Into the Wild

By Jon Krakauer

The Media

• “Death of an Innocent”

– 9,000-word article by Jon Krakauer appeared

in Outside, Jan. 1993

• Into the Wild novel by Jon Krakauer

published 1996

• “The Cult of Chris McCandless”

– article by Matthew Power appeared in Men’s

Journal, Sept. 2007

• Into the Wild film produced 2007• Note: various other articles have been written in addition to

television interviews and coverage.

The Media

Jon Krakauer• “Adventure” enthusiast

• Experienced hiker, climber, and writer

– Eiger Dreams

– Into Thin Air

– Under the Banner of Heaven

– editor of the Modern Library Exploration

series

Chris McCandless

• “Alexander Supertramp”

• Decomposed body found in bus (Alaska)

in September 1992

• From affluent East Coast family

• Emory University alumni (1990)

• Two-year “odyssey” from 1990-1992

1. Quick Write #1: Future Plans

• Think about some alternative

plans you might have instead of

beginning college immediately

after high school. What might

you do, why would you do it, and

how long do you see yourself in

this activity? (Get specific!)

2. Author’s Note Review1. How long did Chris McCandless’ journey in the

Alaskan wilderness last?

2. Immediately after graduating from Emory

University in 1990, Chris McCandless dropped out of

sight. List 5 things that he did to support his “plan”.

3. What are some themes Krakauer mentions are the

result of his “meandering inquiry”?

4. What do you think Krakauer means when he states

“I won’t claim to be an impartial biographer”?

5. What reason does Krakauer offer for writing this

book?

Key Concepts

• We know about characters from their actions, their

thoughts, their spoken words, their appearance,

and comments others make about them.

• This book explores a character, Chris McCandless,

and the actions he takes.

• Read the following slides, and use specific words

to describe the character in the scenario.

Mary• She was from the Valley. She used the word “like” in

front of most of her adjectives when she spoke, and she

talked quite a bit. On her 16th birthday, she expected to

get a car. It was a given. Her friends thought she would

get a pink Maserati, but she was sure her parents would

buy her the candy-apple red Alfa Romeo. The day of her

birthday came, and as she peered out her bedroom

window, she noticed a new car in the driveway, but it was

yellow—surely not hers. She thought it may have been

the new cleaning woman’s. She did not see any other car

in the long driveway. She ran down to get a closer look. It

was a new canary-colored convertible Volkswagen bug.

On the front driver’s seat was a birthday note to her. She

burst into tears and ran into the house.

Vandana

• She had a comfortable life. Not unlike her friends, Vandana had

gone to school, had done well, and soon was to attend the

university. She had received several scholarships, and her

parents had planned to pay for the rest of her education.

Vandana hoped to help people in her future career but hadn’t

quite decided in which field she wanted to do this. She decided

to take a year off before attending college. Her parents refused

her this. She worked hard the summer before she was to go to

college and made enough money for a one-way ticket to India.

She had been interested in the life of Buddha and wanted to

learn more about him. Leaving a note for her parents, she

headed off to India in hopes of discovering a spiritual and

centered path for herself.

Emory

• He was very popular and made friends easily.

People were drawn to his honest nature and his

free spirit. It was odd when two of his classmates

saw drawings he had made to build bombs in his

math notebook. It was even odder when he took

off one day without a word to his teachers or

friends. His parents notified the police. When they

did a search of his room, they found two small

guns and threatening notes he had written to a

former girlfriend a year earlier.

Chapter 1 Vocabulary

• Unsullied

• Sonorous

• Congenial

• meandered

3. Chapter 1: “The Alaska Interior”

1. Chapter 1 begins with a postcard addressed to

Wayne Westerberg. Why do you think Krakauer

begins his novel this way? Explain.

2. Who is Jim Gallien? What does he do for Alex?

3. According to Jim, what does Alex intend to do?

4. Which items/possessions does Alex take with him

into the Alaskan bush?

5. Jim Gallien thought about informing the Alaska State

Troopers about Alex and his intentions. Why does

he change his mind? Explain.

Jack London (1876-1916)

• Born in San Francisco to

a poor family

• As a child he was an avid

reader, especially stories

of real-life adventure

• As a teen he joined the

“oyster pirates” and was a

sailor

• Attended HS for one year,

passed the entrance

exams for UC Berkeley,

but quit halfway through

freshman year (did some

writing)

Jack London continued• 1897-took off to prospect for gold in the Klondike (part

of Yukon Territory in NW Canada), got sick, and

returned in less than a year

• Klondike experience convinced him that “life is a

struggle in which the strong survive and the weak do

not”

• Short stories and novels dramatize his belief that

“civilized” beings are either destroyed or re-created in

savage environments

– Call of the Wild & White Fang

• Millionaire, but an alcoholic, London suffered from

kidney disease and depression

– Pain was unendurable, so he committed suicide

(drugs) and died at age 40

White Fang• The remarkable story of a

fiercely independent creature of the wild.

