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My feelings for Chris McCandless have surprisingly stayed consistent throughout the entire book. I believe nobody was perfect and Chris is the embodiment of that. He didn't care what anyone thought of him and didn't try to be someone he wasn't. He dropped everyone and everything to follow his dreams even if that ultimately led to his downfall. I was hooked on Chris' story from the first two lines of the Author's Note, "In April 1992, a young man from a well-to-do East Coast family hitchhiked to Alaska and walked alone into the wilderness north of Mt. McKinley. Four months later his decomposed body was found by a party of moose hunters."

Krakauer did such a beautiful job of showing Chris for who he was, displaying both the good and bad sides of him. Even when we see Chris' flaws like his fear of confrontation or disregarding his family's pain from him leaving, his good side easily trumps the bad one. There's not many people who would donate pretty much all their money to charities or who would go around dangerous streets talking to and feeding people in need (p. 113).

Krakauer also shows a lot of the close relationships Chris has made with complete strangers. All these different people around the country grow to love Chris, from Wayne Westerberg to Jan Burres to Ron Franz. Krakauer shows a lot of the ugly parts of Chris' relationship with his parents, so it's a lot easier to love his friendships with all these other people who somewhat understood and cared about him deeply.

There was never a dull moment in Chris' story, which is why I love this story so much. He lived his life to the absolute fullest and everything else easily became irrelevant when he was too busy living. He did his best overcoming any and all obstacles he came across. Even on his death bed, he managed to find peace. I can't say I love him, but I definitely commend him and applaud his resilience and determination.

#restinparadise #liveyourlifetothefullest #lostinthewild

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When I was in fourth grade, my teacher would give us a big writing prompt each month about anything and everything. I can recall writing my own stories about Christmas, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and even Cinderella. I developed a love for writing, but kind of brushed that love under the rug until last year.

My cousin occasionally recommended a few books to me so she could have someone to talk to about it. I ended up reading a lot last year during quarantine to pass the time and then eventually because I figured out that I loved reading.

I have a childlike personality and tend to get along with people younger than me easily. So, growing up, I've often been told that I should be a teacher when I grow up. And I actually liked the idea of me being a teacher.

I've also been known to be very sympathetic. I use many analogies to get my points across because even in despair, I found that words have a way of healing. The human mind is so fascinating and psychology has always been such an interesting topic for me to learn about.

I love movies and watching the same movie several times as I break down all the deeper meanings of the movie. I sympathize with heros and villains alike and I find peace in entertainment.

As college soon approaches for me, I struggled trying to figure out what career path I want to take for myself because I wanted to do so many things, but for the longest time, thought I could only be one. However, I figured, why can't I just do everything I want to do?

I want to be like Stephen King who taught high school English classes before he became a well-known author.  I want to teach English to high school seniors as I work my way towards becoming an author. I want to write books about mental health or romance because I'm a hopeless romantic. I want those books to turn into major films one day. I plan to major in English and perhaps minor in Psychology when I'm in college. I have an infinite amount of writing ideas in my notes app that I plan on transferring to paper one day. The idea of all my dreams and goals coming true is nerve-wracking and extremely exciting, so I'm more than elated to see where this road takes me.

#readwritelove #senioryear #iwanttodoitall

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Summary: In August 1992, Alaskan coroners declared Chris McCandless' cause of death as starvation (para. 1). However, that wasn't enough for Jon Krakauer as he, for some reason, needed to know what the exact cause of death was, even 23 years later. If there's one thing that has never changed, it was Chris' journal entry that said, "Extremely weak. Fault of potato seeds". Krakauer tested the seeds for a neurotoxin called beta-ODAP. Krakauer was determined and took a crash course in organic chemistry and teamed up with Professor Jonathan Southard. However, it wasn't beta-ODAP, rather it was L-canavanine (para. 9), another amino acid. This toxin (para. 9) is often used to ward off predators and screws with your metabolism (para. 10). The professor who did the original test on the seeds in the 90's, Thomas Clausen, admits that he could've easily missed this compound 20+ years ago. Krakauer's research shows that this toxin is present in the plant and has been known to permantently paralyze (para. 18) 100,000 people in the 20th century. Krakauer ends on the note that you should always be careful and that if Chris hadn't been weakened, he most likely would've survived.

Analysis: I find Krakauer's determination very interesting because he spent over 20 years thinking about this case. He spent an insane amount of money to discover the truth and learned a lot about plants to figure out how Chris died. As crazy as it seems, I think that this is why he's such a great author. He makes sure that Chris' truth is heard and does the story great justice.

