Christopher Johnson McCandless, or Alex, is a determined (pg. 6) young man who has his heart set on exploring the Alaskan wilderness. This terrain, especially during the harsh (pg. 5) winter is known as being unnavigable (pg. 6), especially without the correct gear. Alex wants to try to survive on his own and prove his strength, but Jim Gallien, a man who gives him a ride to Mt. McKinley, considers him to be a nutcase (pg. 5) when he first hears this. He is concerned (pg. 5) about what little gear Alex is bringing and tries his best to persuade him into purchasing equipment. Jim describes the wild as being unforgiving (pg. 4) and that Alex could be in grave danger. Despite being nervous about the young boy heading out unprepared, he hopes for the best and gives him his phone number so that Alex can contact him if he makes it out alive (pg. 7).

After completing this chapter I think that Chris is just following his dream of disconnecting from the world. I admire him for being so brave and bold, completely distancing himself from his family and friends. Although I think it's ignorant to go into the wilderness unprepared, I also understand how it's important for him to attempt surviving on his own.

#onmyown #newchapter #enteringthelastfrontier

While three men were driving their motor vehicles around, they came across several challenging obstacles. Thompson, Samel, and Swanson were undetted (pg. 12) from the difficult terrain and carried on, stopping when they arrived at a bus. It reeked of decay (pg. 12) and a disquieting (pg. 12) S.O.S note from Chris was found. Due to how upset (pg.12) the note was, Samel chose to investigate inside. Inside the bus was Chris McCandless remains (pg. 13). They quickly evacuated (pg. 13) his body and were able to perform an autopsy. His body was so badly decomposed(pg. 13) and withered (pg. 14) he only weighed 67 pounds. There was no identification (pg. 14) for this young man was and his journal was full of enigmatic (pg. 13) entries.

It upsets me about how foolish Chris was leading up to his final days. If he would've headed everyone's advice and taken up on their offers for help, he might have still been alive today. But Chris was a very driven young man and wanted to do things on his own, and I can respect him for continuing this way of life up until he died. I find it so sad that such a young and bright boy was stuck all alone while being cold, hungry, and in pain.

#sos #thejourneyends #theharshfrontier

This chapter begins in Carthage, South Dakota, a sleepy (pg. 15) little town with a population of about 274. A man named Wayne Westerburg spots Alex and pulls over in order to give him a ride. One of the first things he noticed and described Alex was that he looked hungry (pg. 17). Alex began to work for Westerburg and was considered one of the hardest workers. McCandless enjoyed staying in Carthage and especially loved the loose (pg.18) and convivial (pg. 18) living arrangements. He now considers Carthage to be his new home (pg. 18) and is starting to connect to the people that reside there. Jon Krakauer starts to slowly introduce Alex's past home life. He reveals that Alex actually comes from a well-off family, whom he despises. After his graduation ceremony and his final "goodbye" letter to his family, he never sees or speaks to them again. Over the next few months, he would put his mail on hold and leave his apartment, which worries his family as they have no clue where he is. Chris doesn't care about this and is excited about gaining a new experience (pg. 23). Chris McCandless was now in charge of his own destiny (pg. 23).

I understand Chris' feelings when it comes to having a rough relationship with your family. Having your voice and opinions quieted is very challenging, and I get why he ran away. I also think it's quite sad though that he didn't even connect back with his sister later on. I'm glad that he was able to make a dear friend and find a new home. I admire Chris for being so determined and such a hard worker. 

#neverlookingback #mydestiny #epicjourney

The quote Krakauer starts this chapter off with describes the desert as being an isolated (pg. 25) and therapeutic (pg. 25) retreat (pg. 25). While exploring, a team of rangers discovers an abandoned (pg. 26) and unmarked yellow Datsun. Although Chris loved his car, he found his newfound freedom (pg. 27) even more enjoyable. Due to a flash flood, McCandless had to make the tough decision to ditch his car and continue the rest of his journey on foot. Though most of us would dread this idea, he was instead exhilarated (pg. 29). He also hid many other possessions (pg. 29) of his, so that he could claim them back later. In California, Chris was picked up by Jan Burres and her boyfriend Bob. They considered him to be a nice kid and could tell that he was severely hungry (pg. 30). He then is on the move again, he begins navigating Mexico in a canoe. He makes less and less frequent journal entries and becomes lost (pg. 34) about where he is going. His parents are alerted of his whereabouts when he is forced to give the police his address at one point. A few weeks later he enters Los Angeles, trying to join society again, but feels uncomfortable (pg. 37) by this. After going to Vegas to retrieve some of the old items he buried, he decides that the real meaning (pg. 37) of life is experiences, memories, and the joy of living to the fullest extent.

