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The Theme Of Isolation In 'To Build A Fire'

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Being isolated can affect people in many ways. In "To Build a Fire", the protagonist, a man traveling along the Yukon trail, is isolated in terms of his separation from civilization. Furthermore, in "An Episode of War," the protagonist, a lieutenant, is isolated in a terms of his medical condition. The protagonists' different forms of isolation effect them in differing ways. In "To Build a Fire" the protagonist makes bad decisions because he is far from civilization, and he wants to reach it. For example, before he stops to build the first fire, he realizes that it is colder than he has ever experienced before, but he does not do anything because he is only thinking about the fact that “at six o’clock he would be in camp with the boys.” This shows that the protagonist is not thinking about his well being, he is just thinking about reaching his friends. Another example is when he builds the second fire under the spruce tree then snow fell from the tree, and “the fire was blotted out." This example shows that the protagonist is not thinking straight because he built his fire in a bad place because he was focusing on getting to civilization, not surviving. In "An Episode of War", the protagonist is treated differently because of his injury. For example, when the protagonist is first …show more content…

For example, when the protagonist is first injured, he has trouble sheathing his sword until an orderly does it for him, and as the orderly does this he “did not allow even his finger to brush the body of the lieutenant". This shows that he is isolated by his injury because the orderly is afraid to touch him. Another example is when the lieutenant goes to the field hospital to fix his arm, the surgeon was happy to see him at first, but this changes when he “caught sight of the lieutenant's arm". This shows that the lieutenant is isolated by his wound because it puts him on a very low social

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Fire holds a central place in this novel; it is used numerously throughout the story for good and bad reasons. On the good side, it can be used for clearing thick tree growth so sunlight can reach the forest floor and encourage the growth of native species. Also, fire frees these plants from the competition delivered by invasive weeds and eliminates diseases or droves of insects that may have been causing damage to old growth. It can also be used to help the society in solving their problems. However, this is also used for the bad in this story.

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Isolation is “the state of being in a place or situation that is separate from others” (Britannica Dictionary.com). Some view isolation to be positive, others view it as negative. Some wish to be alone, while others fear it. Everyone has a different perception on this topic due to experiences and influence. These different perceptions are seen t from the experiences of many.

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Isolation in Lisa Moore’s Caught Isolation is the separation of a person from themselves, the society or the world around them. Human beings tend to favor isolation during harsh or painful situations that they would like to escape or forget. The recurring theme of isolation is seen in the novel Caught by Lisa Moore.

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Isolation often leads to insanity. Human beings without companionship and love from others are left alone. They get trapped in their own minds, and become a threat to themselves. Remoteness is evident in one of the characters in Ross’ Short story “One’s a Heifer”, where Arthur Vickers becomes a victim of isolation. Desolation is apparent in Ross’s two short stories “The Painted Door” and “One’s A Heifer”.

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I felt isolated; I spent a lot of time alone". As a reader, this quote stood out because it portrayed how he was effected by the how he saw himself as a man, and how he dealt with his consciences and fear silently. It also shows that men are worried of what other people may think if they open up and expose their feelings so instead they keep it trapped

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When isolation comes to mind, people often think of being stranded without any outside contact. In this day and age however, the removal of outside contact in scarcely heard of. Humans now are living in a time where they are constantly connected. Whether this is by means of transportation or technology, the human race rarely ever experiences moments of isolation. Before cars, planes, and technology though, the feeling of being isolated was much more familiar.

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The short story, “To Build a Fire’ by Jack London is a devastating tale of a man who makes the foolish decision to go off the Yukon’s main trail. The story starts off saying “Day had broken cold and gray”(First Paragraph), as the man further travels off the path he gets into extremely cold temperatures, “The Yukon lay a mile wide and hidden under three feet of ice. On top of this ice were as many feet of snow”(Second Paragraph). This man, this exceptionally foolish man who has never had a winter still continues to walk further upon the trail. However, this man was foolish but he was also simple, he looked at things in simplicity, he realized even though it was 50 degrees below freezing that the frost bite could be avoidable with mitten, hats,

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The effects of long-term isolation are everlasting. Isolation prohibits nearly every human characteristic from developing properly. Boo Radley, from Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, is a perfect example of an isolated being and what happens to them. Being separated encourages child-like behavior, since confusion and fear unite once the outside world is faced. For Boo, guilt and fear keep him literally locked away from society and thus growth.

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Isolation is the process or fact of being alone. Isolation can be needed at times but is not good all the time. In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Victor began to go crazy with too much isolation, but when around family he wanted to be isolated due to the high stress. An example of this is when Victor felt that he was responsible for two murders and went to wonder in the valley. Isolation is needed because it gives a person time to reflect and gather themselves.

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Another apparent case of alienation and isolation would be in regards to John “The Savage”. John himself is a victim of alienation not only by the World State but also by the Malpai Indian Reservation where he was raised. The Reservation shunned him because of the color of his skin and the fact that his mother, Linda, was provocative towards married men. Regardless of the hateful actions of the other reservation members, John was able to find solace in two things: Shakespeare’s writing and the stories Linda told to him as a child. Throughout John’s childhood Linda would tell stories about the wonderful times she had when she lived in the World State.

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Isolation has major effects on the protagonist, chuck. He is stranded on the island for four years and you can see the effects set in throughout the film. An example of how he was affected is how he talked and argued with wilson, he was alone for a long time and he became lonely. Another example is that he made a noose for himself because he thought that was the only thing he could control, his death. Chuck drew a picture on his girlfriend, kelly, of the inside on the cave he was staying in to just have something to do.

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Through this, we can see the dangers of being disconnected from others and its adverse effects on one's well-being. Both works show how being isolated from society can lead to monstrous behavior and undesirable transformations in the characters. Isolation is a feeling that people get whenever they are alone or cut off. It makes you, in a way, go crazy. After all, people are made to be together.

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