#jonandjonathan #biochem #toxicplants

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Summary: Ten months after Chris McCandless passed, Jon Krakauer, Walt McCandless, and Billie McCandless make a visit (p. 201) to the Fairbanks bus. While Walt had been antsy about visiting, Billie was surprisingly calm as she's been waiting to visit for quite a while. What had taken Chris four days to get there on foot, took the three 15 minutes on helicopter. Upon arrival, they could see why the place appealed (p. 202) to Chris as it was incredibly beautiful. Billie is the first to walk in and she's flooded with the memory of her son from his boots on the floor, to his writings on the wall. She comes across his old jeans and can smell (p. 202) her son. They spend the next two hours going in and out of the bus. Walt set up a memorial for Chris on the door of the bus and Billie laid flowers underneath it. Billie had also left a first aid kid, canned food, other survivial supplies, and a note saying "call (p. 202) your parents as soon as possible". She also left Chris' Bible, even though she stopped praying when her child passed. Walt is able to find solace and peace from being at the bus as it had helped him with understanding (p. 203) his son even if the whole thing still baffled him. Billie is able to find comfort in the place that was once her child's home. Krakauer ends the book with them in the helicopter leaving the scene, with a view of the bus getting smaller and smaller, until it's gone.

Analysis: I love how everything sort of ties together nicely in the Epilogue. I think Krakauer did a beautiful job in the ending of the book with making the bus fade out of view. It felt very cinematic and like the perfect ending for Chris McCandless. The whole book felt very surreal and Krakauer's ending tied everything together beautifully. I'm happy that Walt is able to understand Chris a little more, because a major theme throughout the book is that Chris just wanted to be understood. The note Billie left in the bus was also very heartbreaking and perfect. I feel like the note was Billie's way of grieving because by leaving that note, she was potentially helping many other worried parents, the way she wanted someone or something to urge Chris to call her.

#returntothemagicbus #callyourparents #byebyechrismccandless

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Summary: After 18 chapters, we have finally reached the end of 'Into The Wild' and along with it, Chris' story. After trying to cross the Teklanika River, Chris heads back to the magic bus. He figures he'll wait perhaps a month or so before it's safe to head out of the wild. He lives off barely enough food in the wild and continues reading. He had just finished reading 'Doctor Zhivago' when he came to the realization that "HAPPINESS IS ONLY REAL WHEN SHARED".  This makes us believe that Chris was ready to rejoin civilization and end his lonely (p. 189) journey. However, two days after he finishes the book, he finds himself ill and writes in his journal that it was at the fault of a potato seed. Krakauer goes on a long journey to find out the cause of his death. From starvation, to potato seeds, to wild sweet pea (H. mackenzii), to H. alpium, to alkaloids. However, Krakauer makes the discovery that it was actually mold from inside the  seeds that poisoned (p. 190) Chris and led to his death on August 19, 1992. Moldy seeds plus an unhealthy body was just a recipe for catastrophe (p. 195). Chris has grown weak and found some difficulty with hunting properly. The days grew shorter and before he knew it, he had reached day 100 of his journey. Though that should've been accomplishment, Chris was still very ill and knew his death would be coming soon. Krakauer goes on to explain that if Chris had had a map, he mightve been able to find not one, not two, but three cabins stocked with food and supplies. Yet, even if he had a map, those cabins wouldn't have been useful as they had been completely trashed sometime in July. The owners of these cabins believed that Chris had done it, but rangers had no reason to believe that Chris was responsible as it wasn't in character for him. As starvation (p. 195) is imminent, Chris goes out to collect berries and leaves a note on the off-chance that someone may come, but no one does. Some Alaskans wondered why Chris didn't start a fire to signal for help, but as Carine said, her brother would never set the woods on fire and if you believed he would, then you didn't really know him. Starvation is painful and as he writes his last journal entry "BEAUTIFUL BLUEBERRIES". On the back of a torn page of Louis L'Amour's memoir, Chris writes, "I HAVE HAD A HAPPY LIFE AND THANK THE LORD. GOODBYE AND MAY GOD BLESS ALL!" He takes a picture with his goodbye note with a smiling face, and there's not a doubt in anyone's mind that Chris McCandless was at peace (p. 199).

Analysis: I find it ironic that after years of running away from confrontation and love, he finally figures out that true happiness comes from sharing it with others. I really wish that those six Alaskans had come across the bus perhaps a month earlier. But alas, everything happens for a reason and I genuinely hope Chris found peace within his final moments.

#hadagoodlife #resteasyalexsupertamp #theend

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Summary: In the last chapter, Chris crosses the Teklanika River on his way to an adventure of a lifetime. However, he is unable to cross it again to get back home. In this chapter, Krakauer talks about HIS experience with the river so that he could see what Chris experienced. The differences being that Krakauer is more prepared and not alone. His companions (p. 173) being: Roman Dial, Dan Solie, and Andrew Liske. Having a map (p. 173), they are able to find the cable car rather quickly and take a thrilling (p. 175) ride across the river. They eventually finally find the magic bus. They also confirm that the the moose was indeed a moose and not a caribou like others had thought. They observe what was once Chris' temporary home and find a few of his engravings in the bus as well as some leftover belongings. Krakauer had originally been on the fence about having his companions join him on his quest to get more background information about what it was like for Chris. However, the longer they're out in the wild at the bus, he grows more thankful about them being there as they feel like they are disturbing Chris' resting place. Later that night, the boys talk about Chris and try to make some sense of him and everything he had done. They find themselves admiring and identifying (p. 185) with him. They agree to spend the night outside the bus and fall asleep to the thought that maybe Chris was thought to be crazy because they all saw their younger selves (p. 186) in him.

