Welcome

Welcome to my blog for Into the Wild, by Jon Krakauer. This blog is for my Honors English class, which I will update with various projects and information. The novel is based on the true story of Chris McCandless and his trip to Alaska, where he died. It also tells the reader about his life before Alaska. He lived with his upper-middle class family in Virginia and went to college in Atlanta. He gave almost all of his money to charity and left for South Dakota without telling his parents. Krakauer uses many of McCandless’ friends’ accounts to tell his story. Enjoy!

Travel Journal

If I could travel anywhere in the United States I would travel to Hawaii. I would travel to Hawaii because it is a very beautiful place. My father had to go there for a business trip in 2001 and came back with gorgeous pictures of the landscape. I would take a plane there, which would take about twelve hours from Baltimore to Honolulu. Hawaii is known for its beautiful beaches and culture that is different from the rest of America. It is also known for its volcanoes and mountains. Hawaii also has rainforests and waterfalls. In January, Hawaii is mostly cloudy with some showers. I would take spring and fall clothes; tee-shirts, jeans, jackets, tennis shoes, and flip-flops. I would expect to see the beautiful scenery that was in my father’s pictures and experience the Hawaiian culture.

Direct and Indirect Characterization

Direct
Lean - “Five feet seven or eight with a wiry build.” Pg. 4
Indirect
He does not want to be connected to his family - “You could tell something wasn’t right between him and his family.” Pg 18
Dreamer - “People from the outside…think ‘Hey, I’m goin’ to…claim a piece of the good life,’ but when they get out here…it isn’t like the magazines make it out to be.” Pg. 4
Naïve - “Gallien thought the hitchhiker’s scheme was foolhardy and tried repeatedly to dissuade him.” Pg. 5
He likes taking risks - “The only food in his pack was a ten-pound bag of rice. His gear seemed exceedingly minimal for the harsh conditions.” Pg. 5
Determined - “He was determined. Real gung ho. He couldn’t wait to head out there and get started. ” Pg. 6
Intelligent - “You could tell right away Alex was intelligent…He read a lot. Used a lot of big words.” Pg. 18

Author Biography

Jon Krakauer was born April 12, 1954 in Brookline, Massachusetts, but grew up in Corvallis Oregon. He is the middle of five children. He, like Chris McCandless, liked to travel and hike; he climbed Mt. Everest and stayed alone in the Stikine Icecap region, where he met his wife, Linda Mariam Moore. Into the Wild was Krakauer’s first nonfiction novel and was published in 1996. The novel was on the New York Times bestseller list for over two years. The book was adapted into a movie directed by Sean Penn in 2007.

Final Assessment- Chris' Favorite Quotes

These pictures contain all of the quotes highlighted in Chris McCandless’ books and phrases that he wrote down himself. Some of the quotes are: “I wanted movement and not a calm course of existence. I wanted excitement and danger and the chance to sacrifice myself for my love. I felt myself in a superabundance of energy which found no outlet in our quiet life.” - Leo Tolstoy Pg. 15, “All hail the dominant primordial beast! And captain Ahab too!” - Alex Supertramp Pg. 38, “No man ever followed his genius till it misled him. Though the result were bodily weakness, yet perhaps no one can say that the consequences were to be regretted, for these were a life in conformity to higher principles.” - Henry David Thoreau Pg. 47, “HAPPINESS ONLY REAL WHEN SHARED.” – Chris McCandless Pg. 189, “Need for a purpose” – Chris McCandless Pg. 103, “Everything had changed suddenly - the tone, the moral climate; you didn’t know what to think, whom to listen to. As if all your life you had been led by the hand like a small child and suddenly you were on your own, you had to learn to walk by yourself.” – Boris Pasternak Pg. 103, “Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth.” – Henry David Thoreau Pg. 117, “The two basic ideals of modern man – without them he is unthinkable – the idea of free personality and the idea of life as sacrifice.” – Boris Pasternak Pg. 187, “The true harvest of my daily life is somewhat as intangible and indescribable as the tints of morning or evening.” - Henry David Thoreau Pg. 47, and “I HAVE HAD A HAPPY LIFE AND THANK THE LORD. GOODBYE AND MAY GOD BLESS ALL!” – Chris McCandless Pg. 199. These are all very important quotes because they all give messages about life and the lessons learned during your time on earth.

Final Thoughts on Chris McCandless and "Into the Wild"

All in all, I believe that McCandless was a smart man who wanted adventure. He His time in the Alaskan Wilderness also taught him things that he could have never learned in civilization; true happiness is only real when it is shared. Thank you very much for reading my blog.