Thinking Person's Theme
At the beginning of the novel, what is the significance of Jim Gallien’s thoughts about the "dreamers and misfits" who are drawn to Alaska, and how does this perspective frame the broader themes of the novel?
It highlights the theme of idealism versus reality.
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.
Water.
What is the symbol for what Chris is scared of, and probably an indication that Chris should have re-thought going to Alaska, since, you know, there are lots of cold, cold streams, rivers, creeks, and lakes.
How does the portrayal of the Alaskan wilderness -- the portrayal of nature -- in Into The Wild challenge the romanticized view of ‘living off the land’?
Nature is depicted as indifferent and harsh. That's how nature is!
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.
Which of the following best explains the symbolic significance of Chris McCandless's decision to take Eric Hathaway to "a real bad part of town" in this quote from Into the Wild? “Hathaway remembers thinking. "It was a Friday night, and I assumed we were headed to Georgetown to party. Instead, Chris parked down on Fourteenth Street, which at the time was a real bad part of town. Then he said, 'You know, Eric, you can read about this stuff, but you can't understand it until you live it. Tonight that's what we're going to do.' We spent the next few hours hanging out in creepy places, talking with pimps and hookers and lowlife. I was, like, scared.”” (Chapter 11)
It represents the inner conflict McCandless feels about privilege and his search for authenticity. By immersing himself in the gritty reality of life on the streets, Chris attempts to bridge the gap between intellectual understanding and lived experience, showing his discomfort with his privileged background.
Franz offers McCandless various items for his trip to Alaska, including a machete and an arctic parka. What is the deeper irony in what Franz does?
The irony lies in the fact that Franz, who believes in the value of relationships, provides McCandless with tools for a journey that represents isolation and detachment.
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.
What is the significance of the derelict bus in the context of McCandless’s journey, and how does it symbolize his experience in the wild?
The bus symbolizes refuge but mostly entrapment, reflecting Chris' isolation and gloomy and doom-like fate.
When Ronald Franz tries to offer McCandless financial help and practical support, but McCandless refuses, how does this conflict highlight a central theme of Into the Wild?
It highlights McCandless’s internal battle between accepting the help of others and maintaining his sense of personal autonomy and self-sufficiency. You're not really winning the battle to be self-sufficient at all if you're constantly refusing help.
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.
Chris’s decision to “divorce” his parents can be seen as a symbol for this.
His complete inability to confront the complexity of human relationships, especially family ones.
This quote reflects this theme: "By design McCandless came into the country with insufficient provisions, and he lacked certain pieces of equipment deemed essential by many Alaskans: a large-caliber rifle, map and compass, an ax. This has been regarded as evidence not just of stupidity but of the even greater sin of arrogance. Some critics have even drawn parallels between McCandless and the Arctic's most infamous tragic figure, Sir John Franklin, a nineteenth century British naval officer whose smugness and hauteur contributed to some 140 deaths, including his own."
The dangerous consequences of overconfidence and disregard for safety.
Chris McCandless goes through this internal conflict in this quote: "The repugnance to animal food is not the effect of experience, but is an instinct. It appeared more beautiful to live low and fare hard in many respects; and though I never did so, I went far enough to please my imagination."
He desires to live off the land, but actually he's extremely hesitant to killing an animal to eat it.
McCandless is described as socializing with the people at the Slabs and entertaining others at the swap meet. How does this behavior create a paradox in his character, considering his plans for Alaska and his aversion to society?
It highlights the complete contradiction between his desire for isolation and his ability to connect deeply with others.
The reader feels this mood in Krakauer's description of The Stampede Trail -- something Chris should have felt and turned back: "The trail . . . rejoins the twisting, rocky creek bed before ascending again into a jungle of scrubby vegetation. The going never gets exceedingly difficult, but the fifteen-foot-high tangle of alder pressing in from both sides is gloomy, claustrophobic, oppressive. Clouds of mosquitoes materialize out of the sticky heat. Every few minutes the insects' piercing whine is supplanted by the boom of distant thunder, rumbling over the taiga from a wall of thunderheads rearing darkly on the horizon."
Hostility and danger -- the threat of the wilderness.