• In the desolate, frozen wilds of north-west Canada, a wolf-cub soon finds himself the sole survivor of his litter. Son of Kiche-half-wolf, half-dog- and the aging wolf One Eye, he is thrust into a savage world where each day becomes a fight to stay alive.

The Call of the Wild

• When gold was discovered in the Yukon

in 1896, Jack London caught the fever

and rushed off to the northlands to try his

luck. When he returned home, he had

not mined an ounce of gold but brought

back a greater treasure—vivid

recollections of rugged life in the frozen

wastelands. London converted his

experiences into exciting adventure

tales, including The Call of the Wild,

which has been called his masterpiece.

The Call of the Wild continued

• It tells the story of the

magnificent dog Buck,

who is a loyal pet until

cruel men make him a

pawn in their search for

the gold of the Klondike.

Brutally treated, Buck

finds the blood of his

world ancestors rising

within him and breaks

free to roam the Alaskan

wilderness as leader of

a ferocious pack.

4. Life in the Taiga

• As you watch this clip, consider the

challenges of living off this land. Divide

your paper in two columns and record:

– Dangers: what dangers are there?

– Supplies: what kinds of supplies are needed?

http://www.vice.com/video/heimos-arctic-refuge-1-of-5

Chapter 2

• Trough

• Amalgam

• Antimony

• Permafrost

• Derelict

• Incongruously

• Cordillera

• Anomaly

• Opaque

• Torrent

• Contumacious

• Jerry-built

• Cursory

• Environs

• Enigmatic

• Subcutaneous

5. Chapter 2: “The Stampede Trail”

1. Why do you think Krakauer begins with a passage

from Jack London’s White Fang? Explain.

2. In 1961, what did Yutan Construction purchase in

order to house the construction workers who were

upgrading the Stampede Trail? What did they leave

behind?

3. How many people arrived at the bus on September

6, 1992? Give their names and the order in which

they arrived on the scene.

4. What did these people discover?

5. What details does Krakauer give when describing

the remains of Chris McCandless?

6. Structure of the Text

1. Contrast the two chapters. What is the purpose

of each?

2. The main character of the book is dead by the

second chapter. Why does Krakauer begin the

story at the end?

3. Identify the introduction of each chapter. What

do you notice about the introductions?

4. Consider the last paragraph of each chapter.

What is the function of each? How does each

paragraph work?

Leo Tolstoy: 1828-1910

• Russian

• Studied law and

Oriental languages

at Kazan University

– teachers said he

was “unwilling and

unable to learn”

– diaries reveal his

“insatiable thirst for a

rational and moral

justification of life”

Tolstoy continued

• Military experience, but later a pacifist

and considered a “moral” philosopher

– Influenced Gandhi and MLK, Jr.

• Drifted towards a more oriental

worldview with Buddhist overtones,

– learned to feel himself in other living

creatures

• Realist fiction, realistic depiction of 19th-

century Russian life

– War and Peace & Anna Karenina

7. Quick Write #2: Beliefs

• What do you believe in? Why?

How do your beliefs shape who

you are? Where does your set of

beliefs come from? What do

your beliefs “look” like in your

behavior?

Chapter 3• Mawkish

• Hyperkinetic

• Itinerant

• Vagabonds

• Estranged

• Convivial

• Stasis

• Plebian

• Mien

• Jetsam

• Severance

• Nomadic

• Altruistic

• Eminent

• Bequest

• Traversing

• Affirmation

• Itinerary

• Onerous

• Unencumbered

• emancipated

8. Chapter 3: “Carthage”1. Who is Wayne Westerberg? How would you

describe him?

2. What do we learn about Chris McCandless through Westerberg’s testimonial?

3. What does Chris give Wayne before leaving Carthage? Why do you think he gave it to him?

4. Where is Chris originally from?

5. What was Chris’ home life like? Explain.

6. Based on the letter Chris sent to his sister Carine and the note he later sent to his parents, what do we learn about Chris’ relationship with his family? Explain.

9. Quick Write #3: Identity

• Why does Chris change his name of

“Alex”? What is the change that occurs

when this happens?

• What would you change your name to?

Henry David Thoreau: 1817-1862• Transcendentalist

• “He seemed born for great enterprise

and for command.” – Emerson (about

Thoreau)

• Abandons life in society and moves to

Walden Pond. Writes Walden.

• “The mass of men lead lives of quiet

desperation.” -- Thoreau

• “I wish to meet the facts of life.” –

Thoreau

• His essay, Civil Disobedience, inspired

the idea of passive resistance used by

Gandhi and MLK Jr.

Thoreau’s Influence

1. Read your quote and record it in your

notebook.

2. Interpret the quote and record your

interpretation.

3. Discuss the quote’s possible influence on

Chris/Alex. Then watch for Krakauer’s

interpretation of this influence as you read

chapter 4. Record your findings.

Chapter 4 Vocabulary

• Esthetically

• Kinesthetic

• Tarpaulin

• Credo

• Intermittent

• Emasculated

• Indolently

• Austerity

10. Chapter 4: “Detrital Wash”

1. From the point of view of the Datsun, describe

what happened to you from the time Chris reached

Detrital Wash to the present day.

