why do you think the protangonist and antagonist are referred to as "the man" and "the dog" as opposed to be given names, in to build a fire by Jack London

The man is meant to represent the folly (ignorance) of all men in the face of mother nature, "He was a newcomer in the land, a chechaquo, and this was his first winter." The man with his ego represents the human misconception that we can somehow beat nature on her own terms. This ignorance is perhaps mans' legacy. The dog represents the natural world. Like all animals, especially in the wild, the dog has an instictive understanding and respect for nature that man often lacks.