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While reading this book, I realized that Chris and I had a lot in common. In some chapters, I found myself empathizing with him more instead of criticizing him. Although I do agree that he did do some unforgivable things, I can understand why he did them. It doesn't excuse or justify his actions, but they do seem reasonable.

His fear of commitment definitely resonated with me, but it was upsetting to see how he detached himself from good people like Ron Franz. He had such an influential impact on people, I don't see why he would run away from something he was good at; making connections. I also dislike how quick he was to shut people down and reject any form of help, like how he rejected supplies from Gideon and He wanted to depend on himself and only himself. He wanted to prove himself worthy, but at what cost? I wish someone told him he didn't have anything to prove, and that "solo" doesn't mean "alone". Part of me thinks he had some sort of superiority complex, which I don't fault him for... he was incredibly talented and gifted. But just like Icarus, he flew too close to the sun.

I didn't really understand how close he was to completing his Alaskan odyssey until I read the last chapters. He was nearly ready to return back to civilization but that all came to an end when he fell ill. From potato seeds!! How can something so small be so destructive? His death doesn't take away the fact that he was extremely resilient and strong, mentally and physically. He did his best, and that's all anybody could really ask for. Maybe it's because I love talking to people, but I can't imagine how emotionally exhausting being alone and isolated must be, especially for months on end. Overall, I appreciate and respect his efforts in trying to accomplish his dream. His story will live on and continue to touch many people, serving as a cautionary tale.

#intothewildandafterlife #restinpower #doyourresearch

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“An understanding of the natural world and what’s in it is a source of not only a great curiosity but great fulfillment.” - David Attenborough 

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I've been passionate about working with animals since I was 6. Growing up, I would spend my days at the park collecting ladybugs and crickets and keeping them as my own. When I was at home, I would skim through National Geographic magazines with a big interest in the woods and wildlife. Whenever my school held field trips to the Natural History Museum or aquarium, I would always wander off by myself and examine exhibits with wonder. As someone who has lived near the beach their entire life, I've always naturally felt a connection to the ocean. My love for nature grows stronger every day and I take every chance I get when it comes to traveling and hiking. I just love discovering what Mother Nature has to offer.

Christopher and I share an affinity for the wild. I plan on becoming a wildlife biologist in the future, specializing in marine life or mammals and doing research on different species. Doing labs, experimenting, making observations, and collecting studies just seems like something I could spend my life doing. I hope to be so successful in my career that I can work under National Geographic, or become someone as amazing as David Attenborough or Jane Goodall. For now, I'll continue to work hard to turn my dreams into a reality.

#outdoorsman #friendoftheearth #followyourdreams

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Summary: Nearly 23 years after Chris McCandless' death, Krakauer continues his search to find the cause of Chris' death from starvation (1). The biggest clue comes from his diary (3), which hints that he ingested Eskimo potato seeds. A writer gives him a tip and informs him that the seeds contain a deadly neurotoxin (6) called beta-ODAP. This leads him further down the path and encourages him to do more research. With this knowledge and the help of chemists, he runs through tests to multiple labs with the hopes of an answer. Lab results come back and conclude that the seeds actually contained a toxic amino acid (10) called L-canavanine. The plant becomes toxic during midsummer. The amino acid causes your body to lose its metabolism (10), which explains why Christopher starved to death, despite having an adequate amount of food. Without any awareness of this information, Chris ate the seeds, thus leading to his death. Krakauer's long search comes to an end. This story serves as a lesson to be careful when foraging in the wild.

Analysis: Christopher made it so far into his journey, but one mistake really ended it all. A part of me is mad that he ate these seeds without knowing that they contained toxins, but I think I would have done the same thing if I were in the same predicament. I hope this teaches others to be careful when eating unknown things.

#evilpotatoes #toxic #becareful

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Walt and Billie stand where Chris once stood...

