“He treated the flame carefully. It meant life, and it must not cease.” While trying to get to the boys at camp, the man faces some life threatening challenges that eventually get the best of him. Courageous, focused, cautious, and dismayed are all characteristics that the character shows throughout his journey.
As the man starts his passage, he remains focused and courageous. He sets a schedule to make it to camp by six o’clock. He knows that for this to be possible he has to remain a four miles per hour pace and remain aware of his surroundings. “He noticed the changes in the creek, the curves and the bends. And always he noted where he placed his feet.” Remaining focused is essential in his situation. One wrong move and it could all be …show more content…
While trying to remain calm and rebuild the fire, the cold turns his hands numb. This restricts him from being able to work. We know this because in the story it says, “In his effort to separate one match from the others, the whole pack fell in the snow. He tried to pick it out of the snow, but failed. The dead fingers could neither touch nor hold.” Not being able to grasp the bark or light a match, he becomes fearful. He now knows that the old man on Sulphur Creek was right. After hard work and concentration, he manages to get the bark lit while burning his own hand in the process. When the sticks become scattered and die out, he begins to lose control. He attempts to kill the dog to use it for warmth, but comes to the realization that he couldn’t do it with the condition his hands were in. He is beginning to come to terms with the danger he is facing. We know this because it says, “A certain fear of death came upon him. He realized that is was no longer a mere problem of freezing his fingers and toes, or of losing his hands and feet. Now it was a problem of life and death with the circumstances against him.” This made him afraid which causes him to lose control of himself. After running around like a chicken with his head cut off, he thinks about meeting death with dignity. “He was certain to freeze in his present circumstances, and he should accept it
As the man starts his passage, he remains focused and courageous. He sets a schedule to make it to camp by six o’clock. He knows that for this to be possible he has to remain a four miles per hour pace and remain aware of his surroundings. “He noticed the changes in the creek, the curves and the bends. And always he noted where he placed his feet.” Remaining focused is essential in his situation. One wrong move and it could all be …show more content…
While trying to remain calm and rebuild the fire, the cold turns his hands numb. This restricts him from being able to work. We know this because in the story it says, “In his effort to separate one match from the others, the whole pack fell in the snow. He tried to pick it out of the snow, but failed. The dead fingers could neither touch nor hold.” Not being able to grasp the bark or light a match, he becomes fearful. He now knows that the old man on Sulphur Creek was right. After hard work and concentration, he manages to get the bark lit while burning his own hand in the process. When the sticks become scattered and die out, he begins to lose control. He attempts to kill the dog to use it for warmth, but comes to the realization that he couldn’t do it with the condition his hands were in. He is beginning to come to terms with the danger he is facing. We know this because it says, “A certain fear of death came upon him. He realized that is was no longer a mere problem of freezing his fingers and toes, or of losing his hands and feet. Now it was a problem of life and death with the circumstances against him.” This made him afraid which causes him to lose control of himself. After running around like a chicken with his head cut off, he thinks about meeting death with dignity. “He was certain to freeze in his present circumstances, and he should accept it