Jack London’s short stories “To build a fire” and “The law of nature” both deal with two men who are two distinctly different characters both in a struggle with nature’s mercilessness and by comparing the two stories we can infer what London believed about being a man in 1900 America.
Jack London was characterized as a naturalist writer because of his ability to write about nature realistically and mainly out of experience while at the same time he explored the issue of masculinity. Through the adversities of nature in London’s texts men are found in dire situations which push them to reveal their true self. London’s male protagonists are very often on a course through which they come against natural forces able to destroy them and very often men are led to their demise by their greatest enemy, nature. The idea of men’s struggle against hostile nature is persistent in London’s work which at times also stresses man’s weaknesses and limits.
Table of Contents
1. The vision of masculinity in Jack London’s “The Law of Life” and “To Build a Fire”
Objectives and Themes
This paper examines how Jack London utilizes the harsh, unforgiving natural environments in his short stories “To Build a Fire” and “The Law of Life” to challenge and redefine 20th-century American ideals of masculinity. The research questions how the protagonists’ interactions with nature reveal the limitations of arrogance, self-reliance, and the traditional concept of the stoic, dominant male figure in the face of insurmountable natural forces.
- The social construction of masculinity in early 20th-century America.
- Naturalism and the depiction of nature as a primary antagonist.
- The role of experience, instinct, and community versus individualistic arrogance.
- Comparative analysis of survival and resignation in the face of death.
- Critique of the “self-made man” ideology through the lens of literary protagonists.
Excerpt from the book
The vision of masculinity in Jack London’s “The Law of Life” and “To Build a Fire”
According to Campell and Kean, gender identities such as masculinity, are not innate qualities but are rather formed in the course of the individual’s life (217). These notions of either masculinity or femininity and how they qualify as such, are heavily depended on society’s gender perceptions and accepted standards and do not only affect individual behavior but also define power balance within a society (Campell and Kean 217). During the 1900’s there was a general concern about men being feminized because of many changes that occurred due to industrialization, urbanization and immigration (Cassuto 2). The substitution of manual labor by machines, the inclination towards living in the city and working behind a desk but also the thread to masculinity by the surge of populations of different cultural backgrounds and the female teachers that were responsible for boys’ education created an anxiety and a fear that masculinity was in danger (Cassuto 8). Thus the 1900’s was a time that demanded a fixed way of viewing masculinity which would ensure masculine domination and would preserve it through the upheaval caused by changes in society.
At the same time masculinity was very often connected with nature and especially the West, which was an unknown area waiting to be discovered and often inspired heroism and a sense of triumph for those that managed to successfully tame an unwelcoming, wild nature in their quest for free land (Campell and Kean, 143).
Summary of Chapters
1. The vision of masculinity in Jack London’s “The Law of Life” and “To Build a Fire”: This section explores the sociological context of masculinity in the 1900s and introduces Jack London as a naturalist writer who uses the conflict between men and nature to expose the weaknesses of traditional gender roles.
Keywords
Masculinity, Jack London, Naturalism, The Law of Life, To Build a Fire, Gender identity, Survival, Nature, Wilderness, American Literature, Human limits, Stoicism, 20th Century, Arrogance, Instinct
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this academic paper?
The paper fundamentally explores the construction of masculinity in early 20th-century America through the literary lens of Jack London's short stories, specifically examining how nature serves as a catalyst for revealing the strengths and weaknesses of his male protagonists.
What are the central thematic areas discussed?
The central themes include the social perceptions of gender, the definition of masculinity during the industrial era, the naturalist perspective of nature as an adversarial force, and the contrast between arrogant individualism and humble acceptance of mortality.
What is the primary objective of the research?
The primary objective is to investigate how London’s protagonists represent the clash between the ideological pressure to be a "dominant man" and the reality of human limitations when confronted by the merciless, indifferent power of nature.
Which scientific or analytical method is employed?
The paper utilizes a comparative literary analysis within the framework of literary naturalism, examining textual evidence alongside socio-historical contexts to interpret the symbolic meaning of the protagonists' experiences.
What is the focus of the main body of the text?
The main body evaluates "To Build a Fire" and "The Law of Life" as parallel studies. It dissects the man in "To Build a Fire" as an example of failed, arrogant masculinity, contrasted with the old man in "The Law of Life," who displays a dignified, realistic acceptance of the natural cycle of life.
Which keywords best characterize the work?
Key terms include Masculinity, Naturalism, Jack London, Survival, Gender Identity, Human Limits, Wilderness, and Stoicism.
How does the protagonist in "To Build a Fire" fail according to the author?
The protagonist fails because his arrogance and reliance on rigid, misplaced logic lead him to ignore the vital, experienced-based wisdom of others, resulting in his inability to survive the harsh cold of the Yukon.
Why is the old man in "The Law of Life" considered to have behaved in a "manlier" manner?
Unlike the protagonist in "To Build a Fire" who falls into hysterical, irrational despair, the old man in "The Law of Life" faces his inevitable death with stoicism, dignity, and an understanding of his place in the natural, inescapable cycle of life.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Elena Agathokleous (Autor:in), 2021, The vision of masculinity in Jack London’s "The Law of Life" and "To Build a Fire", München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1007719
