Engage middle and high school students with a classic example of adventure fiction, “To Build a Fire” by Jack London, and use this set of rigorous questions to promote close reading analysis skills. A variety of question types facilitates the process of analyzing character motivations, examining how word choices influence a reader’s interpretations, applying knowledge of literary devices, and articulating ideas in writing with clarity and precision. An answer key and copy of the public domain short story are included. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats.
By completing this close reading activity, students will:
- Define unfamiliar and challenging vocabulary in context
- Explore the author’s narrative techniques such as increasing the frequency of shorter, choppier sentences as the narrative reaches its climax
- Determine author’s intent in writing that the protagonist’s limitation is that he is without imagination
- Identify the protagonist’s motivation in continuing despite extremely harsh conditions
- Draw logical inferences based on the fact that the dog “knew it was no time for traveling” and “its instinct told it a truer tale than was told to the man by the man’s judgment”
- Apply knowledge of literary devices including symbolism and simile
- Locate textual evidence in support of claims associated with the protagonist’s self-awareness
- Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision
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