Two short stories “To Build a Fire” by Jack London and “Solitude” by Henry David Thoreau demonstrate situations in which a person is in contact with nature. However, the approach of the main characters of the news to such a state of events is exactly the opposite. Both literary depict the plight of a person who is intentionally or accidentally left alone in the woods and who either takes advantage of this juxtaposition of civilized and savage or fights with the forces of nature, but they both try to embrace nature and accept it for what it is, whether it is the right way or the wrong way. The reading materials show how one can either benefit from nature's gifts or become a victim of its frightening power. The outcome of humans' interaction with uncontrolled powers depends on their approach and attitude to circumstances as well as their ability to find unity with nature. The short stories lend themselves to comparison because they show how much an individual's approach to loving nature can change, and not only that, but also how one treats nature. Through this essay, we learned how nature can be both an enemy and a friend depending on how we humans treat it. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essayReading material “To Build a Fire” tells the story of a desperate traveler who suffers due to bad weather, he goes out into the wild thinking he is capable of overcoming anything nature has to offer. The problem of the story lies in a person's physical and psychological endurance capabilities. The author delivers the message that humans are physically weak beings, whose lives are strongly affected by external factors. Like for example, lower temperatures being a death sentence for a vulnerable human being. The fear of fighting the forces of the North leads to a loss of chivalry and humanity. He is willing to commit frightening acts such as killing the faithful dog in order to have a small chance of survival. The author describes a day in the character's life which turns out to be his last day. The man took a delicate bypass path to join his companions. Man does not occupy himself with thoughts on the way. He is afraid and longing to be alone with nature at the same time. The traveler cannot appreciate its ancient beauty and therefore fails to use his resources in the right way to overcome obstacles. He perceives nature as an enemy rather than as an ally capable of helping him face adversity. The author continues to describe the man's difficulties which are directly related to his skeptical mood. The man had accidentally fallen through the ice and wet his feet. This event only annoys him at first and causes irritation. He didn't expect that such a small incident would become a terrible danger for him. When a man manages to light a fire, he is happy and relieved. The traveler realizes that he was saved thanks to his practical survival skills. The bonfire symbolizes the tranquility of life in civilization and the supposed victory over uncontrolled forces. However, such relief turns out to be a short-lived illusion, because nature does not want to succumb to a man who does not respect its power. Out of ignorance and lack of attention, the traveler made a fire under the spruce tree. The snow falling from the branches extinguished the bonfire and left him with no hope of survival. The traveler is able to have for the first timethoughts on profound topics just before his inevitable death. Nature taught him to respect the powers under his control and to accept his fate calmly. The solitude of which he was so afraid during the plot becomes his last asylum. The company of the wild woods is the last thing he experiences while trying to reach civilization. Therefore, the short story reveals that it is unwise to treat nature as an enemy and neglect the warning signs what life gives. Human arrogance often leads to terrifying consequences. Nature sees man's weakness from the start and takes advantage of it, unlike his dog, who uses his instincts from the start and ultimately survives. It is therefore naive to assume that one can compete as equals against uncontrolled powers without even putting in the slightest effort to try to win or survive. Henry Thoreau's story "Solitude" conveys a completely opposite message on the same subject. The main character, narrator of the story, enjoys unity with nature and seeks to strengthen this connection with ancient heritage. He goes into the woods because of his own desire to live in the wild. Man makes such a decision in order to feel cohesion with his roots. The narrator understands his relationship with the wild world of the ancestors. Moreover, man realizes the meager real value of a person's life against the background of the enormous power of nature that existed for millions of years. However, the main character is by no means a weak opportunist who only succumbs to uncontrolled forces. He feeds on the power of nature and finds comfort, joy and pleasure there. The author states that a person is often alone in society even if he or she is part of the crowd. People quickly become bored of the company of others. This trend is present because everyone is tired of the same ideas and thoughts circulating within civilized society. However, nature allows you to relax morally and recharge your batteries to relearn how to feel more deeply and think more broadly. While the protagonist denies the enormous power of nature in London's short story, the man in Thoreau's literary work readily accepts this power. According to the narrator, nature offers remedies for both the body and the soul. Human beings only need to take advantage of the opportunities given to them and use the resources provided to them. However, most members of contemporary society do not admit that these abilities exist and prefer to be narrow-minded and blind. The company of trees and animals is much more pleasant for the main character because he can feel an attachment to ancient wild roots. Furthermore, the character's ideas are based on motivations much deeper than the sudden revelation of a traveler dying in the Arctic. The main character claims that the Earth is small and miserable against the backdrop of eternal space. According to Thoreau, every person must understand that they cannot be the center of the universe. Our fears, our problems and our wishes are insignificant in the context of fleeting time. After all, every human being is destined to be an integral part of the Earth after death. The narrator considers that our existence only strengthens ancient wild powers, because each living being finds nature like compost which fertilizes the soil. It is strange that his feelings are not one-sided. Nature extends its hand to the wise in return. He finds different flowers and leaves left by visitors at his home. This detail symbolizes the fact that the old forces respect the narrator's life path and accept him as an equal. Not only that, we saw at. 48-53.