Analysis: I still wonder what could've been if Chris had a map. Would he still have tossed it? Would he have used it and made it back to civilization safely? I also wonder what would've happened if someone else were with him. Krakauer and the others had struggled quite a bit and their were multiple people. It's sad thinking about Chris going through that river on his own.

#deepriver #thankfulforothers #beprepared

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Summary: After about 14 chapters of Chris' backstory, Krakauer finally jumps back to Chris' end in the Alaska Interior. He left Carthage, South Dakota to head on to his 'great Alaskan odyssey'. He struggles to find a ride that will take him a thousand miles to Fairbanks, until he meets Gaylord (unfortunately his real name) Stuckey. Stuckey's company had a strict rule about picking up hitchhikers, however, Chris McCandless wasn't a typical (p. 159) hitchhiker. So, Stuckey agrees to take him 500 miles and Chris should be able to find a ride after that. Stuckey grows fond of Chris and takes him the rest of the way to Fairbanks. Chris wanted to go to the university so that he would be able to learn about what plants are edible or not. Before the two depart, Stuckey tells 'Alex' that he had taken care of him the past few days, and the least he could do was send him a postcard after he gets back from Alaska. 'Alex' promised (p. 160) he would and left. Chris goes to the university library and educates himself on edible plants. He also buys postcards to send his final messages to Wayne and Jan. He later finds and buys a used gun and ammo and heads to the Stampede Trail, where he meets Jim Gallien. Barely able to contain his excitement, Chris is finally about to be alone (p. 162) in the Alaska wilds. He journals in the back of his plant book as he forgot to bring excess paper. He finds the Fairbanks bus and decides it would be a suitable place to stay at until further notice. He hunts a few smaller animals, until he shoots his greatest prize, a moose (p. 166). However, this moose creates a few turn of events. Chris is fond of life and felt guilty that he didn't know how to preserve all parts of the moose and it had gone bad before he could even eat the whole thing. He reads to pass some time and in the time of his reading, he relflects on the moose but doesn't dwell. He learns about forms of happiness in the books he read, and figures that maybe just maybe, it was time to head home (p. 168). Unfortunately, on his way home, there's a heavy rain and an uncrossable river. McCandless wasn't the best swimmer and had no plans on suicide. So, all he could think was to turn back to the bus.

Analysis: I really wish that Chris could've made it back to civilization when he had wanted to. Throughout the chapter, it had felt as if he had finally figured out what happiness was and that he was willing to settle down. It's an interesting thought to think about what could've been if he had made it back to civilization. It makes you wonder if he would've set things right with his parents, hugged his sister, go back to Jan or Wayne, become Ron's adopted grandson, or so on. He had so many people who loved and cared about him, that it makes me wonder who he would've gone to first.

#poormoose #whoeatsporcupine #notagreatswimmer

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Summary: This chapter continues on with Krakauer's adventure on the Devil's Thumb. With a storm strong, he makes the wise decision of turning to marijuana (p. 146) to pass the time. While setting everything up to make some oatmeal, he suddenly smelled something burning. He ignored it at first but turned around to see part of his borrowed tent on fire. And he didn't borrow this tent from just anyone, but his father. Similar to Chris and Walt's relationship, he doesn't get along with his father. He goes into detail about how his father was this strict, volatile, complicated (p. 147) man, who never understood (p. 150) him. He discusses how his father expected more from him especially since Jon was the eldest child. Jon was to succeed and become a doctor, but that wasn't in the stars for him. His father later received a PAINFUL bout of polio. It was so bad that he became addicted to painkillers, driving away his wife and friends. He eventually tried to commit suicide and had his child witness it. Jon felt responsible for him and had to parent his father. However, if there was one thing that his father managed to do right, it was instilling him with his passion and ambition (p. 150) for mountain climbing. That being said, Krakauer expresses that this ambition is what motivated to keep going on. He patched up his tent and went on with his journey. He had suffered from loneliness for quite a while, before he got up and continued climbing. Before he knew it, he had a surreal (p. 153) moment of grinning brightly as he had finally made it to the top. He didn't fail to take photos to prove he had been there, before he got up and started his journey home. It's difficult for a young man to have death and suicide on his mind. McCandless was genuinely happy and excited to go to Alaska like how Krakauer had been to climb the Devil's Thumb. Death would've just been an unfortunate accident in doing something they had loved. That left Krakauer with the conclusion that no, Chris McCandless most likely did not go to Alaska with suicide on his mind.

Analysis: I absolutely HATE when parents pressure you into following their dreams. Some kids are brought up to be pushovers and do what their parents want simply to make THEM happy while they're miserable. In these situations, it's absolutely mind-boggling when the parents act surprised as to why their children resent them so much. Also, I like the parallel that what enrages both Chris and Jon the most, is the fact that it felt like no one understood them. But Jon found Chris' story, whereas Chris unfortunately didn't get the chance to find Jon's.

