Into the Wild

How did Westerberg summarize McCandless and his skills?

Hard worker and did the tedious jobs Was not mechanically minded

What was Burress's assessment of McCandless's ability to survive in Alaska?

She told him that he need knives Maybe trade them down the road Accept some long underwear and warm clothing She was concerned but thought he would be fine in the end due to this past experiences

Describe Westerberg's first encounter with McCandless, including the hospitality Mccandless was offered?

Hospitality: westerberg offers him food and cooked dinner + said he could take Chris down the road but didn't want to leave him and then Westerberg offered for him to stay w him at his house

Who is Jim Gallien, and how did he meet McCandless?

How did he meet: Spotted Chris as a hitchhiker (Chris introduced himself as Alex) Jim: union electrician Good hunter and woodsman The guy who drops Chris at the start of his journey

How did Franz and McCandless part company?

Mccandless said he was earning more money and moving to san diego and he did not allow franz to drive him

What was McCandless's financial background?

Middle class (well off) in Virginia

Why was Wayne Westerberg annoyed?

Mostly because Chris had said he would be there to help with the harvest, and he was late. He did not realize he was dead. Combine had broken down

The Krakauer foes on to comment on McCandless's sex life. What does he conclude?

Never talked about girlfriends but mention he wanted to have a family and a wife Not the type to lay girls and hard to get him on dance floor

When Krakauer found Charlie and interviewed him, how did Charlie assess McCandless?

Nice guy Don't like to be around too many people and temperamental Moody, didn't like to be bothered, seemed like kid who was looking for something

What did McCandless do after he left Las Vegas in May 1991?

Not much is known bc stopped taking photos and journaling Stayed in bull head city-- for the longest time Thinks about settling down Had full time job at McDonalds Saving accounted opened in his name

What is the purpose of the quoted material at the start of Chapter One?

Note from chris- foreshadowing his death- shows chris excitment about journey

What did McCandless buy when he was in Topock, Arizona, and where did he get the money?

Old metal Canoe Westerberg $

How did Wayne Westerberg learn that McCandless was dead?

One on his friends told him to listen to radio and said the kid who died of starvation sounded like Chris

What kind of reaction did Krakauer receive about his article in Outside magazine?

Ppl wrote in and think he is a coward -- especially from alaskans and see nothing positive

The headnote to this chapter concludes that people go to the desert "not to escape but to find reality." How does this statement apply to McCandless?

Retreat in the desert, find his true purpose in his life

What did McCandless retrieve when he returned to the Detrital Wash?

Retrieves his virginia plates and some of belongings

After leaving San Diego without finding work, McCandless made his way to Seattle enjoying a new kind of transportation. What was it, and where were his comments about it?

Riding the rails and wished he had jumped trains earlier He thought they were filthy but wished he had done this earlier

What did Gallien give McCandlesst

Rubber boots Phone number Plus the food Gallien's wife made for him

What motivated the author to include the story of John Waterman? What are some parallels in the story of John Waterman and Chris McCandless?

Same washington suburbs as Chris Expect mountaineer Socially awkward Ppl didnt know how to handle him and parents divorced *similar life to Chris - why added

What was Gallien's assessment of McCandless?

Sees that Chris does not have enough supplies that will last him several months

How is Jan Burres, and how did she figure into McCandless's travels?

She is a rubber tramp who gave Chris a lift (she felt bad for him) Talk sense into him He sent her postcards throughout his travels

What is the purpose of including the full story of Gene Rossellini?

Show comparison of him and Chris

Purpose of biographical info on Walk McCandless?

Shows bc walt is so prone to taking control - Chris pushed away Chris's intensity came from him

Using the swap meet as a springboard, Krakauer talks about McCandless's love of books, especially the work of Jack London. What attracted McCandless to Jack London's work?

Since childhood he has loved them Glorification of the world Mirrored his passions* ****Mesmerised by london's callings of Alaska

What was the life story of Ron Franz?

So he was a devote christian and lost his wife and son Adopted kids and helped them go to school Loved chris couldn't get him out of his mind Tried to adopt Chris and then when he learned Chris died he became an atheist

How did they find the trailer?

Started squatting in a vacant old Meets an old man who had a trailer where he could stay for free and he will let him squat there

What was considered to be the cause of Chris McCandless's death?

Starvation

What kind of life did McCandless lead in Bullhead City?

