About The Book

A man by the name of Christopher McCandleless takes a two year journey throughout different parts of Alaska.Throughout the story, the author talks about some other young men who vanished also on the trip into the wildness. McCandleless lasts on his journey for about 112 days while participating in many things, which included keeping a journal. He planned to hike the coast of Alaska, however it was too hard. Therefore, he camped in a derelict bus. He attempted to leave the bus in July, but it was blocked by a melted river. One of McCandleless journal entries talks about how weak he was. The author seems to think that he had been eating the roots of a plant called Hedysarum, also known as wild potato. McCandleless may have attempted to eat the seeds which caused him to starve due to the poison. When McCandleless died he had only 10% of fat on his body and weighed only 67 pounds when his body was found. It is seemed to believe that his body could not fight off the toxins. When his body was inspected, the mold from the plant may have caused his death. The way McCandleless died is still a mystery to this day.

About The Author

Jon Krakauer was born in 1954 in Corvallis, Oregon. Krakauer graduated from Hampshire College in 1976 and then earned a living by traveling between Colorado, Alaska, and the Pacific Northwest as a carpenter and commercial fisherman. Krakauer was a very adventurous man and spent a majority of his time hiking and climbing mountains. In 1977, he climbed a large and scary mountain peak called the Devils Thumb. Years later, he climbed the west face of Cerro Torre in Patagonian Andes. One of his greatest climbs was when he reached the top of Mount Everest in 1996. One of his famous books called Into Thin Air was based on his trip up Mount Everest. He has received many awards and prizes for his books. Also, many of his books have been and continue to be published in many magazines and newspapers.

A Place In The United States

There are many places in the United States that I would love to travel to. However, I would especially love to go to Key West, Florida. I think it would be very fun visiting the Southernmost place in the United States. Key West is full of fun for families and activities for teens. I would really enjoy Key West because of the warm weather and beaches. I love summertime and being able to play in the ocean. I think it would be so fun to go para sailing and snorkeling. I would also love to go jet skiing! I think I would have a great time with my family and friends. I really hope I get the chance to visit Key West someday.

Getting to Know Chris McCandless

The definition of direct characterization is when a writer simply states the traits of a character. Indirect characterization is used when a writer reveals information about a character and his personality through that character's thoughts, words, actions, along with how other characters respond to that character, including what they think and say about him.

Direct Characterization
1. " He didn't appear to be very old: eighteen, maybe nineteen at most. A rifle protruded from the young man's backpack, but he looked friendly enough." Page 3.

2. "Five feet seven or eight with a wiry build, he claimed to be twenty-four years old." Page 4.

3. "The more they talked, the less Alex struck Gallien as a nutcase. He was congenial and seemed well educated." Page 5.

4. "Westerberg, a hyperkinetic man with thick shoudlers and a black goatee." Page 16.

5. "McCandless was smallish with the hard, stringy physique of an itinerant laborer. There was something arresting about the youngter's eyes. Dark and emotive, they suggested a trace of exotic blood in his heritage-- Greek, maybe, or Chippewa." Page 16.

6. "His face had a strange elasticity: It would be slack and expressionless one minute, only to twist suddenly into a gaping, oversize grin that distorted his features and exposed a mouthful of horsy teeth. He was nearsighted and wore steel-rimmed glasses. He looked hungry." Page 17.

7. "Westerberg, in his mid thirties, a Renaissance man of the plains, he is a farmer, welder, businessman, machinist, ace mechanic, commodities speculator, licensed airplane pilot, computer programmer, electronics troubleshooter, video-game repairman." Page 19.

8. "Jan Burres, a fourty-one-year-old rubber tramp who was traveling around the West selling knick-knacks at flea markets and swap meets with her boyfriend, Bob." Page 30.

9. "He was unheeded, happy, and near to the wild heart of life. He was alone and young and willful and wild hearted, alone amid a waste of wild air and brackish waters and the sea-harvest of shells and tangle and veiled grey sunlight." Page 31.

10. "He was a really good kid. We thought the world of him." Page 30.

Indirect Characterization
1. "We got to talking, he was a nice kid. Said his name was Alex. And he was big time hungry. Hungry, hungry, hungry. But real happy." Page 30.

2. "He wasn't carrying anywhere near as much food and gear as you'd expect a guy to be carrying for that kind of trip," Gallien recalls. Page 4.

3. "He peppered Gallien with thoughtful questions about the kind of smal game that live in the country, the kinds of berries he could eat-- that kind of thing." Page 5.

4. "Alex admitted that the only food in his pack was a ten-pound bag of rice. His gear seemed exceedingly minimal for the harsh conditions of the interior." Page 5.

5. "Alex's cheap leather hiking boots were neither waterproof nor well insulated." Page 5.

6. "Gallien thought the hitchhiker's scheme was foolhardy and tried repeatedly to dissuade him." Page 5.

7. "Alex didn't seem too worried. 'I'll climb a tree' is all he said. He had an answer for everything I threw at him." Page 6.

8. Gallien asked whether he had a hunting license. "Hell no," Alex scoffed. "How I feed myself is none of the government's business. Fuck their stupid rules." Page 6.

9. "If you don't take it, I'm going to throw it away," Alex cheerfully retorted. "I don't want to know what time it is. I don't want to know what day it is or where I am. None of that matters." Page 7.

10. "I thought he'd probably get hungry pretty quick and just walk out to the highway. That's what any normal person would do." Page 7.