#encyclopediasarenotbirthdaypresents #dontgethighnearfire #livedtotellthetale

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Summary: Looking back at McCandless' final letter to Wayne Westerberg, it makes people wonder if Chris had went into the wild knowing he might not make it out. However, Krakauer decides to put his two cents into the book and give his perspective. Krakauer discusses how when his youth (p. 135) as he was similar to Chris McCandless and had his own adventure (p. 134). Like Chris, Krakauer intentionally went on adventures KNOWING it wouldn't be easy (p. 135). He talks about how while on a bartstool in Colorado, he had gotten the idea to climb the mountain, 'The Devil's Thumb' alone (p. 135). Krakauer pulls a Chris McCandless, dropping and leaving (p. 136) everything to go out into the wild. Everything becomes unimportant and nonexistent as Krakauer's obsession is to go climbing on this excruciatingly dangerous mountain. However, while climbing this deadly mountain, Krakauer drastically underestimates the danger of the situation until it's too late to turn back. He didn't have any means of communication with the rest of the world and panicked (as any sane person should). But, Krakauer feels embarrassed of himself, even with no one else around, and calms down. In doing so, he realizes that the only way he's getting off of this mountain is down.

Analysis: Krakauer does something interesting with this chapter and instead of writing about Chris, he writes about himself. In doing so, he gives the readers an idea as to why he's writing the book in the first place. I think the way the book has been written is very different compared to other books I've read because it's not very often the author writes themselves as a book when it's not exactly their story to tell.

#krakauerstimetoshine #doesthedevilhaveotherfingers #krakauertheadventurist

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Summary: This chapter gives more insight on Chris and Carine's sibling relationship. It's clear from the first page of the chapter that Carine adored her brother. Despite her brother not reaching out to her while he was gone, she still looked at old photos and memories with an affectionate (p. 128) smile. Carine and her parents wonder what would've happened if Chris had taken Carine's dog, Buckley, with him on his adventure. Even though he wouldn't hesitate to put his own life at risk, he would never think about putting Buckley in danger (p. 128). Though Chris and Carine had looked so alike they were mistaken as twins, their differences (p. 129) were more than enough to set them apart. Obviously, Chris adored the wild, but Carine can't even imagine being out in the wilderness. Despite their parents being difficult to be around, Chris didn't fail to inform Carine that she had been the 'only person in the world who could possibly understand (p. 129)' him. On September 17, 1992, Carine's husband, Chris (ironically) Fish, had the heartbreaking job of informing his wife of her brother's death. After she calmed down from screaming and crying, Fish took her to Virginia Beach to her parents. But first, they stopped by their church where she asked God for answers (p. 130) but she didn't get any. They then flew out to Fairbanks where they received Chris' belongings. Carine, Billie, and Walt, struggled with eating issues after finding out about Chris' death. The chapter ends with Billie, a mother who has outlived her child, wondering what was her child thinking.

Analysis: I feel horrible for Carine because it must've been absolutely heartbreaking not to hear from the sibling you love and care about for two years only to find out they're dead. As a person with two siblings, I know I would be wrecked if this happened to me. Krakauer's description of Carine finding out about Chris' death was excruciatingly powerful and I hope Carine is doing well now.

#siblingstornapart #iscarineatheistlikebobnow #dogsmakeeverythingbetter

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Summary: The long wait is over as we finally know the real reason why Chris left. After his graduation and father's birthday, he leaves for his summer trip and keeps his promise of calling regularly and eventually going to college, but things are different now. At college he remains himself, with his Chris McCandless ways and manages to freak people out. However, he still brought home great grades and made the Dean's list. As the chapter progresses, so does Chris' silent anger (p. 121). You wouldn't have been able to get Chris to fess up about what was wrong, as he kept it to himself, but you would know something was wrong. It's eventually revealed that he had been angry since his summer trip. He had gone back to his home town and made a discovery of his father's secret (p. 121) life. His father sat on a throne of lies (p. 121) as Chris discovered he had never divorced from his first marriage and another home and family without either parties knowing. Chris confides in his sister and others, but never confronts his parents about this. His anger does nothing but build (p. 122). He later says that he's going on another road trip and that he'll see his family soon. That was a lie. He cut ties with not only his parents but with his sister who he loved and cared for dearly. His family had grown worried (p. 125) as to where their son and brother could be and if he was okay. They unfortunately didn't hear anything about him again until his death.

Analysis: I 1000% understand how Chris could be so angry with his father but not his role models or others for their issues. I can see how it roots from his father lying to him for years, whereas he didn't have a personal relationship with other people. I do wish that Chris would've talked to his father because despite Walt being a huge jerk, he didn't deserve to have his son taken from him.

