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When we first started the book, I was shocked to find out that our main character died. Normally a story would reveal the death of someone, especially if the story's about them, towards the very end. But we found out he died by the second chapter! After finding out about his death, I thought he was dumb and reckless for doing what he did. But over the course of the book, my perception of him changed and at the end of the book, my viewpoint changed completely.

I for one loved that he did what he loved and didn't care what anyone else said. I feel like nowadays, people are so afraid of doing what they want out of fear of what other people may think of them. We should adopt some of Chris's ideologies into our lives. I also admire how he connected with everyone he met along his journey. I wish I was that outgoing and great with people! And the fact that he still stayed in touch with everyone during his travels is amazing. I also respect him for being a hardworking person and student. Chris was a very intelligent individual who would've had a really bright future ahead of him had he survived his journey up north.

But there were so many times during the book when I was frustrated with Chris and his actions. For starters, I hate how he always pushed people away that got too attached to him. They only wanted to help him and make sure he was okay but he would just get up and leave them high and dry. The chapter with Ron Franz made me want to cry for him! I have a soft spot for elderly people and I hate seeing people be disrespectful towards them. So to see Chris just leave a kind and caring old man like Ron was a cowardly move. I also think Chris was a little selfish. He left his family and didn't even say one last goodbye to them. Even though his parents weren't the greatest people, it wouldn't hurt to say a quick farewell before his long trip. And reading how he and Carine grew apart during his final years of life was so sad to read. And the fact that he didn't carry a map or compass with him frustrated me most of all! These simple and basic survival tools are so necessary but he just wanted the whole "caveman" experience. Unfortunately, this decision ultimately leads to his downfall.

While I admire Chris for living his life the way he wanted to, I don't agree with everything he said and did. And that's okay! We all have good and bad sides. It's human nature. I want to say one final farewell to Chris McCandless. Rest in peace, Chris! Your story has reached and inspired many people around the world to live their life the way they want. And I also want to thank Jon Krakauer for getting all the details of Chris's life and journey and writing this book!

#inmemoryofchris #journeytothenorthends #weexisttolivenotlivetoexist

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Ever since I was a kid, my family and I would go on quick weekend "vacations" to Las Vegas annually. We would go to Las Vegas at least 3 times every year. And while I enjoyed going to Vegas for a quick getaway, it gets boring after going all the time. And since I'm underage, it's not like I could do anything fun there anyways. I've asked my parents time and time again to go anywhere else other than Vegas. Since I was a child, I've only been to four other states in the country. I've never even left the country! The farthest I've probably been away from the mainland is going to Liberty Island in New York. This hindrance has only fueled my passion and desire for travel! I watch travel vlogs and see people post pictures of their travel on social media and I would tell myself, that's going to be me one day...

Like you, Ms. Moore, my goal in life is to TRAVEL the world. I think it's one of the things that makes life worth living. My most recent trip was to Seattle, Washington. It was just me and my mom and we went to visit some friends and for a quick getaway. Hopefully this summer, I'll finally be able to leave the country for the first time. While not 100% confirmed, we've been talking about going to Cancún, Mexico right after my senior graduation.  Then next summer, my family might finally take me to Vietnam for the first time ever! Of all the places I want to visit, I want to go to Vietnam the most. I want to see where my family came from and just connect back to my roots. My family and I would always watch videos of people traveling around Vietnam and it would make everyone homesick. So far, everyone in my family has gone back to Vietnam except my dad and I. And we're the ones who want to go the most! So fingers crossed that COVID will get better next year and we can go visit our motherland. And from Vietnam, I hope to visit the surrounding countries: Thailand, Indonesia, and Singapore. I look forward to the beginning of my travel journey!

#wanderlust #themotherland #startofmyodyssey

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Summary: In August 1992, Chris McCandless died in an old bus in Alaska after surviving out there alone for 113 days. He lived off of wild game and plants like roots and seeds. Alaska state coroners declared that starvation was the cause of his death. But a mystery still lingered: what exactly killed him? The author of Into the Wild, Jon Krakauer, has circled back to Chris's diary (¶ 3) to find the answer. In the diary, Chris states that his weak state was due to the potato seeds he ate. This prompted Krakauer to form a series of hypotheses about the toxicity (¶ 5) of said seeds. He decides to test the seeds for a neurotoxin called beta-ODAP (¶ 6). Results showed the seeds had a lethal concentration of a compound called beta-ODAP that causes gradual weakening and paralysis in its victims. But Krakauer realized that the only way to prove his point was to publish his findings for it to be peer-reviewed. So he sent the seeds back to the lab and nine months and $20,000 later, it was discovered that the seeds did contain a toxin, just not beta-ODAP. It was another amino acid, L-canavanine (¶ 9). Many legumes store this toxin in their seeds to ward off predators. It tricks the body's cells into thinking it's good for them but it actually short-circuits your metabolism (¶ 10) and you essentially starve. The debate about how Chris died will likely continue long after these findings. But one thing is for sure, if Chris hadn't been weakened by these seeds, he most likely would've survived his journey up north.

