In this essay I will compare and contrast the protagonist in the two stories "How to Build a Fire", and "The Tell Tale Heart". "How to Build a Fire", is about a man on a mission to cross over the cold, desolate countryside of the Yukon. "The Tell Tale Heart" is about a man telling the story of his perfect crime. First I will give some examples of their likenesses such as their overconfident outlook on the events throughout the story, and how, in the end, irony occurred for the both of them. Then I will contrast elements of the story such as the antagonist, and show the different aspects of the two characters.
There are many ways in which the protagonists of these two stories are comparable. The first similarity that should be known is that neither of the characters have a name. They are both simply referred to as "the man". It might be said that both authors chose not to name the men so that the reader feels less compassion for them.
The most noticeable connection between them is their personalities. They both exhibit notions of arrogance throughout the story. In "The Tell Tale Heart", Poe shows the reader immediately that the protagonist is very proud of himself. He is certain that his actions were those of a brilliant being. For no "madman" could have devised a plan of that intelligence. "But you should have seen me. You should have seen how wisely I proceeded- with what foresight- with what dissimulation I went to work!".
These notions coincide with those of the protagonist in "How to build a Fire". In this story the author displays the mans" arrogance when he ignored the advice of the old man back at Sulphur Creek when he began his journey through the wilderness. The old man warned him that in sight of the temperature dropping to under fifty degrees below zero he should not walk the trail alone because it was too dangerous. He did not take the advise of the old man and continued along without a walking mate.