#daddyissues #shouldvebeenhonest #suckstobewaltmccandless

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Summary: This chapter takes the readers back to Chris' childhood, where we learn about Chris in the eyes of his family and high school friends. Samuel Walt McCandless had a difficult first marraige which gave him several children and a divorce. He eventually fell in love and married Wilhelmina Johnson, aka Billie, and had a son, Christopher Johnson McCandless and a daughter, Carine. Although their parents weren't around because they were always working, the siblings had each other. This didn't include the fun times the whole family had together. Chris had great potential of being the 'golden child'. He was talented in many aspects of his life including academics, sports, music, and even personality as he was kind and fearless (p. 109). However, he didn't like to follow rules or a specific format, he didn't have the patience to learn a rule (p. 109) in sports in detail, he didn't think it would be dangerous to be in areas he shouldn't. Yet, there was one sport that didn't have too many rules and rewarded will (p. 111) and determination: running. He inspired his teammates with his intense will and symbolism. While other teenagers were going to keggers, he was going out to 'sketchy' parts of town and feeding homeless, prostitutes, hookers, and anyone who might've been hungry. Not only did he feed them, but he talked to them and gave advice on how they could improve (p. 113) their lives. Although he grew up in a rather wealthy household, he was embarrassed of it. He believed wealth to be evil, which was ironic for him as he was once a young entrepreneur. He also didn't want to go to college until his parents sat him down and attempted to get him to see that they had worked excruciatingly hard to get where they were and to pay for their children's education. Despite being a rule-breaker, he agreed to go. In reality, he had other plans of leaving for an adventure (p. 116), that would result in his death.

Analysis: It's not difficult to see why Chris died as God probably wanted his angel back. He was so unbelievably kind and did what he thought was right, not caring if by doing so, he was breaking the rules. I admire how much of an activist he was and how even as a high-schooler, he wanted to change the world for the better. I also find it interesting how running has quite literally been an escape for him as we've seen with his commitment issues. Overall, Chris was an amazing young man who deserved much better than a cold death in a random Fairbanks bus.

#angelonearth #rulebreaker #runningfromevil

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Summary: This chapter begins the search for who the deceased man in the Fairbanks bus was. Since this person had passed in Summer 1992, it was difficult to track down this man's family. Incorrect information had been spread about the same man leading the Alaska State Troopers nowhere (p. 99) with false (p. 100) leads. Jim Gallien had read the article and realized it sounded like the kid he once gave a ride and an oversized pair of boots to. Switching over to Carthage, over the radio, Wayne Westerberg hears about this kid who starved to death in Alaska, who sounded a lot like their friend and brother that they know (p. 100) and love. Over 150 people called thinking they knew this person and it wasn't until Westerberg made a call to the Alaska State Troopers, did they figure out his true identity. Wayne gave Chris' name and Social Security and Alaska troopers were able to find that it was genuine and that McCandless resided in northern Virginia. Alaska law enforcements contacted Virginia law enforcements who combed through phone directories searching and calling every McCandless. Walt and Billie McCandless had left to Maryland. However, Chris' half-brother, Sam McCandless, received a call from a Fairfax County homicide detective (p. 101) about the kid in Alaska. Coincidentally, Sam had read the article about 9 days before the call but thought nothing but sorry for the family. The dectetive had asked Sam to go to the Police Department, where he was shown a photo of the hiker that was faxed in from Fairbanks. Though the person in the photo had looked nothing like Chris when he last saw him, there was not a doubt in his mind that it was him. Which left Sam with the unfortunate task of wondering how he would tell his father and Billie, that their child (p. 102) was dead.

Analysis: It's crazy to think how Chris had made so many friends throughout his journey and he was very unforgettable that it's possible that several people out of the 150 people who called, could've known Chris but under a different alias. It's also a bit devastating that when you read something tragic, you can't help but feel bad for everyone involved. That's until it happens to you and then suddenly everything changes. It's also sad how Sam had mentioned that he didn't really know his half-brother, whereas after hearing it on the radio, Wayne had said that it sounded like his kid, his friend, his brother.

#surrogatebrother #oldschooldetective #phonebooks

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Summary: Unlike Chapter 8, which discussed people who went on an adventure in Alaska and their experiences, Chapter 9 gives more insight on McCandless' story through Everett Ruess. Ruess was the older, 1930s version of Chris McCandless. Ruess was 20 when he left UCLA to live out his dream of damning civilization (p. 91). Similar to McCandless, Ruess was no stranger to pain and would instead welcome (p. 92) it. Like Chris adores writings by Jack London, Everett treasured Jules Verne's Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. So much so that he renames himself Nemo, after Captain Nemo, which translates to in Latin, 'nobody' (p. 93). However, Ruess' story is cut short with his disappearance leaving his ending a mystery. Krakauer switches over to a search party sent to find him. They were able to find his burro (donkey), some cave drawings with the inscription "NEMO 1934", and some of his gear, yet they were unable to find him. Different ideas surfaced of what could've happened to him, yet no evidence (p. 94) came up to prove anything about what could've happened to him. Ken Sleight who also attempted to search for what happened to Everett Ruess, made an interesting comment at the end of the chapter expressing that though Everett was known to be a loner, he liked people and because he's human he likes companionship (p. 96) like McCandless did. However, they both couldn't bare to be around people for long and would leave then find their way back again.

