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Passages From The Text Pg #s Comments & Questions
Chapter 1
Alex’s backpack looked as if it only weighed5 or 30 pounds… “He wasn’t carrying
nywhere near as much food & gear as you’d
xpect a guy to be carrying for that kind of
ip.” – Jim Gallien
I figured he’d be OK,” he explains. “I thought
e’d probably get hungry pretty quick and
st walk out to the highway. That’s what anyormal person would do.” – Jim Gallien
4
7
(E) The first person introduced in the beginning of the
book is not the main character but a kind union electr
by the name of Jim Gallien spotting him. Gallien meets
‘Alex’ finding the boy interesting in his enthusiasm to
follow the stampede trail however Gallien is almost ce
it will be his doom due to his lack of equipment, food,
directional tools.
Indeed a ‘normal’ person headed through a rough trai
with little to eat and not much protection from the
wilderness would, after a while, turn around and seekshelter and food. However the way Gallien mentions a
end of his quote “That’s what any normal person wou
do” suggests that either Alex was special or he had a
reason for his motives.
Chapter 2
Meandering through the tangled, rolling
ottomland is the Stampede trail, the route
hris McCandless followed into the
ilderness.”
10 (E) If I follow correctly Chris McCandless, must be non
other than other doomed main character ‘Alex’. Since
followed the same Stampede trail and had almost the
items in his pack. But why change his name? Consider
the last chapter Alex likes adventure. Maybe he set ou
an adventure
Chapter 2
Chris McCandless had been dead for two
nd a half weeks.”
13 (R) I think Chris was idealistic and spiritual in his wan
to be with nature. However he was also reckless, and
fearless. These features combined can bring nothing b
misfortune. Chris lived in a world where most people
become spoiled with the modern conveniences and pe
simply lack the common sense of survival. Him being o
of them had to prepare for a journey such as his. In or
to survive you would need to know your destination a
yourself well. Chris McCandless didn’t know the Alask
wilderness at all, had no pre-existing survival skills, an
despite being very strong willed and physically fit, ove
estimated his own endurance.
Chapter 3
The Cabaret's plywood-paneled walls are
ung with deer antlers, Old Milwaukee beer
romos, and mawkish paintings of
ame birds taking flight. Tendrils of cigarette
moke rise from clumps of farmers in
veralls and dusty feed caps, their tired faces
s grimy as coal miners. Speaking in short,
atter-of-fact phrases, they worry aloud
ver the fickle weather and fields of
unflowers still too wet to cut, while above
16 (A) To me the way Krakauer describes the scenery is
comforting and realistic. He mixes visual details of the
accessories hanging on the walls of the smell of the
tendrils of smoke and even the hearing details like the
farmers’ small talk in short phrases. It makes it feel as
you are sitting in the room and actually watching the
scenes unravel before you.
Krakauer is also really attentive to adding certain deta
in order for the reader to follow dates and important
events. From the information given in this passage we
conclude that the date was January 12, 1993, and that
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heir heads Ross Perot's sneering visage
ckers across a silent television screen. In
ght days the nation will elect Bill Clinton as
resident. It’s been nearly two months since
he body of Chris McCandless turned up in
laska.”
McCandless was found in the middle of November.
Chapter 3
No longer would he answer to ChriscCandless; he was now Alexander
upertramp, master of his own destiny.”
23 (C) I related this to the many people who like Chris ha
changed their names to escape from their past, possib
even a crime. Some simply change their names becaus
personal taste or like Chris to start anew as their own
person unconnected to anyone.
Chapter 4
Then in a gesture that would have done both
horeau and Tolstoy proud, he arranged all
s paper currency in a pile on the sand… Oneundred twenty-three dollars in legal
under was promptly reduced to smoke and
sh.”
He told us about abandoning his car,
urning all his money. I said ‘Why would you
ant to do that?’ Claimed he didn’t need
oney.” –Jan Burres
Chris had given away his collage fund to
XFAM.”
29
30
31
(A) These quotes show in my opinion one of the them
‘Into the Wild’ that Krakauer emphasized well with th
help of McCandless’s books. Materialism.
