Chris's Contradictions
Alex's extremely limited gear -- and we don't mean "limited" in the same way that actual mountain climbers' gear is limited, as their gear is all essential -- suggests this attitude about going to Alaska.
He is indeed dismissive of the dangers of the wilderness, as opposed to actually "getting ready for Alaska" as he says he is. Even any regular person who takes a day to stock up on some supplies at REI would be more prepared and more of an expert than Chris. No disrespect, Chris!
How does McCandless’s behavior after his return to the United States border reflect a form of irony or self-fulfilling prophecy in his journey?
His discomfort with society, despite needing identification and stability, ironically ensures he remains isolated and disconnected from the very system he rejects.
Which of the following best highlights the oddity or contradiction in the narrator’s description of Chris McCandless’s first visit to Alaska in Into the Wild? “The grinding, dusty haul up the Alaska Highway was Chris's first visit to the Far North. It was an abbreviated trip—he spent a short time around Fairbanks, then hurried south to get back to Atlanta in time for the start of fall classes—but he had been smitten by the vastness of the land, by the ghostly hue of the glaciers, by the pellucid subarctic sky. There was never any question that he would return.” (Narrator, Chapter 12)
What is that it is odd that Chris was so deeply moved by the Alaskan wilderness despite spending only a brief amount of time there. Chris’s profound connection to the landscape seems disproportionate to the short duration of his stay, creating a sense of irony in how quickly the land captivated him. Plus, if someone has to say, "there was never any question that he would return" from the subarctic, you can bet there is AT LEAST a concern that the loved one will return!
Which of the following best illustrates the irony in Chris McCandless's judgment of his father? “Chris apparently judged artists and close friends by their work, not their life, yet he was temperamentally incapable of extending such lenity to his father. Whenever Walt McCandless, in his stern fashion, would dispense a fatherly admonishment to Chris, Carine, or their half siblings, Chris would fixate on his father's own less than sterling behavior many years earlier and silently denounce him as a sanctimonious hypocrite. Chris kept careful score.” (Narrator, Chapter 12)
The irony lies in the fact that Chris silently condemns his father for being hypocritical, while failing to recognize the hypocrisy in his own harsh judgment of others. By obsessing over his father’s past mistakes, Chris becomes blind to his own moral rigidity, mirroring the very hypocrisy he accuses his father of.
What paradox does McCandless’s relationship with Wayne Westerberg and the town of Carthage highlight?
McCandless seeks a nomadic existence but remains attached to one place and person.
What is ironic about the narrator’s description of Chris McCandless’s behavior during his time at Emory University in Into the Wild? "To his parents’ pleasant surprise, as the school year stretched on, Chris seemed thrilled to be at Emory. He shaved, trimmed his hair, and readopted the clean-cut look he'd had in high school. His grades were nearly perfect. He started writing for the school newspaper. He even talked enthusiastically about going on to get a law degree when he graduated. “Hey,” Chris boasted to Walt at one point, “I think my grades will be good enough to get into Harvard Law School.”” (Narrator, Chapter 12)
It is ironic because, despite his outward success and conventional ambitions, McCandless ultimately rejects the very lifestyle he appears to be embracing. Chris seems to conform to societal expectations by excelling academically and considering law school, but this contradicts his later decision to abandon materialism and societal norms.
Explain what is ironic about the following quote: ""DAY 100! MADE IT!" he noted jubilantly on August 5, proud of achieving such a significant milestone, "BUT IN WEAKEST CONDITION OF LIFE. DEATH LOOMS AS SERIOUS THREAT. TOO WEAK TO WALK OUT, HAVE LITERALLY BECOME TRAPPED IN THE WILD.—NO GAME." If McCandless had possessed a U.S. Geological Survey topographic map, it would have alerted him to the existence of a Park Service cabin on the upper Sushana River, six miles due south of the bus."
McCandless celebrated reaching "Day 100" of survival, unaware that the means of his potential rescue was within walking distance.
What is the irony about Chris' father as seen in the passage?
"Before I'd even enrolled in kindergarten, he began preparing me for a shining career in medicine—or, failing that, law as a poor consolation. For Christmas and birthdays I received such gifts as a microscope, a chemistry set, and the Encyclopedia Britannica. From elementary school through high school, my siblings and I were hectored to excel in every class, to win medals in science fairs, to be chosen princess of the prom, to win election to student government."
AND THEN . . .
". . . his behavior became more and more irrational, more and more delusional, the last of his friends were driven away. My long-suffering mother finally had no choice but to move out. My father crossed the line into madness . . . ."
The father, who once demanded perfection, becomes too dependent on drugs to function, descending into a total wreck. The irony teaches us that the pursuit of total perfection leads to self-destruction.