Analysis: Love how we got into the scientific aspect of Chris's death. We know finally know in more detail what lead to Chris's death. Even though nothing is certain, it leaves us with more answers than we had before. If only Chris had been a little more prepared on his research about the plants in the area and how to prepare these plants and seeds to be consumed, he would've survived.

#potatoescankill #toxic #mysterysolved

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Summary: Chris's parents, Walt and Billie McCandless, go with Jon Krakauer to visit the place where their son met his end. The Teklanika River was still running high at this time so they decided to take a helicopter (pg. 201). It took them 15 minutes to cover the distance it took Chris four days to walk. Walt and Billie walk around the vehicle for awhile. Billie is the first to enter the bus (pg. 202). She gazes at her late son's possessions: his boot's, handwriting, and toothbrush. But there are no tears (pg. 202) today. Billie picks up a pair of Chris's patched, ragged jeans and ushered Walt to smell it, saying, "They still smell like Chris." Walt installs a memorial (pg. 202) inside the door while Billie leaves a suitcase stocked with survival supplies. This brief visit has provided them with a sense of closure and a better understanding (pg. 203) of why Chris came out into this country. The books ends with the three of them flying away in the helicopter watching the bus below them get smaller and smaller in the distance until its gone.

Analysis: And just like that, it's over. I find it  admirable how Chris's parents decide to come out to visit the place where their son had died. It must've been such a difficult thing to do. But I'm glad it brought them some closure and gave them a little insight on their son's final days. I feel like Jon didn't want to bring up how they were the reason Chris left in the first place because it would've been inappropriate for them since they were still mourning Chris.

#themccandlessesgointothewild #byebyebus #alaska

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Summary: After his failed attempt to cross the Teklanika River, Chris arrived back at the bus on July 8. He fell back into his routine of hunting and gathering. In late July, he finished reading Doctor Zhivago. He scribbled notes and underlined passages, but the most vexing of all, he noted, "HAPPINESS ONLY REAL WHEN SHARED." This could mean he was ready to shed a little of the armor (pg. 189) he wore around his heart upon returning to civilization. On July 30, there is an ominous entry in the journal, "EXTREMELY WEAK, FAULT OF POT. SEED. MUCH TROUBLE JUST TO STAND UP. STARVING. GREAT JEOPARDY (pg. 189)." Chris might have purchased some seeds in South Dakota, perhaps some potato seeds (pg. 190) to plant a vegetable garden. But he got hungry enough to eat the seeds, which poisoned him. Another scenario is that he mistook sweet-pea seeds for potato seeds and got poisoned from them. Krakauer comes to the conclusion that Chris wasn't killed by wild sweet-pea but by wild potato.  The plant that poisoned him wasn't toxic, he just simply had the misfortune to eat moldy seeds. Suddenly, McCandless was too weak to hike out and save himself and grew weaker by the day. If Chris had a map, he would've known there was a fully stocked cabin three hours away from him. Starvation (pg. 198) begins to set in and it is not a pleasant way to die. He writes one last message: "I HAVE HAD A HAPPY LIFE AND THANK THE LORD. GOODBYE AND MAY GOD BLESS ALL!" He most likely died on August 18, only 19 days before six Alaskans would happen across the bus. In his last picture, he is smiling despite looking horribly emaciated, and there was no doubt he was at peace (pg. 199).

Analysis: We've finally made it to the chapter that describes Chris's final moments. How sad it must've been to die alone and in such an agonizing way. Reading the line where he crawled into the sleeping bag his mother sewed for him made me so sad! It was like going back into his mother's embrace one final time. I hope in his final moments, he was satisfied with what he did and was proud of his accomplishment, despite it ending in tragedy...

#RIPChris #donteatstrangeseeds #goodbye

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Summary: Jon, with three companions, attempts to cross the Teklanika River to visit the bus where Chris perished. Unlike Chris, however, they had a map (pg. 173). Had Chris had a map, he would've known there was a cable car about 20 minutes away from where he was. But because he had no topographic map, he had no way of knowing that salvation (pg. 174) was so close. After the four reach another bus side of the river using the cable car, they walk through the dense bush to reach the old bus. Upon reaching the bus, they find hundreds of bones littered around the vehicle, the largest skeleton: the "moose" Chris shot. Many people claimed Chris killed a caribou (pg. 177) and not a moose, deeming Chris ridiculously ill-prepared to head into the wilderness for his misidentification. Chris made mistakes, but confusing a caribou for moose was not among them. The group searches the bus and finds Chris's old possessions: chapstick, books, matches, toothbrush, jeans, and even a makeshift belt. This makes the group feel uncomfortable because they feel like they've slipped into Chris's bedroom while he's momentarily away. McCandless came into the country with insufficient provisions and equipment on purpose. This has been regarded as arrogance (pg. 180), not just stupidity. And the entries in Chris's journal contain barely anything about the wilderness, it was all just about food! Nothing about appreciating the beauty of the country around him or being moved by the power of the landscape (pg. 183). But all the men agree in their relation to McCandless and sympathize with what he was going through at the time.

