A fable, by definition, is "...a brief story that sets forth some pointed statement of truth" (Kennedy & Gioia, 1995). One key element to a fable is the vagueness of the characters, sketchy and poorly developed. In "…Death" we find our protagonist is Death’s godson, the rich and famous doctor. In "…Fire" we simply know the main character as ‘the man’, assumed a lumberjack. In either story, knowing more about the character will not greatly enhance the ending. In a traditional short story, the characters are delineated, defined and expanded upon. Besides character development, we also need to look at plot.
In "…Fire", the dramatic situation, or conflict, is the man against the cold. In "…Death", we find our protagonist up against a supernatural entity, Death. Both stories end with the demise of our "Hero", each a product of their own human frailties. The doctor felt that because his godfather was the Grim Reaper, he would be granted immunity to death. The man felt that although "…He was quick and alert in the things of life", he was equally unimpressed with the cold, confident in his own abilities to make it to the end of his journey.
The fact that the man was alone, not including the dog, illustrates the complication needed in a typical fable. If the man had had some able-bodied person with him, he probably would not have frozen to death. In "…Death", the complication is the warning that Death gives the boy "But take care not to use the herb against my will or it could be the worse for you".
Suspense is created by asking one’s self "Does the doctor get away with his disobedience? Will the man make it to his destination?" There is also a fair amount of foreshadowing needed to create the suspense. In "…Fire", the man repeatedly questions the warnings of the Old-timer on Sulphur Creek, "A man should travel with a partner". And speaking of traveling…
In a fable, the growing process is usually masked as a journey, and in both stories the main characters’ find themselves destination or bust. The doctor is striving to help as many people as he can. It’s through this growing process that he inevitably ends up faced with the decision of doing what he feels is right versus paying for that decision with his life. The man in "…Fire" is also on a journey, a duel excursion. He literally is traveling across the snow and ice, as well as growing with the knowledge of the Old-timers’ words of wisdom. It seems that in the beginning of both stories, the protagonist feels a touch of immortality. If the doctor’s godfather is Death, then he shall have no fear If the man is overly confident in his own abilities, then he too shall survive.
I also found that, although the Old-timer of Sulphur Creek is not a supernatural entity, I felt that he could be compared to Godfather Death. In each case we have a vague supporting character giving the advice of a lifetime. Beware… A fable often will use a supernatural figure to cause conflict and/or to give advice. By neglecting the advice, consequences arise, a climax is reached, and a conclusion can be drawn.
If we take the time to examine a piece of literature, be it poetry, short stories, fables or plays, we can always find something new and interesting about it. I wouldn’t have made connections between these two stories initially, but with guidance, I was able to see the sublime, feel it, touch it, and smell it !!??
J