How do you remind us about the period's stereotypes?

I think the author was trying to portray mans' limitations in the majesty of nature. The "newcomer" didn't heed the warnings that nature was trying to convey. Even his dog proceeded apprehensively. The dog knew though generations of instinct when to stop. The man, in his arrogance, continues on. London was all about the concept of "naturalism"; that is man's intimate relationship with nature. The newcomer's lack of respect for nature's rhythms is his undoing. Even his dog runs away when the man attempts to turn him into a sleeping bag. You really can't blame the dog; the man was sort of a jerk!