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Summary: John Krakauer and Christopher's parents Walt and Billie visit the bus via helicopter (200). They fly over the Stampede Trail and hop down a couple of yards away from the site. Upon looking at the Alaskan woods, they admire the beauty and begin to understand why Chris set his sights on Alaska. With courage, Walt and Billie enter the bus and gaze at the interior. Billie examines all the possessions Chris left behind, including a pair of hiking boots (202) and ragged jeans (202). They go around the bus and put up a memorial (202) dedicated to Chris. Billie leaves behind a suitcase (202) full of necessities, with a note that says, "call your parents as soon as possible." After their visit, Walt and Billie reflect on Christopher and their loss. They return back to the helicopter and watch the bus become smaller and smaller.

Analysis: I found this epilogue to be bittersweet. Walt and Billie are really brave for visiting the site where their son died, especially without shedding any tears. Visiting the bus was a great way to understand why Chris did what he did. Grief never really goes away, but I hope by visiting the Stampede Trail, it gives them a sense of closure.

#longlivechris #wellmeetagain #loss

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Summary: The last chapter talks about Christopher's last few weeks of his Alaskan odyssey. He returns back to the bus (188) and waits for the river's water level to lower. The very last book Chris reads is Doctor Zhivago, in which the words "happiness is only real when shared" (189) are written on one of the pages, hinting at his desire to return back to society. A few days after finishing the book, his physical state quickly begins to deteriorate. Although there are multiple speculated reasons, people concluded that the cause of this was because he mistook a deadly plant for sweet peas (191). He becomes so weak, his immune system loses the strength to fight off the toxins. Because he has no map, he fails to realize that there are cabins he could have gone to. He continues to log entries into his journal and pleas for help. He drops his Alexander Supertramp persona and spends the last of his days as Christopher McCandless. Before he dies from starvation (198), he takes one final photo and writes his last words: "I HAVE DIED A HAPPY LIFE AND THANK THE LORD. GOODBYE AND MAY GOD BLESS ALL!" (199).

Analysis: While reading this book, I've become emotionally attached to Christopher and his story. He continues to influence people even after his death. I really admire Chris for dying the way he did and I respect him for not burning down an entire forest for help. Although it was probably excruciating and painful, he didn't resort to suicide. In a way, he died embracing the wild.

#serenity #diedahappyman #youonlyliveonce

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Summary: Krakauer visits the very place Christopher McCandless died- the Stampede Trail. With the help of his experienced friends and a topographic map (173), he makes his way around the powerful Teklanika River. They go downstream and find a tower station (174), which Christopher would have found if he had a map. After crossing the river, they find the bus he camped in and the boneyard surrounding it. They realize that the "moose" Chris hunted was not a moose but in fact a caribou (176). The group looks at what remains inside the bus, including some graffiti (179) and his hiking boots. Night falls, they camp around a fire and reflect on McCandless' arrogance (181) and inexperience in the Alaskan frontier.

Analysis: I respect them for having the will to visit the bus. There is a huge difference between hearing about the story versus visiting the place where it happened. I agree with a lot of the things they said about Chris. He was a young man who was too ambitious for his own good that saught to test his abilities.

#visitingthewild #historyrepeatsitself #notamoose

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Alexander Supertramp and his experience in the wild!

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Summary: Christopher hitchhikes (158) his way to the city of Fairbanks to embark on his Alaskan odyssey. He gets a ride from a kind man named Gaylord Stuckey and gets dropped off at a university to learn about native edible plants. After buying a rifle (162), he gets dropped off at the Stampede Trail by Gallien. With nothing but a light backpack, he walks along the trail and crosses the Teklanika River. He seeks refuge and camps in the abandoned bus (163). Unfortunately, Chris is unable to successfully hunt for food and faces a short famine (164), so he depends on berries to sustain himself. A few weeks of practice pays off and he is able to hunt for small game while continuing his journey west. His hunting skills improve and he manages to catch a moose (166), but due to poor preservation, he sadly loses the meat. After spending four months lost in the wild, he gets ready to head back to civilization (168). He attempts to leave the woods but stumbles across the river, which has turned into a violent stream of water impossible to cross. To avoid the risk of death, he walks back to the bus to wait for the water level to lower.

Analysis: Christopher truly is naturally talented! He managed to catch an entire moose, but it's so sad he didn't do more research into preserving the meat because it ended up costing him his life. With the right amount of research, he would've been able to live.