All through the book, quotes from books written by LeTolstoy, Jack London and Henry David Thoreau are
displayed taken from the books Chris carried with him
his journey. Chris adopted their idealism into his life
letting it inspire him throughout his long trek. He reje
what he sees as American materialism in general by
denouncing his parents, his suburban life style and his
social life. Also completely refusing any worldly mater
burning the money he earned with hard work, and
donating the rest of his worldly earnings to OXFAM,
organizations working in 98 countries to find lasting
solutions to injustice and poverty where it is most neeThe world at this point seems to find idealistic behavi
such as this strange, due to the reaction of 41-year-old
rubber tramp, Jan Burres.
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Chapter 5
Burres made it clear that he was no recluse:
He had a good time when he was aroundeople, a real good time.” At the swap meet
e’d talk and talk and talk to everybody who
ame by.” – Jan Burres
I thought Alex had lost his mind when he
ld us about his ‘great Alaskan odyssey’, ase called it.” – Jan Burres
44
45
(C) This instantly reminded me of a time in my life wh
had gone on a visit to Cuba at the age of 13, and while
walking through the streets of Antonio Maceo in Santi
de Cuba, a large flea market was set up. A small stall w
crowded unlike anything you would ever see in a flea
market, and they weren’t buying but talking with theyoung Cuban, who I discovered was named Alejandro,
behind it. My family and me had stayed to listen to wh
the Alejandro was saying, however it was a lecture or
preaching but simple chitchat.
Until we heard the question from the crowd “When ar
you returning to America?” The man’s response was“when Cuba is free.” Then he continued “The United st
is the best country in the world full of endless possibil
however this is the country my whole family was raise
I want to have hope for it and that’s why I am here.” T
people laughed, some gasped to themselves, andwhispered to each other including my family.
Everyone who was born and raised here had the idea
Cuba would never change as long as Fidel and Raul Ca
remained alive. However this man like McCandless wa
anomaly.
While everyone else in the city and of Bullhead and at
swap meet he worked at were always searching for a w
to make life easier, a way to acquire wealth. McCandle
wanted just the opposite, he wanted to make life hard
push his limits, and live on the edge as an adventurer.
the same with the man in Cuba all the citizens of Cubawere just trying to get by and find a way to live an eas
life without getting in trouble. The man lived hoping n
bothering to make his life easier and fly back to the US
risking daily persecution.
(In Cuba anything you say about the country not havin
freedom or it being tortured by Fidel or if you talk bad
about Fidel could lead you to jail or depending on the
degree of the speech made maybe even death.)
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Chapter 6
Astoundingly, the eighty-one-year-old man
ok the brash twenty-four-year-old
agabond’s advice to heart. Franz placed his
rniture and most of his other possessions
a storage locker, bought a GMC Duravan,nd outfitted it with bunks and camping gear.
hen he set up camp on the bajada.”
When Alex left to Alaska,” Franz remembers,
prayed, I asked God to keep his finger on
he shoulder of that one; I told him that boy
as special. But he let Alex die. Son on
ecember 26, when I learned what had
appened, I renounced the Lord. I withdrew
y church membership and became an
theist. I decided I couldn’t believe in a Godho would let that something that terrible
appen to a boy like Alex.” – Ronald Franz
58
60
(R) As I was reading these passages it came to me the
influence Alex had on the people he met. I think Kraka
specially tried to highlight moments like these for exa
he mentions how everyone always loved Alex, intervie
of the people Alex had met were always touching and
close.Alex had an incredible knack for winning people onto
side and keeping them painlessly at arms length. How
Franz was different Alex won the prickly elder man ea
and influenced him to change his living style with only
miniscule conversation and a handful of written word
Which ironically enough is how Alex was inspired to g
up his comfortable life and set out on his large-scale
adventure in order to get the most out of life.
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Chapter 7
had Alex over to the house for supper just
bout every night,” Borah continues. – Gail
orah
’m going to divorce them as my parents once
nd for all and never speak to either of those
iots again as long as I live.” – Christopher
cCandless
Once Alex made up his mind about
omething, there was no changing it,”Westerberg laments.” – Wayne Westerberg
63
64
67
(A) Something I’ve been noticing from chapters 1-7. T
Krakauer highlighted Kindness of the people superbly
From chapter one Krakauer always tries to show that
matter Alex went and how he looked like. There was
always someone there ready to receive him with open
arms. Krakauer highlighted even those who only show
the slightest amount of compassion. Since Krakauer d
receive the chance to get to now and interview Alex he
took advantage of the interviews of the people who lovAlex and his letters to characterize him in the book.
