A Cold Day in Hell: The Theme in Jack London’s “To Build a Fire” In the story "To Build a Fire" by Jack London, there is one principal theme; respecting nature and having a powerful understanding of the warning signs it gives a person. This theme is shown through the character and his actions. The main character in the story had an attitude that prevented him from heeding internal and external warnings that Mother …showed first 75 words of 870 total…

…showed last 75 words of 870 total…on the man. It was not because he was long used to it. He was a new comer in the land, a Cheechako and this was his first winter. (101) The area would soon make an unforgettable impression on the man unfortunately, this would also be his last winter. The story’s theme effectively shows that failure to heed warnings will lead to adverse repercussions. In the main character's case, it led to his cold death.