Family Ties
Who is Walt and what is Chris' relationship like with him? (15 seconds)
Walt is Chris' father and Chris' relationship with his father was tense and conflicted.
What transcendental value did Chris portray the most in this chapter? (30 seconds)
Non-conformity
Who convinced Chris to go to college? How did they do it? (45 seconds)
Billie, his mom, convinced him to go to college by telling him he could make a difference in the world by having the leverage of a college degree.
How does Krakauer show the tension between Chris and Walt? (45 seconds)
Through tone and selective storytelling. Krakauer highlights Chris’s resentment toward Walt’s materialism and past deception.
Who does Krakauer interview most in this chapter? (15 seconds)
Walt
Who is Carine and what was Chris' relationship with her like? (15 seconds)
Carine was Chris' sister and they were very close.
What kind of person was Chris in high school? (30 seconds)
Smart, independent, and strong-willed. A little "quirky"
How was Chris' "independence" viewed to his parents? (15 seconds)
Rebellious
How does Krakauer use cross-country/running to describe Chris's life? (30 seconds)
He uses quotes from his friends and teammates, saying that Chris referenced running as a "spiritual" outlook and used it as an analogy for running against hate and evil.
Who do you think had the hardest time accepting Chris’s choices?
His parents, especially Billie
Who is Loren? Who's father is he? (15 seconds)
Loren is Chris's grandfather and Billie's father.
What trait did sports reveal about Chris? (15 seconds)
He was competitive and determined
Why were Billie and Walt upset that Chris could be ungrateful at times? (30 seconds)
They grew up in poverty, and worked hard to give their kids better lives than they had.
How does Krakauer use Carine’s voice to shape our understanding of Chris?
He includes her empathy and sadness, which humanizes Chris and gives readers insight into his emotions.
What does the epigraph in Chapter 11 resemble? (1 minute)
Shows how Chris had lived a childhood of anger, confusion, and curiosity. Chris felt as if he needed to escape to find his "purpose" and/or "truth".
What gift did Walt give Billie after the birth of Chris? (15 seconds)
A guitar
What did Chris' relationship with Carine and Gillmer reveal about himself and his ability to have relationships? (30 seconds)
That he can create true and meaningful relationships. However, he puts his ethical code at a higher priority.
How did Chris respond to problems growing up? Especially at school? (30 seconds)
He would be stubborn and a know-it-all, he would go against the system.
How does tone shift from beginning to end of Chapter 11? (30 seconds)
It moves from analytical to deeply emotional, mirroring grief and understanding.
How does this chapter give perspective to the reader about Chris' disappearance? (30 seconds)
It gives the reader context to Chris' home life and situation and makes us understand him a little more. It shows his frustration with his family’s values.
Who is Billie and what was Chris' relationship with her like? (30 seconds)
Billie was Chris' mother. Billie felt emotional towards Chris, but Chris resented her for her and his father's secrets.
Why does Billie say that it's "ironic" that Chris hated wealth so much? (30 seconds)
Because Chris was a natural capitalist and entrepreneur, always making money where he could.
How did Chris' lifestyle differ from his parents? (30 seconds)
His parents believed in stability and status and Chris believed in truth and simplicity.
How does Krakauer portray Walt and Billie's attitude vs. Carine's when it comes to the interviews? (1 minute)
Walt and Billie’s portrayal centers on authority, control, and denial, while Carine’s tone is compassionate and reflective. This contrast reveals the type of relationship he had with these three people.
Why is it important that Krakauer includes multiple different friend and family voices in Chapter 11? (45 seconds)
It gives different perspectives, helping readers understand the emotional complexity instead of seeing only Chris’s side.