In chapter 1 we have Jim Gallien, who over the tiny sp
time he met the boy, worried for him and even gave A
his lunch before dropping him off at the stampede trai
Krakauer used Gallien to show how stubborn and Gun
Alex was about the trip also to show his cocky nature.
In chapter 2 we have Ken Thompson, Gordon Samel,
Ferdie Swanson, and Butch Killian who could have left
Alex in the bus to continue rotting but moved the body
immediately.
In chapter 3 Wayne Westerberg is introduced for the ftime. Wayne offered him shelter and a steady job at th
grain elevators, the people of Carthage that are said to
have adored Alex by Westerberg himself. Wayne
characterizes Alex as hardworking and a real nice boy
In chapter 4 Jan Burres and her boyfriend Bob make t
first appearance, also in a letter he sends to Westerbe
Alex mentions a man by the name of Kevin who he tha
for the clothes that helped him survive the harsh wint
Jan offers him shelter at their house and a steady
friendship forms with the couple.
After leaving Jan and Bob, Alex meets a young Germancouple by the name of Thomas and Karin who he camp
out with after they give him a ride to the Grand Canyo
In chapter 5, he wrote a letter to Jan Burres explaining
an old man named Charlie had offered to have him sta
‘his’ trailer for free. Later on in the chapter Jan and Bo
reunite with Alex and offer him a job overseeing her s
of paperback books in a swap meet. Jan often showed
motherly worry and care toward McCandless. He also
meets Tracy, a teen in the Slabs who develops a crush
him. In chapter 6 is perhaps Alex’s biggest bond madeduring the journey, the octogenarian Ronald Franz. Fr
met Alex when offering him a ride to his camp, after a
small conversation both men became very attached to
each other. Alex stayed with Franz for a while, all thro
the while Franz grew to view Alex as his grandson and
even made Alex a special request. He asked Alex to be
his adopted grandson.
In chapter 7 Wayne Westerberg makes a second
appearance, and once again offers him a job and a plac
stay. This time Westerberg introduces Alex to his
girlfriend Gail Borah and his mother Mary Westerberg
who both treasured Alex very much.
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Chapter 8
he important differences I could find are:
Rosellini
Rosellini’s ‘experiment’ stretched on for
ore than a decade,”
At the age of forty-nine, he cheerfully
nnounced that he had ‘recast’ his goals,”
There in the forest at the edge of town, heecided to devote his life to an ambitious
nthropological experiment.”
In November 1991, Rosellini was
scovered lying facedown on the floor of his
hack with a knife through his heart. The
oroner determined that the fatal wound was
elf-inflicted.”
Waterman
His parents, Guy and Emily Waterman,vorced when he was a teen, and Guy,
ccording to a close source to the family,
ssentially abandoned his sons following thevorce. He would have nothing more to do
ith the boys, and it crippled John badly.”
He’d take copious notes, creating aomplete record of everything he did during
he course of each day.”
Waterman was nevertheless hailed as aero by the small fraternity of Fairbanks
imbers.”
McCunn
“A thirty-five-year-old amateur
hotographer, McCunn told friends that the
ain reason for the trip was to shoot
ctures of wildlife.”
He was hot for at least a couple of different
rls who worked with us, and he spent a lot
f time and energy trying to talk Sue orarbara or whoever into accompanying him,”
Carl was the sort of guy who would have
nrealistic expectations that someone would
ventually figure out he was in trouble and
over for him.”
75
75
74
75
76-77
78
78
81
83
(E) Although there have been many negative commen
about McCandless being just like many other that have
have died and many that still exist today. The three m
compared to McCandless are Gene Rosellini, John Mall
Waterman, and Carl McCunn. Between all these men t
may be some similarities but there are more differenc
between them and those differences are what makes
McCandless unique and fame worthy Krakauer’s eyes.
important differences I could find are:
Rosellini
-McCandless’s adventure only lasted two short years.
-Chris was in his early twenties. (Making his actions
especially rare.)
- McCandless devoted himself to living alone for his ow
sake, or in order to fully appreciate life, not out of
education.
- McCandless died of malnutrition and lack of knowled
and supplies.