Analysis: It's crazy how a simple map could've saved Chris's life all those years ago! I've always heard of people trying to live off the land as our ancestors did all those years ago. I can see where they're coming from but at least go out there PREPARED! Pick up on some survival skills and knowledge beforehand. Hopefully, people who read this book learn from Chris's mistake and know to have at least a map and compass with them should they ever embark on an odyssey as Chris did.

#isthatamoose #nomapnogood #crossinginabucket

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Summary: We resume Chris's "great Alaskan odyssey (pg. 157)". Chris had no luck with hitchhiking up to Alaska for awhile until he met Gaylord Stuckey. He was en route from Indiana to Alaska to deliver a new motor home to an RV dealer. Stuckey gives Chris a ride and they spend the next three days together where Chris shares personal life story and his plans of living of the wild. When he gets to Fairbanks, Chris heads to the University of Alaska to do some research. He also bought supplies for the trip like food and weapons. Chris meets Jim Gallien and is driven out into the bush. The heaviest item in his backpack was his library (pg. 162): 9-10 paper books. On April 29, Chris fell through the ice somewhere and on May 1, he stumbled upon the old bus. He had difficulty killing game (pg. 164) during his first week but later became more successful at hunting during the next six weeks. He doesn't walk to his original destination to tidewater and turns around to head back to the bus. On June 9, he managed to kill a moose (pg. 166)! Unfortunately, most of it went to waste because Chris didn't know how to preserve it. On July 3, Chris is ready to head back to civilization. But the Teklanika River (pg. 169) was now a full flooded, three-acre lake covering the trail. Refusing to risk his life crossing the river, Chris turned back around toward the bus.

Analysis: It's crazy how a simple decision could mean the difference between life and death. If Chris had known if he walked upstream, he'd find a way to cross the river, would he have done it even though it was still risky? I understand Chris's perspective on wanting to be careful but my will to return to civilization would be stronger. but still, poor Chris...

#trialanderror #moosehunter #madeittoalaska

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Mountaineers are a different kind of brave!

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Summary: Jon comes down from the Devil's Thumb and is trapped in his tent for the next three days due to bad weather. After three days of being cooped up in the tent, he was fed up and decided to light a joint and smoke some marijuana (pg. 146) to pass the time. But this plan backfires (literally) as the match he used to light his cigarette sets his tent on fire. It burned a large section of the tent and the sad part, it wasn't even his, it was his father's. Jon's father was a weekend mountaineer who taught him how to climb when he was a child. Like Chris, Jon had a complicated relationship with his father. He was a volatile and extremely complicated person who wanted Jon to live the life he planned for him. Little did he know that Jon would later try and shape his life around climbing (pg. 147). Jon's father was fixated on the idea that going to a prestigious medical school and becoming a doctor was the one sure path to meaningful success and lasting happiness. Later on in life, Jon's father starts self-medicating and was placed into a psychiatric hospital after a suicide (pg. 149) attempt.  So Jon refuses to admit defeat on the Stikine Ice Cap and tries to make his way up again. On the afternoon of May 15, Jon reached the summit of the Devil's Thumb! He saw the distant lights of Petersburg and imagined how people were enjoying their everyday lives. He had never felt so alone (pg. 152), ever. Jon took some pictures for proof and when he makes it down the mountain, he tells some people of his accomplishment. Unfortunately, they didn't seem as impressed as he hoped they would be. Jon reflects on himself and thought how climbing the Devil's Thumb would fix all the wrongs in his life. In the end, it changed almost nothing but at least he lived to tell the tale. Jon notes how at a young age, death (pg. 155) is an abstract concept so they're more reckless with their lives. That's why he believed Chris died chasing an irresponsible dream.

Analysis: Wow, good for Jon for not giving up and making it up the Devil's Thumb. And the way Jon and Chris are so similar not only in views but in their own personal lives, makes me wonder if they would've been good friends if they ever met. But maybe they would've never met if it hadn't been for Chris's death. Life works in mysterious ways...

#wedidit! #daddyissues #foolishyouthdreams

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Who'd want to climb something called the Devils Thumb??