Analysis: The people mentioned in Chapter 8 went out into the wild for different reasons such as wanting to know what it was like in another time, coping with family issues, or just taking photographs. However, Ruess goes out into the wild for essentially the same reason why McCandless does. They both hardcore romanticized nature saw beauty in the great outdoors where they couldn't find anywhere else. It's a bit saddening though because all these people being discussed are relatively close to my age and it does make me think about how this could just as easily be someone I know and my heart goes out to all those who stayed up worried about these 'adventurists' only to be disappointed in the end. This chapter also hit home with Ruess' letter to Waldo because I don't any loving sibling could ever be truly angry because their sibling wanted to live their dream, rather they would be devastated if they found out their sibling died because they did so.

#desertmccandless #painwelcomedhere #captainnemo

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Summary: This chapter begins on a relatively negative note with Krakauer discussing feedback he received from when he first published his magazine about Chris' story and death. Many people reached out saying that Chris was a kook (p. 71). Others commented that he was hardly unique as he wasn't the only one to try to live off the land in Alaska and the only difference was that he ended up dead (p. 71). Krakauer proceeds to tell the story of Gene Rosellini, who believed humans had devolved and become inferior. However, in a somewhat shocking plot twist, he was found in his shed with a knife to his heart. The coroner declared it to be a self-inflicted (p. 75) attack, however there was no suicide note, leaving people to wonder why he had killed himself. Krakauer moves on to John Mallon Waterman, a rather eccentric yet promising young man and alpinist. After a fire that had burned his life's work, he commited himself to Anchorage Psychiatric Institute. Carl McCunn is the last person discussed in this chapter, a kind photographer who was a bit out of touch with reality (p. 81). He had went out to Alaska to take photos of wildlife, without arranging to get a ride back. To save himself from the cold, he shot himself in the head. The chapter ends restating the similarities between these men and McCandless, as well as the differences. The differences being that McCandless wasn't crazy nor incomptent. In the last paragraph, Krakauer leads into a new character to get more insight (p.85) to McCandless, we must look into the story of Everett Ruess.

Analysis: This chapter is a bit more difficult to read as it has to do with not completely Chris, but rather, other not so crazy men willing to venture off to Alaska. I think Krakauer included this chapter because of the unnecessary amount of people bashing him and McCandless, not realizing the depth of the story and that there are other people in the world willing to travel to Alaska.

#boyscouts #whowillwin #alaskavsmen

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Summary: This chapter goes back to Carthage, South Dakota with Wayne Westerberg and his girlfriend, Gail Borah. The epigraph discusses avoidance (p. 61) behavior which foreshadows Chris' issues. Krakauer travels to Carthage to interview Wayne and a few others. They discuss the love life that Alex didn't have because like a monk (p. 65), he didn't have much interest in love as he had always been so caught up with nature. Chris also meets Wayne's mother who doesn't normally like Wayne's employers, but practically instantly adored Chris. And though she had only known him for a few hours, his death still bothered (p. 67) her. Alex was a social butterfly and an outgoing young man. He had several hidden talents. Some of which including singing, dancing, and playing the guitar AND the piano. Despite being very well-loved, he had his heart set out for Alaska and left once again. He tells Wayne and everyone that he'll be back in the fall, yet as he's saying goodbye (p. 68), Borah had noticed that he was crying (p.68), which sent her worry levels through the roof that maybe they wouldn't be seeing him again in the fall or ever again. Once in Alaska, he writes to the people who viewed him as their own, Wayne, Jan, and Ron, saying they will no longer hear from him as he goes out to live in the wild.

Analysis: I currently wholeheartedly believe that Chris McCandless went to Alaska not to die or JUST as a journey, but simply as an escape. We've seen his confrontation and avoidance issues, and I think this is the outcome of a severe issue. He runs away before people get too close, and sometimes makes the mistake of not running away quick enough. I think he figured Alaska is a place not many people would travel to in the US, so he decided to go there to hideaway. I think he lied to everyone saying he would come back when he knew he wouldn't to make a 'painless' escape. I think him foreshadowing that he would die might be to potentially thought that it would hurt less that he didn't come back because he died and because he didn't want to.

#trektoalaska #avoidancebehavior #diedavirgin

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Summary: Chapter 6 is without a doubt, incredibly devastating. Ronald A. Franz had written a letter to Krakauer requesting a copy of the magazine he had written about the passing of Alex McCandless. Ron was an 80-year-old war veteran, who had lost his wife and son to a drunk driver and had been living a lonely life, trying to fill the void by "adopting" Okinawan boys and girls. Until he met Alex Supertramp, who hitchhiked into his life and who he becomes incredibly to. The old man chastised him about how he should be doing something with his life, when the young hitchhiker retorted that he already was. Alex also encourages him to mimic his actions and tramp around as well. They become so close that Ron asks if he can adopt (p. 55) him so that Alex could be his grandson. However, Alex' fear of confrontation kicks in and he says they'll talk about it when he gets back from his Alaskan trip. He eventually leaves from the pending threat (p. 55) of human intimacy (p. 55) which devastates and hurts Ron more than Chris could've ever thought. Yet, Alex still manages to write a beautiful and passionate letter and recommends that he should leave Salton City and live life in the wild. Ron takes this recommendation to heart and heads out into the wild. On the last week of 1992, when Ron picks up two hitchhikers, he begins speaking of his friend Alex. Sadly, one of the hitchhikers had to inform Ron that he had read a magazine not too long ago about how a young Alex McCandless had passed away in Alaska. Ron informed Krakauer that he prayed for the safety of Alex when he set off for Alaska because he was special (p.60). That being said, Ron was beyond heartbroken. When he heard the unforunate news, he bough a whiskey, got drunk, became an atheist (p. 60), and damned God as how could he let such a good person die?