#onthinice #risky #howpeacefulandliberating

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Summary: After retreating to the base of the Devil's Thumb, Krakauer stays inside his tent for days on end and spends his time debating on whether or not to make another attempt at climbing the Thumb. He begins to lose his sanity and smokes marijuana to cure his immense boredom. This ends up being a huge mistake because he sets a part of his tent on fire (147), exposing himself to the freezing temperatures. It leads him to think about his father and their relationship. Growing up, his dad always had high expectations (147) and believed that the only path to success was going to Harvard.  This reminds Krakauer why he climbed in the first place and he decides to push on. He skies his way to the south side of the mountain and spends the night on a ridge (151). With nothing but his gear and ice axes, he makes his way to the summit as redemption (151). He successfully reaches the top (153) of the Thumb and relishes this moment before he makes his way home. When he tells people about this, he comes to find that people aren't very impressed. Because of his own personal experience, he fully believes that McCandless wasn't suicidal; only unlucky.

Analysis: I'm glad that the author lived to tell the tale. It's amazing that he climbed the entire thing by himself! Despite all the mistakes he made, he managed to avoid death, it's a shame McCandless was met with a sad ending.

#nottheblueprint #letitburn #topoftheworld

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The Devil's Thumb lives up to its name, truly a demonic climb...

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Summary: In this chapter, Krakauer suspects that Christopher McCandless's death wasn't planned and shares his own experience of facing the Alaskan wilderness. He describes his personal Alaskan journey of solo climbing (134) the Devil's Thumb, a treacherous mountain range. In 1977, he quits his job and sets his sights on Alaska. On his way there, he abandons his car and hops on a workboat (136) called the Ocean Queen. Soon after, he reaches his destination, buys a pair of climbing rods (138), then begins ascending the mountain. During his climb, he endured the mountain's harsh climate and deep crevasses (138). When night falls, he sets up camp at the Stikine Ice Cap and spends a few days waiting for an airdrop. Due to the bad winds and rough landscape, it was difficult for the pilot (141) to get Krakauer, so the plane retreats and leaves him. He accepts this loss and skies down to the base when the weather clears up.

Analysis: The idea of solo climbing is very intimidating to me, I'm amazed that Krakauer lived to tell the story. It's good that he knew his limits and decided to stop when he knew it was going to get worse. Reading this chapter, I see that there are a lot of similarities between the author and McCandless. There's so many people that are just like Chris.

#dontslip #mountainman #iceicebaby

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Summary: In Chapter 13, Carine reminisces about Christopher and the memories they shared. She also brings up how he adored his dog (128) and companion, Buckley. Chris enjoyed spending time with Buck so much to the point where he wanted to bring him to Alaska. Unfortunately, he left Buck behind because the poor dog was recovering from a car accident. When Carine's husband tells her that Chris died in Alaska, she goes hysterical (130) and weeps. They soon rush and drive over to Walt and Billie to inform them. The family is so shaken by the news, they grieve for months straight. Still coping with the loss (132), Carine and Sam fly to Fairbanks to take home his ashes (131) and possessions (131).

Analysis: This chapter was so sad. No parent should have to outlive a child. I admire the bond Chris and Carine had and how much they tried to look out for each other. Carine is a great sister.

#siblinggoals #goodboybuckley #bestfriends

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Summary: After graduating from high school, Christopher would take long independent road trips, causing his parents to constantly worry. It got worse when Chris got back from one of his trips thirty pounds lighter and dehydrated (118). This concerned his parents so much to the point where they would try to advise him to be more careful (119), but his pride and overconfidence (118) prevented him from taking their advice. Despite his recklessness, Chris was a well-rounded student at Emory. Although he excelled academically, Chris was generally closed off towards his friends and family and would often hyper-fixate on his own interests. During his time in college, Christopher emotionally separated himself from his parents because he found out about his father's affair with his ex-wife, Marcia, and his second family. Upon making this discovery, Chris was not able to look past his father's lies (121) and let his anger build up inside of him. Each month he would only become increasingly bitter. When he was traveling, he would rarely write to his family and contact them at little as possible. In the spring of 1990, he vanished (125) and completely broke contact, never hearing a word from Chris for months.