Stayed in bull head city-- for the longest time Thinks about settling down Had full time job at McDonalds Saving accounted opened in his name Went back to going to Chris + security number

What is the author's analysis of the relationship between McCandless and his father?

Stubborn and high strung Walt needed control but Chris was independent -- polarization inevitable

What responsibility did Sam have to face after identifying Chris McCandless from photos?

TELL DAD & BILLIE

What was McCandless's response to Gallien's offer?

Wasn't afraid running out of food Didn't care about government or wanting to get shooting license

What are some differences between the stories of Waterman and McCandless?

Waterman expert mountaineer - chris was not Chris body found - waterman body not found

Why did the author say that McCandless found a "surrogate family in Westerberg and his employees?

Chris' original family didn't fit him, so he left it. The people who worked for Westerberg and Westerberg were more to his taste and were the ones who Chris would have preferred as a family, so he sort of "adopted" them. Loved carthage

Describe the conditions and the residents of the Slabs. Note some of the local color that makes this community memorable.

Flea market Old navy base Retried, exiled, and unemployed people Men and children of all ages

How did McCandless and Franz meet, and what area did McCandless show Franz?

Franz picked up McCandless, met at Salton City- oh my god hot springs

What role did leatherworking take in their relationship?

Franz taught Alex the secret of his craft -- he created a leather belt and put pictures in that demonstrated his life journeys Franz grew increasingly fond of Chris

Franz made a family-oriented request of McCandless. What was it, and how did McCandless respond?

Franz wanted to adopt him and Chris said they will talk about it once he gets back

How did the Social Security number help identify McCandless?

Gave him real name and told from Virginia and family information

What information was Jim Gallien able to give the police?

Gave the police his name was Alex Supertramp Gallien said he was from south dakota

From Carthage, McCandless sent Franz a long letter with advice and summation of his philosophy. What did McCandless say about life, and what did he advise Franz to do?

Get out of habitual lifestyle and do something different, be in tune w nature and be a new man + new adventures

Why would the author leave out important parts about the extra family in Chris's life? How does the reader know that some time had elapsed since his parents learned about Chris's death? Why did he visit them?

Get their take on Chris and see them

What are Krakauer's credentials for writing Into the Wild?

Had already written an article on him for outside magazine- editor asked him to-- had done a lot of research

What kind of worker was McCandless, and how did Westerberg evaluate him?

Hardest worker i have ever seen Did all the dirty work and never quit, extremely ethical and high standards Intelligent

What character traits and skills does Jan Burres recount about McCandless?

He worked hard and liked selling books, showing a love for the classics. Good time w ppl Flirts w her

How does the reader know that War and Peace was important to McCandless?

Because the author wrote that Chris had transferred it to Wayne with notes on the inside stating as much.

What evidence does Krakauer give that McCandless continued to be fond of Carthage and consider Westerberg his friend?

Chris gave the book War and Peace and stayed in touch w westerberg (calling or writing) Said S. Dakota was home

What did McCandless's parents learn form the investigator?

Chris had given away college funds and learned abandoned car and confused them

Why did Jan Burres feel an attachment to McCandless?

She had a son who is the same age as Alex but has been estranged and wanted to take him w them

What is the purpose of the detailed descriptions of Mt. McKinley, Denali, and the Stampede Trail?

*Chris' death and were the last things around him when he died. Giving a detailed account of these places helps us to better put ourselves in Chris's place. Purpose: to show that the trials are connected w each other Stampede Trail then became road then the Company Yutan Construction was working on the roads and then left one bus for backcountry shelter Denali expanded and contains now first half of Stampede trail

How does the reader know that Chris McCandless went on long trips alone in his car?

Habit of taking solo trips when class wasn't in session *he told his parents we was going on a trip

What is suggested by these examples of foreshadowing?

Alaska will be the last adventure and will want to settle down after

When does Westerberg encounter McCandless again?

A couple weeks later, and gives him a job on the grain elevator, and rents him a room

Gallien's statement that McCandless would "probably get hungry pretty quick and just walk out to the highway. That's what any normal person would do," is an example of the literary device of irony. What is ironic about the statement?

Bc Chris McCandless is not normal, and that is what he was thought to have been

What was ironic about the rangers' use of the Datsun?

Bc Chris thought it was worthless when it didn't work after flood, but actually it worked really well and drove for a long time w the police department

What did Westerberg do after finding out that the dead hiker was McCandless?

