What are the similarities and differences between "To Build a Fire" by Jack London and "After Twenty Years" by O.Henry?

One of the similarities is that both stories end with a man's demise. In "To Build a Fire," the man is over-confident in his ability to survive in the harsh conditions of the Yukon. In "After Twenty Years" there isn't as clear a focus of the overconfidence except perhaps that the waiting man is convinced that his friend Jimmy Wells will show up to see him. It is possible to suggest that this confidence that...

One of the similarities is that both stories end with a man's demise. In "To Build a Fire," the man is over-confident in his ability to survive in the harsh conditions of the Yukon. In "After Twenty Years" there isn't as clear a focus of the overconfidence except perhaps that the waiting man is convinced that his friend Jimmy Wells will show up to see him. It is possible to suggest that this confidence that leads to their downfall is a common theme.

One of the major differences is that there are several characters in "After Twenty Years" whereas in "To Build a Fire," the man trying to reach his friends is the only human present.

Another possible similarity is that the man in "To Build a Fire" sees the fire as his friend and believes that he has kept himself from danger. So too the man waiting for Jimmy Wells believes that the cop he speaks to is not a threat and that he is safe there. But the fire loosens the snow which falls and extinguishes the warmth the man is depending on. So too the cop the waiting man thinks is just keeping things safe goes to get another cop to arrest his old friend.