In the story,Mister London explained how the extreme cold made the world seem dead.

VOA: special.2009.02.11

Because when I try to imagine a world in which I'm dead, I smuggle myself back in.

因为当我想象自己死后的世界时，会再度将自己带入其中。

耶鲁公开课 - 死亡课程节选

So I haven't really imagined the world in which I no longer exist, a world in which I'm dead, a world in which I'm incapable of thought and observation.

所以我并没有真正,想想自己不存在的世界，自己死后的世界，一个我无法再思考和观察的世界。

耶鲁公开课 - 死亡课程节选