2. What “unnecessary baggage” does Chris shed?

3. Who are Jan Burres and Bob? How does Chris

keep in touch with them?

4. Once he reaches the Colorado River, where does

Chris travel and how? What was his ultimate

goal? How does he end up achieving this goal?

11. Alex’s Journey

• From Pages 29 – 37, Alex covers a lot of

ground. Track his time after he leaves his

Datsun in the Detrital Wash near Lake

Mead (p.29) to the time he returns to pick

up his belongings 7 months later. List the

places he visits along with his mode of

transport and the people he meets (if

provided).

12. Chapter 5 Vocabulary

• Idiom

• Bourgeois

• Garrulous

• Denuded

• Rheumy

• Fatuous

• Sedentary

• Espoused

• Calisthenics

12. Chapter 5: “Bullhead City”

1. Where does Chris work while staying in

Bullhead City?

2. Give two examples of things Chris’s co-

workers remember about him.

3. What is life like at The Slabs?

4. Who does Chris meet up with again at The

Slabs? How does he spend his time there?

13. Thoreau Epigraph

• Krakauer chooses to include an epigraph

for chapter 6 by Thoreau. Based on your

reading so far, why does Krakauer include

it here?

• Compare your interpretations with others’

and record the highlights of your

discussion.

14. Krakauer breaks the 4th wall

• At the beginning of chapter 6, Krakauer

makes the following claim:

– Nobody was affected more powerfully by his

or her brief contact with the boy [Chris

McCandless] than Ronald Franz.

• As you read chapter 6, determine why

Krakauer made this claim. Provide

evidence that supports his argument?

15. Chapter 6: “Anza-Borrego”

1. Who is Ron Franz? How do he and Chris meet?

2. List three pieces of information from Franz’s background

story. Why might Krakauer spend time explaining Franz’s

background?

3. Describe both the people and location of Oh-my-God Hot

Springs.

4. List five items that Chris etches into his leather belt.

5. While “riding the rails” Chris encounters a “bull.” From the

context of the story, what is a bull?

6. In his letter to Ron, what advice does Chris give? Does Ron

take Chris’s advice? Do you agree with the advice given?

Would you take it? Explain.

16. Looking Back at Structure

• Describe the function of chapters 3-6. What is Krakauer

trying to accomplish? Write 1-2 sentences for each

chapter using the following examples to get started:– Chapter 1: The first chapter introduces a rather strange character

named McCandless, focusing entirely on him. It seems to be his last

ride before he walks into the wild. He’s too certain of himself.

– Chapter 2: Introduces Alaska’s characteristics. After setting up the

hard unforgiving land, Krakauer describes how they found

McCandless’s body.

• How do these chapters all work together?– Example: The focus of these chapters is effective because they

go from the very specific character in the first chapter to the

character of the land in the second, which finally has all the

power and control. …

17. Chapter 7: Vocabulary

• Bereavement

• Canted

• Milo

• Maw

• Surfeit

• Ascetic

• Corollary

• Purports

• Ambivalence

• Succor

• Sojourn

• hieroglyphics

17. Chapter 7: “Carthage”

1. How do Wayne Westerberg’s girlfriend, Gail Borah, and his mother, Mary, react to Chris McCandless?

2. List three things you learn about Chris that might point to his innocence.

3. List three things you learn about Chris that might point to his arrogance.

4. How does Chris plan to travel to Alaska? Why does he choose this method?

5. Reread the postcards that Chris sends to Wayne Westerberg and Jan Burres. Was Chris expecting to die? Defend your answer.

18. Tone

• Read the notes that McCandless sent to

his friends in chapter 7:1. What is his tone?

2. How do you know?

• Page 64 “Westerberg’s latter conjecture…”1. What is the tone of this paragraph?

2. Does Krakauer cite any evidence that suggests

he “knows” his analysis is accurate?

3. Does it matter?

19. Thinking CriticallyLogos

1.At the end of Chapter 2, Krakauer says of McCandless,

“Driving west out of Atlanta…master of his own destiny.” (22-23)

Has Krakauer so far supported these assertions about McCandless?

What is some of the evidence he presents?

2.In chapter 6, Krakauer writes,

“On March 14, …Ron Franz’s life as well.” (55)

Krakauer writes as if he knows how McCandless was feeling at this

point. What evidence does he have? Do you think Krakauer is right?

3.In Chapter 6, McCandless writes to Ron Franz, telling him

“You are wrong…in new circumstances.” (57-58)

Does McCandless offer any evidence for his opinions about life? Are

his life and his journey arguments for or against his position? Is Ron

Franz convinced? Are you?

Ethos

4. Does Krakauer have an acceptable background to speak with

authority on this subject? Why or why not?

5. Is this author knowledgeable? Smart? Successful?

6. What features of writing does Krakauer excel at (based on your

knowledge of him as a writer through this novel)? What does he not

do so well?

7. What does the author’s style and language tell you about him?

Pathos

8. How does this section of the book affect you emotionally?

9. How is the author trying to manipulate your emotions?

10. Do your emotions conflict with your logical interpretation of the

arguments?