![]() ![]() When he assures her that he could remove the birthmark, she encourages him, without of any thought of the danger to herself.Aylmer is assisted in the operation by Aminadab, who with "his vast strength, his shaggy hair, his smoky aspect, and the indescribable earthiness that incrusted him. She has great faith in her husband's knowledge and abilities. Georgiana supports her husband in this experiment because she prefers even death to the possession of a face that could 'shock' or disgust her husband. Yet, led on by his confidence in his skills and the power of Science, or pulled by Fate, Aylmer decides to remove the birthmark. Aylmer has been warned in a dream that an attempt to remove the mark could place the life of his beloved in danger. The 'error' referred to is nothing more than a tiny birthmark on the otherwise perfect face of his beloved wife Georgiana. Such men usually get adequate warning and advice, and if they choose to ignore these, they are doomed.Hawthorne reveals that some scientists of Aylmer's time believed that they could rob the secret of creation from Nature, but he only wonders whether "Aylmer possessed this degree of faith in man's ultimate control over Nature." Anyway, Aylmer is so blinded by his learning that he believes that he can correct an error of Nature. This conflict helps us better understand the central character and conflict, because by knowing of the man’s arrogance and cockiness, it is no surprise that in the end of the story he dies by not being more understanding of nature’s warning signs, proving the point that nature is more powerful than man.The point is that although man cannot hope to overcome nature, some men are foolhardy enough to try. At this point he accepts his death and tries to meet it with dignity. He is then overwhelmed by panic and tries to make his last attempt at survival, but he fails. He regrets not listening to the old-timer’s advice (470). His lack of supplies and food forces him to submit to the forces of nature. ![]() This conflict is never resolved, resulting in the man’s death. The supporting conflict in this story is man versus nature, by struggling to survive in the cold wilderness. ![]() Man versus self helps us understand the decisions the central character makes throughout the story, and gives us a better understanding as to why he is the way he is. He doesn’t pay attention to the danger that he is facing, and attempts to overcome this danger by forcing nature to his will. The man conflicts with himself by remaining overly confident in himself and his unfamiliar surroundings. The central conflict in the story is man versus self. This portrays when the dog goes to a nearby camp of men, where he could get warmth and food because it could not provide these items on his own (471). The dog is the only companion that the man had, but unlike the man the dog uses his instinct and good sense of smell to survive in the cold wilderness. The dog is static because he doesn’t change at all throughout the story. The supporting character in this story is the dog. The man did not realize how dangerous his actions would be, resulting in his ignorance that leads him to his death. In the end he changes by confessing that he should have listened to the old timer, he also discovers that he isn’t just in danger of losing his fingers and toes, but that he is in danger of losing his life (470). The man is a dynamic character, who believes that he can conquer anything. The man’s main goal is to reach the old camp to meet his boys (458). The central character in this story is the “man”, although we never learn his name. The man tries to overcome the challenges of his environment to survive, but nature proves to be more powerful than the man. The man tries hard to meet his boys at the agreed location and time, but the thick ice makes his journey impossible. These struggles arise through the man’s arrogance and overconfidence by ignoring the signs of nature. Jack London’s story, “To Build A Fire” is about a struggle of survival between man and nature, which happens through overconfidence and arrogance as opposed to experience and intelligence. ![]()
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