Waterman- McCandless unlike Waterman was not close to any of
family except his sister and instead of his father
abandoning him; Chris abandoned both his parents of
own accord.
- McCandless wrote small journals without many deta
and many times skipped entries.
- Chris became a story in the headlines across the Unit
States however; he was not necessarily seen as a hero
more as a whacko. (Ironically enough Waterman actuabecame mentally unstable.)
McCunn
- Again McCandless had no educational goals or hobbi
was following, he did it for the value of life and just to
there alone.
- McCandless however wanted no such company on hi
journey, he was completely opposite from this man in
eyes. Every time McCandless made a bond with peopl
left them early enough for them to not expect any type
commitment from him. Chris didn’t want any emotionbaggage for the trip. However he did keep friends like
Burres, Bob, Westerberg, and Franz at an arms length
- Again in this aspect McCandless was the complete
opposite of McCunn. Chris wanted no help from anyon
worked for things and rarely ever asked favor of peop
He wouldn’t even accept help if he was offered it like hwas many times during his journey. For example: duri
his last visit to Carthage, Westerberg offered to buy hi
plane tickets straight to Fairbanks, he declined thankf
and considered it cheating. He also declined Franz’s ofto be adopted and live a comfortable like with him.
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Chapter 9
Everett was born in Oakland, California, in914, the younger of two sons raised by
hristopher and Stella Ruess.”
89
(A) Again Krakauer uses means of comparison to s
that Alex is unique in his desire to live the rest
his life tramping.
I believe that McCandless was unique in his desire tosimply want to be alone, away from everyday life with
a goal or mission, especially his attitude towards it all,
was always very happy and energetic just to be in the
Also considering his age his soul was well beyond his
years. He was always very spiritual in his desire to be
the move. He was like none other because he cut hims
off completely from emotional bonds and family, also
modern day life.
Chapter 10
didn’t know what I was going to say. How
o you tell someone that their child is dead?”
Sam McCandless
102
(C) Many times in my life we have had people inform u
that our loved ones have passed away, and months aftthey confirm they had no idea how to tell us. We never
really understood this until we were actually put in th
position this summer.
This summer my grandfather on my mother’s side pasaway. He lived in Cuba were travel was costly and diff
and conditions were horrible, meaning my mother
couldn’t even go to his funeral. My father and I were th
first to be contacted and deliver the news. That was w
we were put into the position of telling my mother. Th
phrase reminded me of that time in my life because I s
exactly that. I said to myself “How am I supposed to temother that her father is dead?”
Chapter 11
Mom and Dad put in extremly long hours.” –arine McCandless
er son, the teenage Tolstoyan, believed that
ealth was shameful, corupting, inherently
vil…” –Billie McCandless
115
(R) Krakauer uses this chapter wisely by using Chris’s
parents in order to describe Chris’s early life and also
show why Chris decided to disconnect his life from his
family. First he outlines that Chris had the Tolstoyan
mentality since he was very young, causing him to late
break ties with his style of living. Krakauer shows that
Chris had a very happy childhood, however the over-
obssesion with money in the money to the point that h
parents would leave him and his Carine alone in the h
to take care of themselves for hours on end is mostly w
drove him to this mentality. The mentality that wealth
ruins people.
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Chapter 12
Chris’s relations with his parents, which had
een unusually courteous since his
raduation from high school, deteriorated
gnificantly that summer, and Walt and
illie had no idea why.”
121
(E) At this point after Chris returns from his first trip a
from home, and during this trip he discovers that his
father had been living a double life supporting anoth
wife with another son. When Chris finds out he blocks
his parents, mostly his father and keeps to himself. I d
think this is the best thing he could’ve done however,that’s from my point of view. To me Chris was always drastic with his actions and when he decided to turn
against his family he decided to do it all the way witho
even confronting them and asking for an explanation.
What Walt did was of course, in my eyes, completely
wrong but not worth Chris’s absolute loathing.
Chapter 13
As she studies the pictures, she breaks down
om time to time, weeping as only a mother
ho has outlived a child can weep, betraying
sense of loss so huge and irreparable that he mind balks at taking its measure. Such
eareavement, witnessed at close range,
akes even the most eloquent apologia for
gh-risk activities ring fatuous and hollow.”