Analysis: I'm shocked at how Billie continued to stay with Walt even after what he did. I wouldn't be able to let something like that go. Chris hid all his anger from his parents and never told them a single thing for years, I can't imagine the toll it took on his mental health. He carried these pent-up thoughts and opinions with him up until his death... that must've been emotionally damaging.

#cheatersneverprosper #betrayal #tsktsktsk

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Summary: Chapter 11 takes a look into Christopher's immediate family- Walt, Billie, and Carine. Walt McCandless is an intense (105), diligent man who worked his way up to the top. At his workplace, he meets a like-minded lady named Billie Johnson and falls in love. They get married and have two gifted children: Christopher and Carine. As kids, Chris and Carine grew up in an emotionally absent household with both of their parents working 24/7 on their business and constant sparring. Growing up, Chris was always fearless (109) and believed that some rules weren't worth listening to. His wanderlust (108) stemmed from spending time with his grandpa and going on backpacking (109) trips. Chris was also naturally talented and excelled in academics and arts. He prided himself in being naturally good and didn't listen to criticism, constructive or not. Despite his hatred towards capitalism, he ironically is a naturally good salesman (110) and makes money remodeling homes. He was so talented that the owner of the company he worked under tried to persuade him to continue working in Annandale. He rejects this offer and leaves, spending his summer driving across the country.

Analysis: It's sad that Chris and Carine grew up in that sort of environment. After reading this chapter, I get why Chris decided to take his car and get away from it all. Money definitely does not equate to happiness.

#likefatherlikeson #workworkwork #toxic

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Summary: In Chapter 10, Alexander Supertramp's true identity is discovered through intense investigation and speculation (99). When Alex's story lands in the Daily Anchorage News newspaper (99), word quickly spreads and Gallien reaches out to Alaskan State Troopers. He recalls his time with Alex in South Dakota. The troopers use this information to move on with their search. While driving, Wayne Westerberg hears the radio (100) explain the news of an unidentified dead hiker and quickly comes to the conclusion that it is his friend (101) Christopher McCandless. Through lots of convincing and proof of association, Westerberg shows the state troopers Chris' social security number (101). Christopher's half-brother, Sam, is the first from the family to receive the news about Chris' death.

Analysis: They went through a lot in order to figure out who he was. If a similar incident were to happen in today's age, it would be a lot easier to solve with the help of new modern technology. I'm glad that it didn't remain a mystery and that his family know what happened to him. I feel a little sorry for Sam McCandless. How do you deliver such tragic news?

#notabiologist #trustissues #tragedy

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Summary: In this chapter, we meet a romantic (90) named Everett Ruess and learn about his disappearance (94). Ruess was raised by a well-off family that often spent time moving to different cities and states. After graduating from high school and taking a semester at UCLA, he begins his own expedition and explores the southwest. Throughout his journey, Ruess writes letters (91) to his loved ones, describing all the monuments and near-death encounters he has experienced. Like Christopher, Ruess explores the country under the alias "Nemo", which he would inscribe on sandstone walls (90) and caves. After cutting communication, Ruess' family begins to hear less from him and organizes a search party in the hopes of finding him alive. To their dismay, they find his belongings (94) at the bottom of Davis Gulch, Arizona, but not Everett himself. Although many believe that he fell to his death, there are theories on his mysterious vanishing. Some speculate that he drowned, was murdered, or may still be alive. To this day, the disappearance of Everett Ruess remains a mystery.

Analysis: Christopher's story is so bizarre, but it seems like he wasn't the only one to meet a tragic end. It's interesting that Everett was so similar to Christopher, it almost leads me to believe that Christopher might be Everett reincarnated..?! Amazing how they both came from a privileged background and chose to live a disadvantaged lifestyle.

#nemo1934 #deadoralive #beprepared

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Christopher isn't the only one to meet a similar tragic ending...

