Chris McCandless
This is where Chris McCandless and his family were from.
Annandale, VA
'This' was the name of the park - Chris's final destination in Alaska.
Denali National Park
What did they surmise Chris died of and why?
Starvation; his corpse only weighed 67 lbs.
Explain the issue with Chris' parents and buying a new car.
Chris was upset by this suggestion. His old car was reliable and in good working condition. This gesture from his parents represented everything he disliked about the mainstream, capitalist world he lived in.
What happened to Chris' car?
He abandoned it after it died in a flash flood.
What name does Chris use in Bullhead and why?
Chris because he had to apply to McDonald's using his social security number and real name. He also opened a bank account.
This was the man who took the news of Chris' death the hardest.
Ron Franz
The last place Chris stayed before beginning his trek to Alaska.
Carthage, SD
He was, "the mayor of Hippie Cove."
Gene Rosellini
The university AND city where Chris graduated from before leaving for his adventure.
Emory University in Atlanta, GA.
Who was the last person to see Chris McCandless alive?
Jim Gallien
What was the name of the trail that Chris used to navigate to the bus?
The Stampede Trail
Chris did what with his remaining $24,000 savings? What did his parents think he was going to do with it?
(2 answers)
Donated it to OXFAM (charity)
Put it towards law school
Name at least 3 places Chris traveled to over the course of these two chapters.
Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Mexico
What was ironic about Chris liking Bullhead City?
It was a tourist trap, full of chain stores, emblematic of mainstream America, and void of any nature. It represented everything Chris would have detested.
What did Ron teach Chris how to do? Chris made one of his travels.
A leather belt
Chris assured Wayne he had the intention of doing what after his Alaska escapade was over.
Returning to Carthage to work; settle down; write a book
He threw "these" into a lake after feeling foolish for bringing so many of them on his excursion.
Shotgun shells
What new name (first & last) did Chris give himself, and why did he change his name?
Alexander Supertramp - he wanted to reject his former identity and create a new persona
What causes Jim concern prior to dropping Chris off?
His minimal and insufficient gear and little food.
Why was the bus left out in the Alaskan bush?
To be used as a shelter for backcountry hunters and trappers.
What did Westerberg discover about Alex?
His real name was Chris McCandless.
What issue did Chris continuously run into while canoeing?
He frequently got lost. He also had issues with the river drying up.
How long did he live in Bullhead City, AZ, and where did he work while there?
2 months; McDonald's
What was the tragedy that caused a void in Ron Franz's life that Chris was able to fill?
Losing his wife and son in a car accident.
The incident that made Wayne describe Chris as lacking common sense and having "...great difficulty seeing the trees for the forest."
Leaving smelly grease in the microwave after cooking chicken.
The number of days Waterman spent alone while attempting a solo ascent of Denali.
145
Why does Chris sign his SOS note with his real name instead of Alex?
2 potential answers:
1) So he could be properly identified because he knew he was dying.
2) Reality was hitting him that this was real. No more games. He wanted to return to his true identity.
What are two things that both Wayne and Jim surmise about Chris?
He's well-spoken/educated and he didn't get along with his parents.
How long had Chris survived alone in the Alaska bush before his corpse was found? (Approximately.)
4 months
What was the last correspondence Chris's parents ever received from him, and how did they discover he was gone?
(2 answers)
His report card, and they drove down to Atlanta to visit only to find his apartment empty
Burned the money in his wallet.
What were the dynamics of Jan and Chris's relationship and how do you know? (Need a specific example, but there are more than one.)
Like a mother/son relationship.
Answers may vary.
"So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit of a man than a secure future," is a quote from Chris that inspired Ron to do what?
To place his belongings in a storage locker and set up camp in the same place Chris had stayed.
Chris did "this" before departing Carthage; giving Gail Borah a "bad feeling."
Cry
What 3 errors did McCunn make during his trip to take wildlife photographs?
1. Didn't schedule someone to pick him back up.
2. Threw his shotgun shells into the lake.
3. Gave a plane flying by the wrong hand signal for distress.
Name Chris's favorite book. (Hint: He gives it as a gift to Wayne.)
"War and Peace"
What date did Chris arrive in Fairbanks, Alaska, and how do we know this?
April 25, 1992; the postcard to Wayne
What was the geographical feature that caused so few people to travel out to the remote area where Chris's body was found?
The Teklanika River
_____________ is where Chris lied and told people he was from. It's because it's where he spent a stint of time working for ___________ at his _____________.
(3 different answers)
Carthage, South Dakota; Wayne; grain elevator
What part of Chris's canoe trip would later cause an ill-formed decision during his Alaska odyssey? (Hint: only food he had with him)
He was able to eat sustain himself on rice and what marine life he could pull from the sea so it later informed him he would be able to do the same in Alaska.
Why would Chris accept money from McDonald's and not Jan?
McDonald's represents everything Chris despises - it's an entity, it's capitalism, corporate greed. Jan is a friend and represents what life is all about - the purest form of happiness and meaning. He helped her as a gesture of that and would never accept money for helping a friend.
Became an atheist and drank alcohol.
The instrument that Chris impressed everyone with playing on his last night in Carthage.
The piano
What are 3 similarities Krakauer highlights as Chris having with Rosellini, Waterman, and McCunn?
1. A seeker
2. Impractical fascination with the harsh side of nature.
3. Lack of common sense
Part 1: "This" author was ironically one of Chris' favorites.
Part 2: What was ironic about his admiration for this novelist?
Jack London; London was a drunk who only went to the North once and never embarked on any of the adventures he wrote about.