The short story To Build A Fire is from the naturalist period of literature. One characteristic of the naturalist period is the conflicts were almost always man versus nature of man versus self. In To Build A Fire the conflict is a man struggling to survive while he walks in the cold. This is a man versus nature conflict which fits with the naturalist style. Perhaps the most distinct trait of naturalist writing is the detached, rational narrator. In Jack London’s short story he doesn’t even give a name, simply calling the character The Man. The narrator presents the story factually, without judgement or emotion. Approaching the story without emotion is the key trait of a rational narrator. The final indication that this is a naturalist story
