A Man s Best Friend - 1138 Words

A Man’s Best Friend One day I was playing soccer with my friend and his dog outside of his house. All of a sudden his dog ran inside. I asked my friend what was the matter, why did he he just run inside? My friend explained to me that his dog is able to sense when bad weather is going to come. I told him it doesn’t look like bad weather is coming though, the sun is still out. He then responded by saying â€Å"you’ll see; his instinct is never wrong.† Nevertheless, later that day it did thunderstorm. My story of the dog’s instinct being superior to my intellect is similar to Jack London’s short story, â€Å"To Build a Fire.† In this story London contrasts the two characters in the story – the unnamed man and his dog. These two character foils†¦show more content†¦He thinks that â€Å"Those old-timers were rather womanish [and that] ... Any man who was a man could travel alone,† (113). The unnamed man’s biggest mistake is underestimat ing the force of nature and as he steps out into unimaginable weather conditions, it is clear he is unprepared. â€Å"In fact, he carried nothing but the lunch wrapped in the handkerchief. He was surprised, however, at the cold. It certainly was cold, he concluded, as he rubbed his numb nose and cheekbones with his mitted hand. He was a warm whiskered man but the hair on his face did not protect the high cheekbones and the eager nose that thrust itself aggressively into the frosty air† (108). This quotation demonstrates that he was unprepared and underestimated this journey. He should have carefully considered all factors relating to under packing, underdressing, and the issue of possible frostbite/death, and he shouldn’t have underestimated the fact that he cannot control natures conditions such as negative fifty-degree weather. On the other hand, the dog from the very start is hesitant to accompany the man on his journey. â€Å"The animal was depressed by the tremen dous cold. It knew that it was no time for travelling. Its instinct told it a truer tale than was told to the man by the man’s judgment.† (108). As the story continues, London contrasts the man and his dog throughout the story. It is basically a man’s knowledge versus a dog’s instinct. Of course the dog has better