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Summary: This chapter strays away from Chris and goes into the author's own life story. In 1977, Krakauer got the crazy idea to climb a mountain called the Devils Thumb. He was 23 at the time, a year younger than Chris when he walked into the Alaskan bush. Jon was aware he was getting in over his head but he wasn't doing it because it was easy (pg. 135). The Thumb rises from a frozen bald known as the Stikine Ice Cap. It was vast and labyrinthine (pg. 137). He begins his staggering ascent on the glacier (pg. 138). As a mountaineer, he even admits he was afraid (pg. 139). As the days passed on his excursion, he grew increasingly anxious as he had no forms of communication and was running out of stove fuel and perishables. He awoke to clear days one day and knew he couldn't afford to waste a rare day of perfect weather. But even with the warmer weather, the climb proved to be too much and he knew the only option he had now was to go down (pg. 144).

Analysis: Wow, I had no idea Jon Krakauer was a mountaineer himself! And the fact that he tried to climb the really difficult and dangerous mountain. I guess it takes one to know and why he did such a great job writing Chris's story. But I feel bad for him that he didn't get to complete his goal of climbing Devil's Thumb.

#mountaineersunite #uptheicecap #devilsthumbisanimpossibleclimb

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Summary: This chapter follows Carine during the aftermath of her brother's death. She and Chris are look and act very much alike, enough that people frequently thought they were twins (pg. 128). The family had a Shetland sheepdog, Buckley, whom the two loved very much. Carine noted that if Chris had taken Buck with him, he wouldn't have been as reckless. After Chris's disappearance, Carine made peace (pg. 129) with her parents. But his death hit her hard and she couldn't get through a day without crying. After she received news about Chris's death from her husband, she remained hysterical (pg. 130) for hours until she calmed down. After receiving Chris's ashes (pg. 131), and flew for Maryland. Both Carine and Billie stopped eating (pg. 131) and lost weight as a result. Her parents struggled to understand and come to terms with Chris's death.

Analysis: I'm glad we got a chapter on Carine's perspective of the situation. Seeing how they hardly communicated in the final months of Chris's life, it must've been so difficult for her since she never got to say one final goodbye. The fact many people said they seemed like twins show how close of a bond they share.

#lossofasibling #siblingsbychancebestfriendsbychoice #ripbuckley

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Summary: After graduating high school, Chris left Virginia and headed for the Pacific coast. He returned with a scruffy beard, long, tangled hair, and lost thirty pounds! It turned out he had gotten lost in the Mojave Desert and nearly died from dehydration. His parents were extremely alarmed when they heard this and tried to persuade Chris to have more caution (pg. 118) in the future. Chris seemed to enjoy his time at Emory University and even boasted at one point that he'd get into Harvard Law School with his grades. He returned to Annandale the summer between his sophomore and junior years. Chris's anger toward his family came from the discovery he made that summer. After Walt split from his first wife, Marcia, and fell in love with Billie and gave birth to Chris, he continued his relationship with Marcia in secret. Walt even fathered another son two years after Chris was born. He had been going between two families for basically Chris's whole life! Walt's lies and deception (pg. 121) caused a rift between him and his son. Chris didn't confront his parents about his discovery and kept it to himself, harboring  (pg. 122) his resentment. He goes off on more road trips to avoid his parents. Chris seldom (pg. 124) contacted his parents during his senior year at Emory. When Chris's parents and Carine attended his graduation ceremony, they thought he seemed happy. He said he was planning another extended trip and implied he'd visit before leaving. But he didn't keep his promise and loaded up his car and vanished (pg. 125) from their lives. Months passed without any word from Chris and his parents became more and more worried. Billie claims she heard Chris calling  her, begging for help...

Analysis: No wonder Chris hated his family so much! I just thought he wanted to leave because his family was a typical rich, suffocating bunch who controlled every aspect of his life. But this drama was something else! I can't believe Walt got away with his adultery for so many years! What did Billie even say about this when she found out? What was her reaction and why did she still stay with him after learning about his deception? I totally see why Chris wanted to get as far away as possible from his parents. Poor Carine though.

#twowivestwolives #straightoutofatelanovela #shameonwalt

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It's crazy how Chris looks EXACTLY like his mother

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Summary: In this chapter, we learn more about the McCandless family. Samuel Walter McCandless is a smart, stern, and brilliant man. Though he and Chris had their issues, he loved him dearly and enjoyed having him around even though he frustrated (pg. 104) the family often. He's used to being a leader and taking control (pg. 105) is something he does unconsciously. Sam's first marriage to his then-wife, Marcia, didn't work out so they separated. He then started dating Wilhelmina Johnson (aka Billie) and she got pregnant with their first child, Chris. Carine was born three years after Chris. The two were extremely intelligent and gifted (pg. 106) in many things. They developed a close bond and learned to count on each other when their parents weren't getting along. Chris's love for the wild and outdoors partly came from his grandfather, Loren Johnson. As a child, Chris has always been a high achiever (pg. 109) in almost everything that intrigued him. He had so much natural talent but refused to listen to any criticism or advice to better himself. Chris's friends never saw what happened behind the scenes of the McCandless family so they always thought they were one big, happy and perfect family. Chris was a natural-born capitalist (pg. 115) and had a knack for making money. He was such a great salesman that a construction company offered to pay for Chris's college education so he would stay and work for them. But Chris wouldn't even consider the offer for he had other plans that summer...