Called state troopers but swamped w calls but said that he had social security number and knew whats up

What did McCandless do when he gets back into the US?

Caught by immigration authorities and spent night in jail Went east

n a letter to Jan Burres, McCandless assessed Charlie. What did he think of the older man?

Charlie (old man that allows him to squat) is a lunatic and hard to get along w him

What is purpose of the Author's note?

Describes how Krakauer got started w chris's story- first just an article- was short because of deadline but wanted to know more- was restless about his story Saw many parallels between his life and chris's Sets up what book will talk about-- all research he did on chris, describe how harsh wilderness is, talk about father son relationships Gives overview of chris- his intensity His death created more mail after article than any in the papers history Set up two ways that people see chris- arrogant vs.admirable

Summarize story of Everett Rues

In utah, went into desert and never came out Born in cali Family was nomadic 1st solo trip @ 16 - always on road Cheerfully went hungry and deliberately punished body and no fear of death Adopted new name - nemo

How does Krakauer know that in 1992, "six people in three separate parties happened to visit the remote vehicle on the same afternoon"?

Interviewed them and they were talking about how hard the river was too cross ALSO were the people who found Chris in the bus (all appeared to the sight differently not connected)

What is Anza-Borrego?

It is a desert wildlife preserve in Colorado.

Why would Krakauer include a quote from another author (jack London) as the heading for this chapter? (chapter 2)

It shows that nature is ruler and sets the mood for the chapter, as well as the topic. Also to be considered is the fact that Jack London was one of the writers that inspired Chris to go on his journey. Graffiti that was carved in a piece of wood at the sight of where McCandless died Foreshadowing how brutal the woods really are

Ken Sleight has studied the story of Everett Ruess and discussed Chris McCandless with the author. What is Sleight's conclusion about the two young men?

Like companionships but can't stand around ppl too long - Get themselves lost, and then come back and then leave again Tried to follow dream

How did Ron Franz respond to this letter?

Listened to Chris and took advice to heart and went on the adventure

What was Jan Burres reaction to McCandless's idea of going to Alaska?

Lost his mind! And wants him to call family

How did the other McDonald's employees regard McCandless?

Thing about socks and that he always wore shoes without socks But mcdonald's made him wear them Reliable and showed up to work everyday Worked at slow pace Dirty and smelt bad

What does the author include the story of his encounter with the man called the "Mayor of Hippie Cove"?

Agitated man Long haired transient Real name gene - good athlete Good grade point av. good school - anthro history Decided to devote his life to be like Chris Interested in knowing to be independent of modern technology - humans inferior beings *want to return to natural state

What did McCandless give Gallien, and what was McCandless's behavior toward the older man?

All his extra money Watch Comb Liked the older man the more he got to know him but also standoffish and didn't want to hear advice

Who is Alex?

An alias Chris created to use when hitchhiking- chris's new identity

How has Franz's life changed since McCandless died?

Became an atheist - moved out lives on road - lives more like chris

Why did McCandless leave Carthage?

Because Westerberg was charged with a felony and his business was temporarily stopped, and since Chris needed money to live, he left. Illegally sold black box and they scramble satellite television boxes (allow ppl watch satellite without paying)

What was the motivation for abandoning the Datsun, and why was the find of the car important?

Datsun engine got ruined from flood and wouldn't work Important bc it helped w police work

For what purpose did the rangers decide to use the Datsun?

Datsun was used to make arrests for drug dealers

From Seattle, McCandless returned to California. What was this second visit to Ron Franz like?

Didn't stay long and going to work for westerberg, Franz offered to take him to Grand Junction and he accepted and he gave him a machete , parka and fishing pole

How did McCandless get to the ocean?

Duck hunters drop in at gulf of california -- traveling south

How did the relationship between the older man and McCandless develop?

Father like son relationship and spent a lot of time together (did laundry together)

What are the main theories about how Ruess died?

Fell to his death while scrambling on canyon wall Murdered by team of cattle wrestlers Might still be alive Drowned - discovered the name in mud next to river Trying to swim across then drowned

Why did Gallien decide not alert the authorities about McCandless?

Figured he be okay and figured he would get hungry and walk out "like any other normal person would do"

What existential conclusion does McCandless reach when leaving Las Vegas? (existentialism is a philosophy that emphasizes that individual responsibility and free will to direct the course of their life)

He believed that pictures are not important - it's the experiences, memories, and the joy of living life to the fullest.