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Summary: In Chapter 8, we are introduced to three nuts (p. 71) who, like Christopher, were victims of the harsh Alaskan wilderness. One of them was Gene Rosellini, who came from an upper-class background similar to Christopher. In 1977, he travels up to Cordova to become a Stone Age native (p. 75) and connect back to his primitive roots. He got by in the forest by foraging and hunting small game and would challenge himself by doing exhausting workouts. As hard as he tried, he soon realized that his hypothesis was incorrect. In 1991, he was found with a self-inflicted (p. 76) knife injury to the heart. Similarly, an ambitious mountaineer (p. 76) named John Mallon Waterman embarks on his own expedition but later becomes manic and attempts to climb Ruth Glacier, only to disappear and never be seen again. Lastly, we meet Carl McCunn, an idealistic photographer who challenged himself to survive in the wilderness on his own. As he runs out of food and supplies, he begins to regret his past decisions, like when he threw out his shotgun shells (p. 78) into the lake. But an opportunity appears as an aircraft finds Carl's camp, and Carl quickly takes it and waves for help during the first pass. The aircraft flies away and the pilot leaves, leaving him in confusion. Misfortune strikes and he finds out that he sent the wrong signal (p. 78). After a couple of weeks of bearing through the Alaskan climate, he commits suicide. The last journal entry reads, "...please forgive my weakness and my sins. Please look after my family."

Analysis: I like how Krakauer introduced us to other people who decided to embark on similar expeditions like McCandless. It shows that his story isn't (unfortunately) rare and that plenty of people have done the same thing before him. Reading McCann's story made me upset, those weeks leading up to his death must have been so excruciatingly painful.

#dontmesswiththewild #restinpeace #mothernature

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Last stop before Chris walks out into the wild...

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Summary: Christopher lands in Carthage and visits Westerberg, telling him he planned on staying until mid-April. He sends his weeks here completing tiresome tasks that don't require him to be mechanically minded (p. 62). During his stay there, he meets a mother named Gail Borah, who becomes his on-and-off girlfriend. Westerberg and Borah think back on Chris and the difficult relationship he had with his parents and his plan to completely "knock them out" of his life (p. 63). This chapter looks into the intimate parts of Christopher's life and we learn that he was never intimate with his partners. His sexual innocence (p. 65) is rooted in authors he read, such as Thoreau and Muir, who encouraged nature & naturalism over sexual desire. It's clear that throughout his life he's had his eyes fixed on something bigger than physical contact; Alaska. A few days before Chris makes his final leave, he meets Westerberg's mom, who she immediately connected with and thought was fascinating (p. 65). On the last night before his departure, Chris parties with Westerberg and his crew, and even plays his piano (p. 66). After a sentimental goodbye, Christopher makes his way up north to Alaska. On his way there, he writes Westerberg postcards, almost foreboding his death, with one of them saying, "I now walk out to live amongst the wild. Take care, it was great knowing you," (p. 66).

Analysis: It's amazing how Christopher made such a lasting impression on everybody, I almost wish I could've met him myself. I didn't think Chris would be the type of person to party and drink Jack Daniel's... but people can surprise you in unexpected ways. The letters he wrote to Westerberg lead me to think that Christopher began the journey out of curiosity while being fully aware of the consequences.

#influencer #intotheunknown #pianoplaya

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Summary: Chapter 6 involves the sad, short-lived relationship between Christopher McCandless and Ronald Franz, an 80-year-old man who has gone through his fair share of grief. They first meet when Franz offers the wayfarer (p. 48) a ride from Salton City to his camp, Oh-My-God Hot Springs. On their way, Chris makes a lasting first impression on Franz. They both spend a lot of time together at his apartment (p. 49) and bond. During the time they spend together, Ron takes on a grandfatherly (p. 51) role and teaches him the secrets of belt making, while Alex talks about his ultimate adventure to Alaska and even encourages the old man to embark on his own journey. Despite being in his eighties, Ron later on takes his advice and sets up camp at McCandless' old campsite. They even made a leather belt (p. 51) together, with his name and scribblings of his journey inscribed. One day, Chris announces that he is leaving to San Diego. Through some persuasion, he lets Franz drive him there. Chris stays for a month until he calls Ron to give him a ride from Coachella. They spend a day together until Chris goes again to take up another job from Westerberg. Before his departure, Franz gives him some gear (p. 54) and asks if he could adopt (p. 55) him. Sadly, Christopher evades the question and flees, which is the last time Ron had seen him. When Ron was informed about Chris' death months after, he was so heartbroken to the point that he lost his faith and became an athiest (p. 60).