Analysis: Even though the McCandless's may have looked picture-perfect from the outside, it was anything but. I can see why Chris and his father clashed a lot and didn't get along. But it was so sad reading his parent's reflecting on their past memories of Chris as a child and teenager. He must've been a really great person to be around.

#toxichouse #moneyainteverything #overachiever

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Kudos to the state troopers who worked hard to help figure out who Chris was!

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Summary: Alaska State Troopers can't identify Chris's corpse so a story was published on the front page of the Anchorage Daily News. Jim Gallien saw the headline (pg. 99) and recognized Alex. He called the state troopers and told them about "Alex" from South Dakota (pg. 99). The state troopers started their search in South Dakota. Wayne Westerberg hears about a kid who sounded a lot like his friend, Alex, on the radio. Westerberg phoned the state troopers to volunteer what he knew about McCandless. Stories about Chris have spread in newspapers across the country (pg. 100). The troopers had more than one hundred fifty calls from people claiming they knew Alex so Westerberg had to convince them he knew him. He gives them Chris's Social Security number (pg. 100). The number turned out to be legit and placed McCandless's permanent resident in northern Virginia. Chris's parents had moved to Maryland but his oldest stepbrother, Sam, still lived there. Sam read the article but didn't even realize it was about Chris. He went to the Fairfax County Police Department where he confirmed a picture of Chris was indeed him. He drove out to Maryland to tell his parents that Chris is dead (pg. 102).

Analysis: It's amazing how these state troopers went all across the country to find the identity of Chris's body. And what's more amazing, Chris's good friends, Jim and Wayne played a big part in helping identify Chris. The connections he made along the way ended helping him and his family finds closure. If it weren't for them, they'd probably never have found Chris's identity and we'd probably never get to hear and read about his life...

#rightplacerighttime #helpusidentifythebody #nationwide

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After naming himself Nemo, Everett should've explored the oceans instead of cliffs...

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Summary: This chapter covers a twenty-year-old man by the name of Everett Ruess. He carved "NEMO 1934" into the sandstone at Davis Gulch and mysteriously disappeared. Six decades later, it's still unclear what became of him. Like Christopher, Everett came from a well-off family. The Ruesses were a tight knight, nomadic (pg. 89) bunch. And also like Chris, he had a love for the wilderness and being on the road (pg. 90). Everett dropped out of UCLA after only one semester and spent the remainder of his life on the move. Unlike Chris who journeyed through the north, Everett traveled southwest and wrote many letters along the way. But they both were just as romantic and reckless (pg. 92) about their safety. And like Chris, Everett changed his name. He had been inspired to call himself Nemo (pg. 94) after a character by the name of Captain Nemo in the book Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne. After Everett's disappearance, searchers only found his donkey, cave drawings, and some of his gear. It is believed he fell to his death on the canyon cliffs but searchers have failed to unearth human remains. Some think Everett was murdered by Native Americans. Alas, no one will truly ever know what became of Everett Ruess. Both Chris and Everett met their demise due to their reckless innocence (pg. 97).

Analysis: I applaud Everett for following his heart and embarking on such perilous journies. I find it fascinating how no one ever found his remains, even after 60 years! It's unfortunate we never knew what happened to him. but at least we knew he disappeared doing something he loved. And who knows, maybe he didn't die. Maybe Nemo continued to live on...

