Think you’ve got your head wrapped around To Build a Fire? Put your knowledge to
the test. Good luck — the Stickman is counting on you!
Q. How does the main character "lack imagination," according to the narrator?
He does not think beyond the surfaces of things.
He's bad at telling stories.
He's overconfident.
He can't think of a safer route to the camp.
Q. What does the wolf dog's "instinct" tell us about the main character?
The man knows how to build a fire.
The man probably shouldn't be traveling in such cold weather.
The man does not know where he's going.
The man is going to die.
Q. What does the narrator's tone suggest about nature in this story?
That nature does its best to protect us, but sometimes fails.
That nature doesn't care one way or the other about us.
That nature is intentionally trying to kill us.
That dogs can love us, but rivers and trees hate us.
Q. Why is it significant that the man admits that he was wrong to the old-timer from Sulphur Creek at the end of the story?
It shows that the old-timer is the true hero of the story.
It shows how pointless it is for human beings to work hard.
It shows that the boys at the camp still have a chance to save him.
It shows that the man becomes humble just before he dies.
Q. When the man presses onward in the cold, the dog's primary reaction is:
Confusion
Annoyance
Joy
Fear