Jack London: To Build a Fire (Early Version)
To Build a Fire is a short story by Jack London, published in May 1902 in The Youth’s Companion. It tells the story of Tom Vincent’s solitary journey through the frozen landscape of the Yukon in the middle of winter. Confident in his strength and experience, the protagonist ignores the warnings about the dangers of traveling alone. However, the extreme cold soon reveals itself as a ruthless enemy, and what seems like a routine journey becomes a desperate struggle for survival. This is the story’s first version, which London would rewrite and publish under the same title in 1908.