Author's Note
This is the main purpose Krakauer gives for writing Into the Wild.
What is "to make sense of Chris McCandless's choices and journey"?
This man gave Chris a ride in Chapter 1.
Who is Jim Gallien?
This trail is where Chris enters the Alaskan wilderness.
What is the Stampede Trail?
"Alex admitted that the only food in his pack was a ten-pound bag of rice." What does this detail foreshadow?
What is "his lack of preparation would be fatal"?
Chris's decision to head into the Alaskan wilderness connects to which Trancendentalist tenet?
What is self-reliance?
Public reaction to Chris's story was deeply divided. Name one way people admired him, and one way people criticized him.
What is "admired his courage/ideals; criticized him as reckless/arrogant"?
Gallien describes Chris as both intelligent and lacking this.
What is "common sense"?
In Chapter 2, hunters discover Chris's body inside this abandoned shelter.
What is the "magic bus"?
"He was congenial and seemed intelligent enough, but he had no common sense." Who said this about Chris?
Who is Jim Gallien?
By rejecting a hunting license, Chris shows this Transcendentalist trait.
What is nonconformity?
Krakauer compares Chris to other figures like Everett Ruess. Why does he do this?
What is "to place Chris in a tradition of young wanderers drawn to wilderness challenges"?
Chris introduces himself to Gallien using this name.
What is "Alex" or "Alexander Supertramp"?
What is "human attempts to conquer nature eventually fade; the bus is both freedom and a trap"?
"Alexander Supertramp, master of his own destiny." What does this reveal about Chris's self-image?
What is "he saw himself as heroic, independent, and free from society's expectations"?
Krakauer's vivid descriptions of the Alaskan landscape highlight this Transcendentalist belief.
What is the importance of nature as a source of truth and inspiration?
Why might Krakauer begin the book with controversy and debate instead of Chris's early life?
What is "to prepare readers for complexity and highlight that Chris provokes strong opinions"?
Gallien offers Chris extra help before dropping him off. What does Chris refuse?
What is "a map and a ride to the next"?
Why is it significant that Chris carried no map?
What is "it shows his rejection of conventional safety, but also foreshadows deadly consequences"?
"He smelled a faint but unmistakable odor of decay." Why does Krakauer describe Chris's discovery in such blunt terms?
What is "to immerse readers in reality, avoiding sensationalism, making the death more haunting"?
Chris's choice to live simply, carrying only a bag of rice and minimal gear, reflects which tenet?
What is a simplified life?
Some say Krakauer is not objective in his telling of Chris's story. What evidence in the Author's Note supports this claim?
What is "he admits he personally relates to Chris's choices and sees parallels in his own life"?
Gallien ultimately chooses to leave Chris at the trailhead. What does this reveal about Gallien's character?
What is "he respected Chris's independence but also worried for him (conflicted witness)"?
How does Krakauer use setting (the Alaskan interior) to build mood and theme in Chapters 1-2?
What is "he portrays the wilderness as both beautiful and deadly, reinforcing themes of risk and freedom"?
"A derelict Fairbanks city bus had been abandoned in the woods, rusting quietly as the wilderness reclaimed it." What larger theme does this imagery highlight?
What is "the power of nature over human ambition, and the fragile line between survival and death"?
By trusting his inner convictions over Gallien's practical advice, Chris demonstrates this Transcendentalist principle.
What is intuition over reason?