Analysis: This chapter had nearly brought me to tears reading how attatched Ron had gotten to Chris. The letter he had written to Ron was beautifully written and I love how Ron took it to heart. It's heartwrenching how from Chris' perspective, he doesn't realize the impact he leaves on the people he comes across and how much his fear of confrontation hurts others.

#grandparon #unofficialadoption #drunkonwhiskey

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Summary: Chapter 5 exposes Chris' more human side. The chapter begins in Bullhead City, Arizona. He writes to Wayne that he may want to settle down and abandon his tramping life depending on how things go. He gets so close to settling that he exposes his real name and social security to the McDonald's employers. However, he's unusual compared to the other workers. Despite being dependable (p. 40), when confronted about these issues, he quit (p. 40) his job and writes to Jan Burres, this time with a return address. She said her and Bob would come visit him, but before they could, they came across McCandless' backpack leaning against their van a couple miles outside of Niland at a place called the 'Slabs'. He helped her at the flea market where he sold mostly the paperback books consisting of classics such as, Dickens, Twain, and Jack London. His love for London's books got twisted with his reality and he seemed to forget London's work was fiction (p. 44) He encouraged many others to read the 'Call of the Wild'. He loved talking to people and socializing (p. 44) because he was potentially storing up company for when he would be all alone. When Jan started mothering him and pestering if his family knew about his wherabouts, Chris does what he apparently does best, and leaves. Chris had frequently talked about his 'great Alaskan odyssey (p. 45)'. Jan had her misgivings, yet had faith in him because this is the same kid who figured out how to paddle a canoe in Mexico, how to hop freight trains, and if he could figure out all that on his own, he would be able to figure out Alaska as well.

Analysis: In previous chapters, Chris has been viewed as fearless, yet in this one, we see him be more human. I find Chris' fear of confrontation interesting, because though it's more prominent in this chapter, he's been running away since the Author's Note. He left his family without a proper goodbye, he left his Datsun, he left his socks, he left his job, and he left Jan and Bob. He left all these things or people who have cared for him and simply wanted the best for him, yet because something was inconvenient for him, he leaves.

#sirthisisamcdonalds #nosocks #nonconfrontational

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Summary: Chapter 4 is a complete roller coaster of events for Alex Supertramp. This chapter discusses his journey through California, Arizona, Nevada, Mexico, and a large part of the Southwest of the United States. His adventure (p. 30) is nothing short of exhilerating. He ditches his beloved yellow Datsun (p. 26) after being unable to get it started and not wanting to deal with the questions of his unusual situation. However, he takes this as an opportunity (p. 29) to rid himself of unnecessary belongings, including his money. The author knows this because of a journal McCandless had left with Westerberg. He meets Jan Burres and her boyfriend, Bob, who saw McCandless looking pitiful with his jug of berries. After talking to McCandless who explained his situation, she offered him a ride and a meal, along with some life lessons. She remembers that he was a nice kid and that despite living off edible plants from his book, he was happy (p. 30). Even when he had left, he still kept in contact with a postcard every 1-2 months for two years. He also writes to Wayne Westerberg who he last heard was arrested. He reminds him that he's thankful for him and that he plans on tramping around until further notice because life is too good to pass up. He gets a hitchhiking ticket which he addresses to his parents who are already concerned of his whereabouts. His father reaches out to Peter Kalitka, a private investigator, to find Chris. His journey continues on with a canoe and a trip to Mexico and an arrest on the way back to the US. Despite these insane events, McCandless remains unfazed as "it's the experiences (p. 37), the memories, the great triumphant joy of living to the fullest extent in which real meaning is found."

Analysis: I wish I could've met Chris McCandless because it seems everyone he meets absolutely adores him. He seems so genuine and kind and in any situation when someone does something nice for him, he makes sure they know he's thankful for not only them, but for their friendship. I also admire how he takes any difficult situation and turns it into an opportunity for adventure.

