What is the effect of the personification in the following sentence from "To Build a Fire" by Jack London?"The cold of space smote the...

In this passage we see that nature is violent and indifferent to the fate of the man, the dog, or any creature that happens to be in its way. This is a common theme in Naturalism. One could argue that in this story nature is a character, just like the man and the dog. Nature, or more specifically "the cold of space," is personified in this passage as seen in the use of the word "smote." To smite or strike something shows intention and volition; thus nature is acting with its own will, and nature will not stop to consider the ramifications of its actions or make concessions for the man who gets in its way. The weather and nature here seem a bit more fearful when one views them as acting with intention and when one sees that they have no concern for the man or other life. In fact, it becomes clear as we read that the man's fate is sealed, and there is no escape from the harsh conditions.