#findingnemo #recklessyouths #diedoingwhatyoulove

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Summary: The chapter discusses many men similar to McCandless. Young guys who overestimated (pg. 71) themselves and ended up in trouble. Dozens of characters have marched into the Alaskan wilderness over the years, never to be seen again. One man, Gene Rosellini, was interested in seeing if it was possible for humans to be independent of modern technology. He became convinced that we had devolved into inferior beings and his goal was to return to a natural (pg. 74) state. He experimented with different eras, but by the end, his lifestyle resembled that of a caveman from the Neolithic period. After a decade of "experimenting", he wrote in a letter, "I learned that it is not possible for human beings as we know them to live off the land." He appeared to calmly accept his failure and announced he would change his goals and backpack around the world. Sadly, his goal never came to fruition for he was found lying facedown with a knife plunged through his heart. There was no suicide note so we will never know why he decided to end his life in that manner. Rosellini's death made the front page of Anchorage Daily News, but the travails (pg. 75) of John Waterman attracted less attention. He was very similar to Chris. They were both born in the same Washington suburbs, had issues with their dads, and were both crazy smart. John was an expert mountaineer who established a reputation for himself as being one of the most promising young alpinists (pg. 76) in North America. Many of John's close friends were killed in accidents or committed suicide, which health a serious blow to his psyche. After successfully completing a solo ascent on Mt. Hunter, he begins to lose his mind. He launched another solo expedition attempt in the winter of 1981. His tracks led straight through a labyrinth of giant crevasses. He was never seen again. It is assumed he plummeted to his death at the bottom of one of the deep fissures. The last man discussed was a man named Carl McCunn. Like Chris, he was friendly, popular, smart, and was a little out of touch with reality. Carl had a tendency to wing it (pg. 84) and would assume somebody would magically appear to save him whenever he's in trouble. During a trip into Alaska, Carl tries to signal for help as a plane flies overhead. But he didn't know waving a single arm is universally recognized for "all ok" and the signal for "SOS" is two upraised arms. Carl died a slow and lonely death by starvation and painful frostbite. He was in a very remote part of Alaska so you needed to be extremely resourceful. But Carl was a laid-back party boy. Unable to bear the pain anymore, he shot himself in the head. His frozen hard corpse was found two months later by Alaska State Troopers.

Analysis: I am shocked to find that so many people have ventured into Alaska to ultimately perish. Compared to the three other men, Chris doesn't seem so crazy after all! But everyone who took on these dangerous treks into the Alaskan wilderness all seemed mentally unstable and weren't in their right of mind. I wonder why it's only super adventurous people who become like this? Maybe there's a similar factor in play in all of these stories.

#dontmesswithmothernature #deadintheend #alaskaisabeast

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Chris's yearning for adventure was greater than a romantic relationship

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Summary: Jon Krakauer goes to Carthage, South Dakota in November of 1992 to talk to Chris's friend Wayne Westerberg, Wayne's girlfriend Gail Borah, and Wayne's mother. Chris was noted as a hard worker who tackled the most tedious of jobs. But many have commented that he lacked some common sense (pg. 62). Borah noted that Chris was shy and saw that it was hard for him to be around people since he'd spent so much time by himself. Wayne notes how it was obvious Chris didn't get along with his family. He never spoke much about them except Carine, his little sister. Chris complained to Carine about how their parents' behavior was so oppressive (pg. 64), disrespectful, and insulting that he's finally reached his breaking point. Wayne points out that McCandless never mentioned any romantic entanglements to either him or Borah. Chris had a few close female friends but there is little evidence he was ever sexually intimate with anyone. Chastity (pg. 65) and moral purity were qualities Chris pondered long and often on. McCandless was driven by lust (pg. 66) that supplanted sexual desire, his yearning for the wilderness and adventure. Chris and Wayne's mother hit it off immediately and the two talked nonstop for hours at dinner. On his final night in Carthage, Chris partied hard and blew everyone away with his impressive and captivating piano playing. A week after Chris left, Westerberg received a card from him saying, "If this adventure proves fatal (pg. 69) and you don't ever hear from me again, I want you to know you're a great man." He writes a card to Jan and Bob saying, "This is the last communication you shall receive from me."

Analysis: Everywhere Chris goes, he just captivates everyone he meets. I think it's so wonderful how he still kept in touch with the people he met through postcards. It's inspiring hearing how he made these connections with so many people. It even makes me want to take a trek around the country and befriend random strangers! XD

#virginityrocks #friendsmadealongtheway #lustforlife

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A steak and lobster dinner at Sizzler. Yum!

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Summary: In January 1992, eighty-year old Ronald Franz and Chris McCandless path crossed. Though brief, their contact left a powerful and lasting impression on Ron. They first met when he offered Chris a ride. We learn that while in Ron was stationed overseas in 1957, his wife and only child were killed by a drunk driver in a car accident. He became an alcoholic but after six months, he managed to pull himself together and quit drinking. To salve his lonliness, he started unofficially "adopting" idigent Okinawan children, taking them all under his wing. After meeting McCandless, his dormant paternal (pg. 50) impulses were rekindled. Ron talked to Chris about how he was living and tries convincing him to settle down and make something of his life. Over the next few weeks, the two spent a lot of time together. Chris even turned the tables and lectured Ron about moving out and living life on the road. McCandless announce he was departing for San Diego and Ron gives him a ride, despite hesistating at first. While in Seattle, McCandless calls Ron and asks if he could pick him up. Franz rushed (pg. 54) off to pick up Chris. Before Chris departs for Alaska, Franz asks if he could adopt (pg. 55) Chris, if he could be his grandson. McCandless was uncomfortable by the request and dodges the question. After getting dropped off by Franz, Chris felt relieved that he had again evaded the threat of human intimacy, of friendship, and all the emotional baggage (pg. 55). It was a painful parting for Ron for he had grown very attached to Chris in that short amount of time. Chris sends Ron a letter, again saying how he should change his lifestyle and live a nomadic (pg. 57) one. The eighty-one-year-old man actually took the advice to heart and moved out of his apartment and into McCandless's old campsite. Ron learned of Chris's death from two hitchhikers he picked up. He had prayed for God to watch out for Chris so when he learned what happened, he renounched the Lord, withdrew from his church, and became an atheist for he couldn't believe in a God who would let something that terrible happen to a boy like Chris. He even bought a bottle of whiskey and got drunk for the first times in decades.

