Chapter 15
What mountain does Jon Krakauer attempt to climb in Chapter 15?
The Devil’s Thumb in Alaska.
What does McCandless name the bus he discovers?
The Magic Bus
How many people accompany Krakauer to visit the bus in Chapter 17?
Three
How does Krakauer’s relationship with his father mirror McCandless’s?
Both have strained relationships marked by pressure and rebellion.
Who was Ronald Franz and what was Chris' relationship like with him?
Deep and emotional. Franz offers to adopt Chris as his grandson; Chris declines but encourages him to live more adventurously. Franz is heartbroken when he learns of Chris’s death.
What glacier must Krakauer cross to reach the Devil’s Thumb?
The Stikine Ice Cap.
What animal does McCandless kill that he later regrets?
A moose
According to the Alaskan men, what did they think Chris killed?
A Caribou
How does McCandless feel about killing animals for food?
He has deep respect for life and struggles morally when he causes suffering.
Who was Jan Burres and Bob Burres & what was McCandless' relationship like with them?
Traveling couple who take Chris in, give him food, and treat him like family. Chris reminds Jan of her estranged son.
What career did Krakauer’s father want him to pursue?
Medicine
Why does the moose spoil?
He lacks the proper tools and knowledge to preserve it in the warm weather.
What season is it when Krakauer visits the bus?
Summer
How does Krakauer feel once he reaches the summit?
He feels a fleeting sense of triumph followed by emptiness; realizing the climb didn’t give him the meaning he expected.
Where did Chris meet Wayne Westerberg?
What was their relationship like?
Carthage, South Dakota.
Chris worked for Wayne to get money during his journey to Alaska. They had mutual respect and were friends.
How long does Krakauer spend alone on the glacier?
About three weeks/less than a month
What mistake leads to McCandless becoming trapped in the wilderness?
When he tries to leave, he finds the Teklanika River has swelled and is impossible to cross.
How does Krakauer and his crew reach the bus site?
They cross the Teklanika River and hike along the Stampede Trail.
What was the purpose of Krakauer visiting the bus where Chris had died?
To give himself closure and humanize McCandless.
Where did Chris meet Tracy?
Who was Tracy and what was Chris' relationship like with her?
The Slabs.
One-sided. Chris shows some interest to her, but remains friendly and platonic, uninterested in romance.
Krakauer reveals at the end of Chapter 15 that his survival was mostly due to ________.
Luck
What book does McCandless read and annotate frequently during this time?
Tolstoy’s Family Happiness and other works about simple living.
According to Roman, why are Alaskan men hard on McCandless for his journey into the wild?
He thinks that Chris reminds Alaskan men of their former selves when they first came to Alaska.
What living object does Krakauer use to foreshadow McCandless' death?
The moose; rotting and decaying no matter how hard he was trying to preserve it.
Who was Charlie? What did he do for Chris?
Where did they meet?
Charlie gave Chris shelter while he was working at McDonalds.
They met in Bullhead City, AZ