1. Tuesday-Wednesday, Feb. 2-3
Naturalism and “To Build a Fire”

2. TRENDs Review  ROMANTICISIM – Poe, C.S. Lewis[ Narnia
Chronicles ]
TRANSCENDENTALISM – Whitman, Emerson, Thoreau
[REALISM] -
NATURALISM - London
[MODERNISM]
[REGIONALISM]

3. Quick notes on “naturalism”

4. Naturalism Trend Heredity Chance
Focused on truthfully portraying the lives of ordinary people
Believed a man’s life experiences were determined by:
FATE [ predetermined by a greater power ]
the Environment
Heredity
Chance
Characters’ lives shaped by forces they neither understand nor control
Characters “endure” - shows man’s importance and reason for existing even in the face of certain death

5. …The Wisdom of Jack London…

6. A Famous American Writer, a Famous American Short Story

7. Who is this man?

8. Worked on a sealing schooner
He was temporarily raised by a freed slave
Was an OYSTER pirate… yup!
Did time in prison for being a vagrant
Worked on a sealing schooner
Born: 1876
Died: 1916
Went north to mine gold at age 21
Began writing and selling fiction
Mother attempted suicide
Went to but dropped out of Berkeley Univ. due to no money

9. Time Frame: 1876-1916 Died at age 40….?!?!?
American author, journalist, and social activist.
Pioneer in commercial magazine fiction
One of the first fiction writers to obtain worldwide celebrity and a large fortune from his fiction alone.
Known for writing “To Build a Fire,” The Call of the Wild, White Fang, the Sea-Wolf and other Klondike tales.

11. Jack London – Bio Read-aloud
Please see p. 554
6 Volunteer readers
*Background for Understanding” on the Gold Rush*

13. The Gold Rush of the late 1890s

15.
100,000+ prospectors
Only 30, , 000 arrived
Most spent $1000 to get there [ $27,000 in today’s cash!]

16. “To Build a Fire, “
By Jack London– Watch!

17. ” Finish the story…. First pub.: 1902 2nd pub.: 1908
First pub.: 1902
2nd pub.: 1908
” Finish the story….

18. Audio Book Version http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8WnlrUKsBU
43 minutes
Audio Book Version

19. …The Wisdom of Jack London…

20. Quick Write- Day 1
Make two predictions: What will happen to the man, and why? What will happen to the dog, and why?

21. Small Group Work- 25 min. Be ready to share your piece
Small groups BY ROWS: read over your assigned section and...
Locate 2 examples of “naturalism” and two examples of figurative language.
FIRST: Write them out on your group sheet. Use “ “ and a citation:
Example: “ “ (London 464).
NEXT: After each example/quote, explain why your group felt it is an example of writing in the naturalism trend in 1-3 sentences.
LAST: Find two examples of figurative language, copy them, identify them, and explain how they impact the reader’s understanding of the story.

22. In-class, Individual Writing Assignment Choose ONE write about:
Choice A: Identify three mistakes the man made and
explain how these mistakes, when
combined, caused his death. OR
Choice B: London takes an unusual approach by
not naming characters [ “the man, Old-
timer,” the dog]. Explain why you think
he did it and how it impacts a reader of
this tale.

23. Time Permitting:

24. Registration Information Day
Thursday, Feb. 4
Registration Information Day

25. Quiz on “To Build a Fire” & Lit Circle Check-out Day
Friday, Feb. 5
Quiz on “To Build a Fire” & Lit Circle Check-out Day