Analysis: I have a soft spot for elderly people so seeing how distraught Ron was over Chris's death was so sad. And hearing about Ron's story about how was so lonely after the death of his wife and only kid made me want to cry! How lonely he must've been all those years with no close family. No wonder he became so attached to Chris. I hated how easy it was for Chris to just leave Ron. It might've been painless for him, but not for Ron. I only wish Chris could've taken Ron's offer of adoption. It would've been a beautiful life they had together as a family.

#oldpeopleareawesome #poorron #heartbroken

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Summary: Chris headed into the desert again, this time heading into Bullhead City, Arizona. He held down a full-time job flipping burgers at a McDonald's, which is so unexpected from him since he hates capitalism. He was living a surprisingly conventional (pg. 39) life, commuting to work on a bicycle and even opening a savings account at a local bank. His coworkers recall him as a "nice kid" who was slow (pg. 40) yet reliable. They all thought he was a little crazy since he was always talking about nature and such. Chris quit (pg. 41) after people offered him soap since he was homeless and would show up to work smelling bad. Chris goes on to visit Jan and Bob who were staying at a place called Slabs. Ever since he was a child, Chris has been infatuated with Jack London and tales of surviving ut in the subarctic wilderness. He was so enthralled by them that he seemed to forget they were works of fiction (pg. 44). Chris thrived in this community and spoke frequently of his plans for Alaska. Jan then began to ask questions about whether his family knew he was doing this and tried to offer him money and some supplies. He was offended (pg. 46) by her actions and only took her stuff to shut her up. But it turns out he hid it all and left without them.

Analysis: So much for being a hater of capitalism. It's so ironic to hear about Chris working at a McDonald's of all places! After reading this chapter, I feel like Chris could be a really infuriating person sometimes. He won't try and mingle with people he's not comfortable around and doesn't like to be confronted. He's just constantly running away from his problems, which isn't a good habit to have. Makes me wonder if he was trying to run away from problems at home...

#runawayfromyourproblems #dontgiveintocapitalism #nomadlife

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Summary: During the summer months, the usual dry Detrital Wash fifty miles from Lake Mead, encounters heavy rainstorms. Chris was caught in a flash flood (pg. 28) with his yellow Datsun which left the engine dead. Instead of feeling worried about his predicament, McCandless was exhilarated as he saw this flood as an opportunity to shed unnecessary baggage (p. 29). He loaded his few remaining possessions into a backpack and set out to hike around Lake Mead. He traveled around the West for the next two months and ended it by meeting a man who called himself Crazy Ernie who offered Chris a job on a ranch in northern California. After working there for 11 days, Chris saw Ernie had no intention of paying him so he stole a bike and resumed his journey. Chris then receives a ticket (pg. 31) for hitchhiking and accidentally gives his parents' home address. This alerted Chris's parents of his location so they hired a private investigator to find him. Chris headed to Arizona where he impulsively decides to buy an aluminum canoe (pg. 32) and paddle it four hundred miles to the south across the Mexican border. After nearly drowning in a canoe after experiencing violent gale-force winds, he decides to abandon the ship and return north. For thirty-six days, he lived off of nothing but five pounds of rice and any marine life he could catch. This would later convince him that he could survive on meager rations in the Alaskan bush. Chris was caught by immigration authorities trying to slip back into the country and had to give up his beloved handgun. He went to L.A. to get an I.D. and a job but feels uncomfortable in society now and must return to the road immediately. Despite losing over 25 pounds, his spirit were soaring (pg. 37).

Analysis: I'm amazed that his adventure took him beyond our country's borders and landed him in Mexico! And by using a canoe too! I just think it's crazy how he thought he was convinced he could've survived in the harsh Alaskan bush with meager rations of food after going through his canoe accident. I respect his love for adventure and how he never gave up even after all those setbacks.