132
(R) Krakauer used such an expressive language here t
the phrase immeaditaly called to me and touched me
deeply. He has always tried to defend Chris’s sense of adventure for ‘ high-risk activities’ as he says however
when he interviews Chris’ mother and notices her sorand suffering he admit s the Chris’s unprepared and co
voyage has not only earned him his death but the suffe
of all his family and friends. That’s just the way things
work however not at all I’m sure how Chri’s had plannit. I’m sure he didn’t mean any harm when he started o
his voyage than just to start a new life and settle down
somewhere else after he had finished traveling from p
to place.
Chapter 14
I put a foot through a snow bridge spanning
slot so deep I coulnd’t see the bottom of it.little later I broke through another bridge
my waist; the poles kept me out of the
undred-foot crevasse…”
At such moments something resembling
appiness actually stirs in your chest, but it
n’t the sort of emotion you want to lean on
ery hard.”
139
143
(C) This reminds me of the times in my life when I use
try and climb trees. When I used to be about 8 climbin
trees was as big a challenge to me as it was for Krakauand his Devil’s Thumb. I remember I used to climb up the middle and be stuck there just like Krakauer rema
stuck on a hanging piece of ice. When I tried to advanc
from the middle my feet or hands would slip and I wo
scramble around trying to reach for the safety of a bra
because just like Krakauer or anyone else I was afraid
falling to my ‘doom’ as I thought of it. But of course whcould sucessfully climb to the top or atleast away from
middle I would swell with happines and gigglel to mys
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Chapter 17
t would be easy to stereotype Christopher
McCandless as another boy who felt too
much, a loopy man who read too many books
nd lacked even a modicum of common
ense.”
184
(R) Krakauer in my opinion found McCandless very
interesting, nothing like a simple college graduate.
Throughout the whole book he defends McCandless’s
dangerous sense of adventure and identifying himslef
him. Like now he could stereotype McCandless as
everything he was labeled as, a nutcase, a lunatic, a stu
kid, or just another one of them hitchhikers. However
Krakauer continues to believe that McCandless went in
the wild for more than just status and fame, but in ord
search deep into his soul for the life he truly desires.
Chapter 15
But I believe we were similarly affected by
he skewed relationships we had with our
thers.”
155
(A) Here, Krakauer establishes a motif of Sons and th
Fathers. Their problems with their fathers were both t
turning point of their stories. Although for different
reasons they both separate from their fathers of their
accord. Krakauer however remembers his father as lo
and kind and McCandless always remembered them awell, idiots. Both fathers however caused this sof their
own accord because of their ambitiousness. Since
Krakauer started kindergarden his father was already
planning his futute in the medicall field. McCandless’s
father abandoned him with Carine for many months to
fend for themsleves in order to work on his fortune al
while supporting another family far away.
Chapter 16
He didn’t get along with his folks too good, Iuess. Told me his dad was a genius, a NASA
ocket scientist, but he’d been a bigamist at ne time…”
159
(E) It surprised me when I read that Alex had talked
venerably about his father to someone he met. Most o
time he wouldn’t speak a word of his family. There wa
only one time I recall that he had spoken in an outragetone towards his family and that was with Wayne. In
which he remarked the words surprised him because
clashed with Alex’s character so much. But on his fina
meeting with a person (Stuckey) before he went into t
wild he commplimented his father the member of his
family he was most upset at. Even though Stuckey cou
like everyone else Alex had talked to, conclude that he
didn’t get along with his parents it was still rare that A
would commpliment them in any way. But then I ask
myslef if it was a coincidence that Alex did that. Maybe
anger was at this point slipping away, or maybe he juswanted someone to know that deep down he still adm
his father and cared for his family.
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Chapter 18
He had just finished reading Doctor Zhivago,
book that had incited him to scribble
xcited notes in the margins and underline
everal passages.”
t is tempting to regard this latterotification as further evidence that
McCandless’s long, lonely sabatical hadhanged him in some significant way.
188
189
(C) Like McCandless I too often scribble comments,
personal jokes, questions in my books as well. It’s a wa
me to have fun reading books and also learn things ea
McCandless I’m sure occuppied most off his time in hi
books and liked to jot his ideas down. When I sit down
read a book. I also think of my own lifesyle and reflectIf I like soemthing in the book maybe I could orient my
in another way. Just like certain books that McCandles
owned made him rethink his idea of living in society.