Analysis: I'll admit, this chapter made me a little sad. Sometimes reality is so disheartening. Franz has been through so much, yet he goes through another loss. I can't imagine how lonely he must feel, I just want to give him a big hug.

#imsorryron #sad #americanwest

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The chapter where Christopher lives a "surprisingly conventional experience"...

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Summary: In this chapter, we gain insight into Christopher's relationships and personality. Chris makes his way around Bullhead City, Arizona to get away from the cold and takes a break from his "great Alaskan odyssey" (p. 45) and picks up a full-time job at McDonald's. His coworkers recall Christopher's reliability but his lack of hygiene and distaste for socks (p. 40). After escaping their criticism and quitting his job, he temporarily lives in a vacant trailer (p. 40) with the help of an old man named Charlie. He then meets up with his friend, Jan Burress at the Slabs to help sell goods at a community swap meet. He would mainly advertise Jack London and his novels, which glorified the idea of complete independence and preached about breaking free from a capitalist society (p. 43). During his stay there, he connects with the community and bonds with other like-minded individuals, who support him on his grand journey. He gets along with everybody. Despite this, he remains mysterious about his background (p. 44) and is quick to switch topics when his identity is questioned. On the day Christopher leaves, Burress tries to convince him to take supplies and gear to aid him on his trip. He first reluctantly takes them, but later leaves them behind and continues his voyage to Alaska.

Analysis: I think it's a waste that Christopher tossed away and denied all helpful gifts and money that was given to him. I know his goal was to experience freedom but why burn money just to get a job at one of America's biggest chain restaurants after? I wonder what would've happened if Christopher knew the information about Jack London. Would his death have been prevented? Unless he purposely overlooked this, which leads me to question why. It's a shame he didn't figure out Alaska.

#imlovinit #hoohboy #theslabs

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Traditionally, poppies are a symbol of death and remembrance...

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Summary: Chapter 4 begins with park rangers finding Christopher's abandoned car (p. 26) in Lake Mead National Recreational Area located in Nevada. In the midst of driving, Chris and his yellow Datsun B210 get stuck in a flash flood situation where he is unable to start his car. Through contemplation, he decides to continue his odyssey (p. 29) and leaves everything but his journal (p. 29). behind. But unfortunately, Chris faces a series of obstacles while continuing this journey. When he reaches northern California, he finds himself working for a man named Crazy Ernie with a group of vagabonds (p. 30). Christopher quit after 11 days but found himself in trouble when he received a ticket that was sent to his parents' house, leading them to start a private investigation. It would soon lead to nowhere, but Chris would find himself in Mexico, traveling in circles (p. 32) and having a near-death experience. In jubilance (p. 34), he hitchhikes to Las Vegas, Nevada without an ID or money.

Analysis: I think it was impressive how he was able to let go of his personal possessions so easily and release all attachment from them. It definitely shows how determined of a person he was. Honestly, it's inspiring how goal-driven and light-hearted Chris was. I think I could learn from him.

#baggage #staycool #wildhearted

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Just a small town man, livin' in a lonely world...

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Summary: This chapter starts off with an introduction to the small town of Carthage, South Dakota. Wayne Westerberg, a "Renaissance of the plains," (p. 19) in his mid-thirties, finds Alex in Carthage, who he considers as an amiable (p. 16), outgoing kid. As they talk and form a connection, Westerberg offers Alex to stay in town for a while and spend the night in the trailer (p. 17). A night soon turns into a couple of days, into weeks. Soon, Alex becomes enamored (p. 17) of Carthage and begins working. As he bonds with the entire town, he considers them as his surrogate family and refers to Carthage as his hometown. Sadly, two weeks into Alex's stay, Westerberg was arrested for selling illegal black boxes (p. 18), causing Alex to pack his things and leave town. Christopher's background is uncovered and we find that he grew up in an upper-middle-class background with a well-off family. Despite these privileges, he plans to "disappear for awhile" (p. 21) after college. His parents discover his disappearance after finding that his supposedly occupied apartment was up for rent 5 weeks ago. Christopher drives out of Atlanta to invent (p. 21) his new identity and name.