#illegalactivities #livinglifetothefullest #theroadismyhome

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Summary: Carthage, South Dakota is a small town with a population of 274 people. The author of the book, Jon Krakauer, meets with Wayne Westerberg who tells how he picked up an amiable (p. 16) kid whose name was Alex McCandless.  Westerberg said that he wanted to take Chris under his wing. The two became close as Westerberg offered Chris food, a place to stay, and even a job. Chris was intelligent and the hardest worker (p. 18) he'd ever seen. Chris became enamored of Carthage and found a family (p. 18) in Westerberg and the other employees. This attachment to Carthage remained even after departing. Chris kept in touch with Westerberg as he roamed the West. He told everyone he met that South Dakota was his home. Chris came from a comfortable upper-middle-class environment in Annandale, Virginia, and was offered so many advantages in life. He attended Emory University in Atlanta and it was there that he decided to "disappear (p. 21) for a while" and go on the road in his secondhand yellow Datsun. The last thing Chris's family ever heard from him was a brief note attached to his final grade report. As he left Atlanta, he wanted to invent a new life for himself as "Alexander Supertramp, master of his own destiny (p. 23)."

Analysis: Seeing how Chris came from such a wealthy family, it's hard to imagine why he felt that he needed to getaway. Most people in his position would never give up a life like his. He was educated, an honors student, and had a wealthy family and connections. But then again, Chris is not like most people.

#homeiswheretheheartis #classof1990 #masterofmyowndestiny

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Summary: An old vintage and abandoned Harvester from the 1940s located beside the Stampede Trail rarely receives any human visitors. But in early September 1992, six people happened to visit the remote bus (p. 10) on the same day. They noticed "a real bad smell from inside" the bus and an S.O.S. (p. 12) note. Inside the bus was a blue sleeping bag that appeared to contain someone or something inside. Inside the bag was Chris McCandless's decomposing body. He had been dead (p. 13) for about two and a half weeks. The next day, troopers arrived and departed with Chris's body, a camera, the S.O.S. note, and a diary (p. 13). Chris's remains were so badly decomposed that it was difficult to determine exactly when he had died. His body weighed only sixty-seven pounds so starvation (p. 14) was most likely the cause of his death.

Analysis: Despite the lack of preparation prior to his journey, Chris didn't deserve this unfortunate end. Reading his S.O.S. made me so sad to think about how terrifying and lonely it must've been for him in his final days. I wonder if in his final moments he regretted going out into the bush. But I hope that he had fulfilled his life's goal and at least felt accomplished and proud of how far he had come...

#rip #inmemoryofchris #proudofyou

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Summary: Into the Wild starts off a man named Jim Gallien picking up a hitchhiker (p.3) four miles out of Fairbanks, Alaska (p.3). The man Gallien picked up was Christopher Johnson McCandless. Chris told Gallien that his name was Alex and that he intended to walk deep into the Alaskan bush and "live off the land for a few months." Gallien was concerned for Chris as the only food he packed was a ten-pound bag of rice and minimal gear (p. 4) for the harsh conditions. Chris's intended destination was a place called Stampede Trail. Chris insisted on giving Gallien his watch, comb, and all his money (p. 7) because if he wasn't going to take it, he was going to throw it away. After Gallien dropped Chris off at the trail, he briefly considered telling the authorities about "Alex" but he figured he'd be okay because any normal (p. 7) person would just walk out to the highway if they were hungry.

Analysis: I had no idea Chris ventured out into the wilderness so unprepared. He didn't even have the most basic survival tools that are necessary to live out there, like a compass or a proper weapon! How was he even going to cook the ten-pound bag of rice with no equipment? Did he even know how to start a fire? He didn't even have a hunting license so how would he know how to kill and cook game? While I admire Chris for turning his back on modern society and living his own life, I think it just would've been a smarter decision to use his remaining money to get better tools and equipment. Also just learn basic survival skills!

#yolo #alaskanwilderness #survival

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I don't usually venture out into nature very often, but whenever I do, I cherish every moment!

I've visited my fair share of national and state parks throughout my life. I've been to Zion National Park, the Grand Canyon, Yosemite National Park, Red Rock Canyon State Park, and Olympic National Park. When my family and I went to Yosemite National Park, we embarked on a hiking trail but we were so unprepared. We hiked for 2 hours with a group in flip flops and sandals! It was uncomfortable but the view and experience was so worth it. And one of my favorite moments from these trips was when I saw a female elk grazing on a cliff right in front of me in the Grand Canyon. I took a video of it and it's so great to look back on being so close to a wild animal!

But despite all the beautiful national parks I've been to, I'll always love to be near the ocean the most. My dream is to visit a tropical country in the near future.

My goal is to travel the world when I'm an adult. I've always loved going on adventures and exploring new places. I think it's so important for us to expand our views on the world and learn to appreciate how beautiful our planet is. Nature helps us connect with our inner spirit and allows us to disconnect once in awhile and just take a breath and relax.