Survival 101

Besides poetry, I really enjoyed Jack London's "To Build a Fire". As a child, I read White Fang, which became a favorite of mine for many reasons. The way London devotes so much of his work to describing the setting is amazing, and he does it in a way that the reader does not become bored. He keeps you following him, allowing you to immerse yourself into the story, to see the images he sets up. I was not once bored of reading "To Build a Fire", which no offense, can happen often when having to read an assignment for a class. Don't get me wrong, I love reading, but reading what I WANT to read and reading what I HAVE to read are totally different subjects. I really enjoyed this story, though, and found myself speaking out loud, becoming frustrated at the man's ignorance to the cold. Although it is "just a story", I wanted to jump through the pages & ask him why he did not listen to the advice of others! In my case, hating the cold, I'd never be there anyways, but if I was, I would heed the advice of others, and maybe take a Survival 101 class :)

Submitted by Nicole Mason