Analysis: Not everybody can cut themselves off from all material things and start a brand new life. I admire that he had the courage to pursue what he really wanted to do. I'm glad that Alex was able to find a community and "surrogate family" in the small town of Carthage. I wonder what could have happened if Westerberg wasn't arrested. Would Alex still be alive today if he stayed longer, or was he just a couple of days/weeks closer to his death?

#freewesterberg #brandnewperson #byecarthage

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Summary: In Chapter 2, we receive background information on the Stampede Trail, leading up to the moment where Christopher's body is discovered by three different parties far into the Stampede Trail.  On September 6th, 1992, a group of 3 Alaskans follow along the trail (p. 11) using motor vehicles when they stumble across an old, broken-down bus (p. 10), along with a spooked (p. 12) couple from Anchorage and an overwhelming odor. Next to the exit door, they find a saddening S.O.S. (p. 12) note and a red flag, foreboding that nothing good is inside the vehicle. One of the men, Samel, courageously examines the bus to find a blue sleeping bag and see a deceased head of a man. The next day, the corpse and what remainds is evacuated by professional troopers (p. 13). Through investigation and analysis, they identify Christopher McCandless, who had died from starvation, weighing at only 67 pounds. Despite him carrying 113 journal entries and self-portraits, his enigmatic (p. 13) past and background is yet to be discovered.

Analysis: While reading this chapter, I kept placing myself in Christopher's shoes and imagining what it'd be like to be alone, cold, and starving. What a tragic way to pass away. I wonder what he was thinking during his final days. I find it surprising that six people happened to go to the same destination around the same time and stumble across Chris' body.

#curiositykilledthecat #restinpeace #redflag

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Summary: Into the Wild follows the story of a young man named Christopher Johnson McCandless who decides to live life independently with nothing but his rifle (p. 3), cheap boots (p. 5), and a light backpack (p. 3). The story starts off with a man named Jim Gallien driving on the highway in the unforgiving (p. 4) state of Alaska and finding a hitchhiker named "Alex", who is secretly Christopher. While they drive to Chris' destination, Gallien finds that he is a foolhardy (p. 6) person. Despite his warnings, Chris stubbornly pushes onwards with his journey and gets dropped off at the Stampede Trail on April 28, 1992 without looking back.

Analysis: I admire Christopher's ambition and courage to leave everything behind. Yet, it was reckless for him to do this without any proper preparation or experience. Reading the epigraph, it sounds like he was aware of potentially dying, meaning that he knew what the consequences of heading into the wild. Was he doing this to test his luck?

#watchforbears #1992 #lifeisahighway

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As a child, my family would always try to get me and my twin to appreciate nature by taking us to the beach often, which was luckily only half an hour away from our house. My dad would take us to the mountains so we could swim and play in rivers. Because of this, my love for nature grew, especially large bodies of water. My curiosity about wildlife would lead me to read books about bush-craft and encyclopedias about plants. My older brother would take me on hiking trails and give out life lessons during these hikes. Sometimes we would hike off-trail and explore. I still carry my passion for nature with me.

Before lockdown, we would go on 2-day cabin trips to places up north, like Big Bear. This soon became a yearly family tradition. Yet, I never really experienced the true "wild" until I went on my first camping trip in Bass Lake. Since then, I've been daydreaming about going again. Now, I love to hike and explore nature. My favorite trails to hike are ones that lead to waterfalls.

I'm looking forward to the day when I can independently embark on my own journeys and explore many more mountains and rivers. Nature has a powerful ability to ground you and give you peace of mind. It is a great mentor and serves as a great source of inspiration and hope. Being in the wild is a great stress reliever and a way to experience the beauty this planet has to offer.