#adventureisoutthere #byebyeyellowdatsun #whathappensinvegasstaysinvegas

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The Cabaret Bar; located in Carthage, South Dakota

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Summary: This chapter begins in Carthage, South Dakota, a small town with a population of 274. We meet Wayne Westerberg, who works at the grain elevator. He is mourning the lost of Chris McCandless while recalling memories with and of Chris two months after his death at a bar called the 'Cabaret'. Chris had been just another hitchhiker looking for a ride, but his different (p. 18) yet memorable personality and situation caused  'Alex McCandless' had come back for employment at the grain elevator. Carthage had grown attatched (p. 16) to Chris and Chris was attatched to his now surrogate family (p. 18). When Westerberg was arrested for illegally building and selling black boxes, Chris had left Westerberg the novel, 'War and Peace' and proceeded to leave town, yet he still considered Carthage, South Dakota his home (p. 19). The focus is shifted to McCandless birth family. He was raised in Annandale, Virginia by Walt and Billie McCandless. When his parents attempt to buy him a new car as a graduation gift, Chris becomes enraged as his current car was perfectly fine. So, he develops a plan to leave without a trace, and it wasn't long before he would disappear (p. 24) into the wild.

Analysis: I love how everyone Chris has come across so far has loved and grown fond of him. His personality seems so welcoming and kind that it's not difficult to see how attatched people become to him. I admire how easy it is for him to make lifelong friends and it makes me excited to read how other people viewed Chris McCandless.

#carthagesouthdakota #surrogatefamily #warandpeace

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Summary: In the second chapter of Into The Wild, Jon Krakauer ends McCandless' story with six people from three separate parties coming across the Fairbanks City Transit System Bus 142. The bus was old and rusted with the paint horribly oxidied and it was surrounded with a a retched smell (p. 12). The bus also came with an SOS note attatched to it begging for help (p. 12) along with Chris McCandless' dead (p. 13) body. A hunter named Butch Killian recommended to the other parties to let the Alaska State Troopers to handle the issue. The Troopers had come to move the body to the Scientific Crime Detection Laboratory. They had also found McCandless' other sentimental possessions that would record him in his final (p. 13) moments. Since the body had already begun decaying, it was near impossible to determine the cause of death. The body was excrutiatingly malnourished and had no indications of any broken bones nor internal injuries, leaving starvation as the most likely cause of death. However, since McCandless lacked any form of identification, authorities didn't have a way of telling who this man was (p. 14), where he was from, or why he was there in the first place.

Analysis: It's difficult to fathom how McCandless was fully aware that he was going to die and couldn't do anything but wait for help that would never come. I suppose it's bitter-sweet that he was able to document his life in his final weeks. The knowledge that he was documenting his final weeks makes the readers wonder how long he was suffering in pain.

#theendisjustthebeginning #fairbanksbus #whowaschrismccandless

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Summary: Into The Wild by Jon Krakauer is a novel based on the true story of Christopher Johnson McCandless. McCandless is first introduced into the story as a hitchhiker to Jim Gallien, an accomplished hunter and woodsman. Gallien recalls when he first met McCandless who claimed (p. 4) to be Alex, just Alex. He had been driving when he first came across McCandles who had been more than excited (p. 6) to start yet another journey in a new location. Gallien was more than concerned about how 'Alex' would survive because of the lack of proper equipment and how young he had been. Yet to McCandless, none of that matters (p. 7) because he was fully confident that he wouldn't run into anything (p. 6) he couldn't deal with. That knowledge hadn't done much to ease Gallien's wariness, so he had his wife pack him some food to go and gave him a pair of boots. Despite Gallien's uncertainty of Alex' future, he opted out of going to the police as any normal (p. 7) person would leave the wilderness if things got a bit too difficult.

Analysis: I find McCandless insanely fascinating. From Gallien's perspective, we see McCandless as a confident, stubborn, young man who is undeniably determined. Answering the author's note that said it's up to the readers to determine what kind of man they thought McCandless was, I can so far determine that he was an admirable fool. McCandless' willpower is absolutely inspiring as well as his tenacious personality. He's had two years of experience as well as about 24 years of knowledge. Knowing that, I can assume that he definitely could've survived in Alaska, making me even more curious of his cause of death.

#alaska #bravery #deadmanwalking

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Nature isn’t just grass and dirt, but also includes other elements, such as water. In my seventeen years of living, the one place I’ve always felt at peace is in water. I find peace with the ocean or when it’s raining or even in the shower. I’m not even an excellent swimmer, but bodies of water bring serenity to me. Growing up in California means living near the beach, so every time I’ve gone has been complete bliss.

Whenever I’ve felt stressed, I find myself taking long showers without even realizing how long I’ve been in the bathroom. I succumb to the calmness that the water brings me. Although I usually end up with pruny fingers, I feel the stress physically leaving my body. My mood tends to brighten when it’s raining and I often end up jumping in puddles and dancing in the rain. The smell of the Earth after it rains is so unbelievably refreshing. People say there’s a calm after the storm, but I wholeheartedly believe there’s a calm during the storm.

I hope to one day live closer to the beach or be able to travel to different waterfalls around the country as well as rivers and lakes. I highly recommend going to the beach a couple of times a year or maybe any other body of water. When you dance in the rain it feels like you’re romanticizing your life, which usually offers an extraordinary feeling. Nature alleviates you of your mental and sometimes physical stress through its tranquility.