Describe the trip McCandless took with the canoe

He canoed across a lake and down several rivers to the Mexican border. He used it to illegally pass the border and then move through the marsh and rivers on the other side. He got lost a couple times and finally got a lift to the ocean. After his tiny craft nearly submerged, Chris dumped it on the sand and moved on.

What change did McCandless make that symbolized the new life expected to build after he left Atlanta?

He changed his name as an official way of showing himself and others that he was no longer Chris McCandless, just a small entity in a commercialized world, but now Alex Supertramp, master of his own destiny, free to do what his will demand.

What was Ron Franz, and how did he enter the story?

He entered the story by writing Krakauer about how Chris died and his story Old man, whose wife and son died, thought of Chris like another son - tried to adopt him formed a close bond Stopped to give Chris a ride, and then took him to his camp

How did McCandless's parents learn where he was, and what did they do with the information?

He had been ticketed for hitchhiking and gave the cops that his was where was his parents lived for place of residence THEN got a private investigator Peter

How did Ron Franz learn that McCandless had died?

He learned it from passing hitchhikers and Chris' death made him go out and drink, hoping the alcohol would kill him.

What clues did McCandless give that he was out of sept with the commercialism of contemporary society?

He refused to buy or receive gifts and he argued with his parents over the commercialism of society today. Chris also found titles and honors to be irrelevant. He lived off campus in bad conditions.

What kind of advice did Gallien give McCandless?

He said the hunting was not easy where is was going - going days without hunting (trying to scare Chris out of it) Gallien told Chris to get hunting license

The author give a brief character analysis of McCandless after recounting that Franz dropped him off in Colorado. What does the author say about McCandless?

He was relieved that he had avoided human intimacy and human baggage

What events occurred when McCandless left Bullhead City?

Jan tries to visit Chris but he has already left when they arrive

What does Krakauer think about the relationship between Franz and McCandless?

Krakauer thought that McCandless affected a lot of people but the outcome was not always necessarily for the better. BIGGEST IMPACT ON FRANZ'S LIFE

Who is Gail Borah, and what did she have to say about McCandless?

Long time on and off girlfriend of Chris Acted like it was hard for him to be around ppl, big eater, looked a lot of rice, talk about his soul, told her things that he couldn't tell others, talked about Carine

How did McCandless's parents find out that he had left Atlanta?

The room was empty and had a rent sign and manager said he had moved out in June (all the letters he had sent been returned)

The terms leather tramp and rubber tramp qualify as examples of local color. What culture do they describe, and what is the difference between rubber tramps and leather tramps?

They describe a life of living on the edge, basically vagabonds. Rubber tramps are wanderers who have vehicles; leather tramps are wanderers who do not.

What information appeared in the New York Times about the death of Chris McCandless?

Told he was found dead but said not certain of who he was and tried to save himself by hunting and eating plants - plead for help - died of starvation

How did the police know the boy was that of Chris McCandless?

Took his photos he had taken of himself to identify him Ototopsy *his signature had been on the SOS note and the photos include self portraits

Describe McCandless's early years and family life

Walt (dad) space engineer Billie ( real mom) Dad had secret wife and family Carine (sister) close Went to Emory (columnist) good student Decline frats

What purpose does the story of Chris McCunn serve in the narrative?

Wanted to shoot pictures of wildlife Aim to remain in wilderness but neglected to tell pilot to be picked up Gave the plane the OK sign instead of SOS sign Show another parallel to Chris CHRIS IS NOT ALONE!!! -- ppl like him

Who is Wayne Westerberg?

Wayne is a hyperkinetic who owns two grain elevators and a combine crew. When Wayne met McCandless, he felt as if he had to take Alex under his wing INTRIGUED BY HIM . He also had a whole range of talents including farming, welding, business, mechanics, piloting, computer programming, and electronics repair. Chris and Wayne became very close friends during their short time together. Pulled over for chris when he was a hitchhiker

What is the personal history of Chris McCandless?

Went to emory university- graduated with honors Raised in upper class virgina After hearing of dads death- donated money, changed name, abandoned car,

This chapter (4) contains numerous excerpts from the journal McCandless kept. WHat is noticeable about the writing in his account of his Mexican adventure?

Writes in third person People are nicer and positive!! Sections are brief

What was the tragedy of Ron Franz's life?

lived alone after all death-sedentary - foreshadow for when chris tells him to change things up