In my opinion, Chris McCandless is a very determined and independent guy. All he wants is to be left alone in the wild. He doesn't care about anything or what could happen to him. I don't think that he is going on a suicide mission, however, he wants to be completely secluded from everyone and everything.

Symbolic Designs On My Belt

There are many symbols that would represent important things in my life. However, the ones that are most important to me are an ipod, a lacrosse stick, a soccer ball, a sun, the JC logo, the St. Margaret's school logo, my initials M.A.B, and a palm tree. I would choose to carve an ipod in my belt because music is a very important thing to me. I love listening to music because it puts me in a better mood and just makes me want to go crazy. I would choose a lacrosse stick and soccer ball because I have been playing those sports since I was little. I really enjoying playing sports because it takes my mind off of things. I would carve a sun and a palm tree because I love warm weather and the beach. I wish I lived at the beach and it could be warm weather all the time. John Carroll and St. Margaret's are both very important parts of my life. I attended St. Margaret's since the first grade. I really enjoyed SMS and I love going to John Carroll!

Symbolic Designs On My Belt

There are many symbols that would represent important things in my life. However, the ones that are most important to me are an ipod, a lacrosse stick, a soccer ball, a sun, the JC logo, the St. Margaret's school logo, my initials M.A.B, and a palm tree. I would choose to carve an ipod in my belt because music is a very important thing to me. I love listening to music because it puts me in a better mood and just makes me want to go crazy. I would choose a lacrosse stick and soccer ball because I have been playing those sports since I was little. I really enjoying playing sports because it takes my mind off of things. I would carve a sun and a palm tree because I love warm weather and the beach. I wish I lived at the beach and it could be warm weather all the time. John Carroll and St. Margaret's are both very important parts of my life. I attended St. Margaret's since the first grade. I really enjoyed SMS and I love going to John Carroll!

My Final Impression of Chris McCandless

In my opinion, I think the adventure Chris took, being not prepared was not a smart decision. I believe that he wasn't well prepared and did not think before he thought of taking a trip like that. As soon as I began reading about how unprepared Chris was, I immediately began to think that his trip would not be very successful. However, I do think Chris was a very brave and adventurous guy. I would have never been able to accomplish some of the things that happened to him on his trip. I don't fully understand why he tortured himself though. In one part he mentions that happiness is only real when shared. If he was all alone in the wild, then he obviously wasn't happy, therefore, he should have went back to society. On a final note, I do not think the trip Chris took was something someone should admire. Today, many people would not be very successful. I think Into The Wild was a very good book to learn many life lessons from.

Into the Wild Editorial

Alexander Supertramp Proves That Being Unprepared Doesn’t Always Turn Out

By Mackenzie Bailey

According to Dictionary.com, the definition of adventurous (adj.) is inclined to undertake new and daring enterprises; hazardous, risky. In my opinion, I think Chris’s trip completely applies to this word. I believe Chris was the kind of guy brave enough to take risks, whether he succeeded or not. I, however, do not agree with some of the decisions Chris made. He could have died sooner than he really did. I would never take a trip like Chris did because he was not well prepared or ready to take on something that extreme.

The main reason I feel like Chris made a bad decision by taking his trip into the wild is because of stupidity. The first mistake he made was deciding to sell all of his belongings. The next mistake he made was not packing enough for a trip that lengthy. A normal person traveling into the wild would have carried much more clothing, food, and shelter. As I began to read about the beginning of Chris’s trip, I immediately knew that he would be very unsuccessful. On page 29, Krakauer says “He could simply abandon the Datsun and resume his odyssey on foot. And that’s what he decided to do.” This shows that unfortunately Chris’s foolishness only took him so far.

The second reason I did not have any respect for Chris’s adventure was because he was very impulsive. He never thought about the consequences of making a wrong decision. Chris
knew exactly what he wanted and didn’t care what anyone thought. He was determined to get his way and succeed. The only time he ever gave up was towards the end because he knew he could not go on any longer. “There was just no talking the guy out of it, he was determined. Real gung ho,” said Gallien. (Page 6) This quote shows that Chris didn’t accept any type of help from others. All he wanted was to travel into the wild alone and no one could stop him.

Lastly, I feel that Chris wasn’t caring and was very self centered. All he was concerned about was taking his trip. He never thought about how his parents would feel about his trip, nor did he care. In my opinion, I think that shows very bad character. I know many teens are very concerned with themselves and get caught up in the moment; however, Chris was old enough to realize that what he was doing could affect his family in a very tragic way. I would never put my family through the misery that the McCandless’s went through.

Many people seem to think that Chris was a very brave and courageous kid. They also think he was full of spirit and just wanted to explore nature. I do not completely disagree with these opinions. But, Chris handled many situations incorrectly. It does take a lot of bravery to travel in the wild alone, but he should have had more protection with him in case something dangerous occurred. In the author’s note, author Jon Krakauer says “He was an extremely intense young man and possessed a streak of stubborn idealism that did not mesh readily with modern existence.” I disagree with Krakauer because I feel that McCandless was self-centered, not stubborn. I feel that he was craving attention and finally received the fame and glory that he wanted.

I would never take on a trip that extreme and dangerous like Chris McCandless did for numerous reasons; no matter how unhappy I was in my life. I believe that if Chris did not make
stupid decisions, thought before he acted, and was not consumed in just himself, his trip would have been more successful then it turned out. If you were in Chris McCandless’s shoes what would you have done? Do you think you would have acted the way he did? You never know what someone’s life is like until you’re in their shoes.

Works Cited

• Krakauer, Jon. Into the Wild. 1996.