Chris's Journey
Where is Chris's family from?
Annandale, Virgina (or Washington DC)
What is the meaning of the word upbraid in the following sentence?
"Chris had recently upbraided Walt and Billie for expressing their desire to buy him a new car as a graduation present"
Scolded/lectured
Who is Jon Krakauer?
The author of the book
What food does Chris have with him in Alaska?
A 10 pound bag of rice
Chris donates his trust fund to charity and burns his money. What does this tell us about his values?
He values freedom, independence, and experiences more than money or material possessions.
What is Chris's goal when he sneaks into Mexico?
To paddle his canoe to the ocean
What is the meaning of the word currency?
Money
Who is Jim Gallien?
The man who picks Chris up as a hitchhiker and drops him off in Alaska.
Where does Chris die?
In the abandoned bus
Chris changes his name after he graduates college. What does this tell us about him and his desires?
He wants to separate himself from his past and create a new identity on his own terms.
Why does Chris abandon his car at Detrital Wash?
Because the engine flooded and he did not have insurance/ID
What is the meaning of the word derelict?
Chris's body was found in the derelict bus.
Old and abandoned, broken down
Who is Wayne Westerberg?
The man who picks Chris up as a hitchhiker in Carthage, South Dakota, and gives him a job and a place to stay
Why does Chris say he is afraid of the ocean?
Because he almost drowned canoeing in Mexico
Jim Gallien tries to convince Chris that he is unprepared for his journey. What does Chris's response suggest about his personality?
He is determined and confident, but may also be stubborn or overconfident.
What is the name of the area in Alaska where Chris is headed?
What is the meaning of the word subsist?
Chris felt confident on his ability to subsist on very little food.
To survive on limited resources
What is the name Chris McCandless takes on after he graduates college?
Alexander Supertramp
How does Jim Gallien try to help Chris?
He offers to take him back to town to buy gear, he gives him his food and a pair of boots
Chris's family and the people he meets may have very different opinions of him. How can both positive and negative impressions of Chris be true?
People see different sides of him based on their experiences. He can be generous and intelligent while also being reckless or difficult to understand.
What college does Chris graduate from?
Emory University
What is the meaning of the word amalgam?
"Between the flinty crests of the two outermost escarpments of the Outer Range runs an east-west trough, maybe five miles across, carpeted in a boggy amalgam of muskeg, alder thickets, and veins of scrawny spruce."
a combination or blend of diverse things
Who are Walt, Billie and Carine?
Chris's dad, mom and sister
Why might the author include the details about Chris's failed trip to the ocean?
To give an example of Chris not being adequately prepared for a journey/foreshadowing
Does Chris seem more interested in escaping something or searching for something? Explain your answer.
Answers vary