Question

Once in a while the thought reiterated itself that it was very cold and that he had never experienced such cold. As he walked along he rubbed his cheekbones and nose with the back of his mittened hand. He did this automatically, now and again changing hands. But, rub as he would, the instant he stopped his cheekbones went numb, and the following instant the end of his nose went numb. He was sure to frost his cheeks; he knew that, and experienced a pang of regret that he had not devised a nose strap of the sort Bud wore in cold snaps.

–“To Build a Fire,”
Jack London

Review the passage from “To Build a Fire.” What is the primary conflict in the story?

character vs. self
character vs. others
character vs. society
character vs. nature

Answer 1

character vs. nature

The passage emphasizes the extreme cold and the man's physical struggle to keep from freezing (numb cheekbones, nose, frost), showing the primary opposition is between the individual and the harsh natural environment.