch Has no feeling Even after thawing, part remains cold an