This chapter was exciting to read, I can't even imagine living. Getting lost, tired, and almost dying in a canoe is something I could never imagine myself doing, but Chris McCandless did this without even taking time to think about it. Getting in trouble with the law must have been frustrating for him considering that he doesn't respect the law. I love the final journal entry in this chapter and agree with Chris. The main importance in life is the experiences and memories we make, and it's important to live life to the fullest extent. Of course, I don't have to ditch the life I have now and run off into the wilderness in order to live by that.

#paddlingaway #smallbutdangerous #joyofliving

Not much is known about McCandless's whereabouts at the beginning of the chapter due to the lack of photographs (pg. 38) and journal (pg. 38) entries. Chris enters Bullhead city and will remain here for about 2 months, which is the longest he will stay in one place. He considered himself to be living a conventional (pg. 39) existence, where he lived in an abandoned bus and worked at McDonald's. While applying there, he gave them his birth name and his Social Security number, as well as opened up a bank account. Although his fellow employees and managers thought he was weird at times, they described him as a dependable (pg. 40) and a reliable (pg. 40) worker. One of his peers goes on to explain that he may have quit because of them, due to him being homeless (pg.41) and smelling bad. After people would try to offer him soap, he became secretly angry and quit about 3 weeks later. McCandless was offered to live in a man's extra trailer for free, but Chris described this man as a lunatic (pg. 41). Chris would then arrive at the Slabs and work at the flea market closely with Buress. He would keep the people entertained (pg. 45) and would form close bonds with the people there. A girl was also known to have liked Alex but he didn't pay much interest, and it's said that he hasn't been interested in any relationships since high school. Chris once again left though, as he once again began feeling trapped after Burres tried to mother him. She was nervous about him leaving for Alaska but knew he was a smart kid and had faith in him

This chapter really made me start realizing how Chris doesn't like to get close with people. Once people at work tried helping him, he left, once Burress tried to start "mothering him", he left again. I feel bad for him as it must have been uncomfortable for him, but it must have also been difficult for the people who truly cared about Chris.

#itchyfeet #conventionalexistence #talesofagreatalaskaodyssey

This chapter was extremely painful to read, as due to Chris's past reactions to intimacy, I knew that eventually, Ron would get hurt. He cared so much about McCandless but sadly I think these feelings were not reciprocated. I understand Chris not wanting to be close with people, but it's so sad seeing how hurt people are by this.

#ohmygodhotsprings #awesomebelt #protectronatallcosts

When Krakauer visits Wayne Westerburg again, we learn more about McCandless's return. Before heading to the North, he wanted to squeeze in as much time here doing dirty (pg. 62) and tedious (pg. 62) jobs. Although Alex is described as smart by Westerburg, he also said that there were sometimes "gaps in his thinking" (pg. 63). Borah gives a recount of Alex talking about his family (pg. 63), mainly only discussing how much he adored his sister Carine. Westerburg didn't bother himself with any of Alex's family problems though. Now that he is aware though, he is angry with Alex but understands. Chris and his father were butting-heads and when he was given the opportunity, he rebelled (pg, 64) against his father's ways. In a letter to his sister, Chris claims that he is divorcing his parents and will never speak to either one of them again, and hopes that he will never see them again forever (pg. 64). McCandless didn't like forming relationships and it's said that he never formed any sexual relationships with anyone either. He displayed innocence (pg. 66) when it came to this, and would shy away at any form of bonding with anyone. 2 nights before heading North on schedule, Alex was invited over for dinner by Wayne's mother. She was fascinated by him and was extremely bothered when she learned of his passing. After his departure and arrival in Alaska, Alex sent a postcard to Wayne saying that if he never hears from him again, that he wants Wayne to know that he is a great man. 

At the end of the chapter and Chris's postcard to Wayne, there was foreshadowing, which makes me wonder if he knew he was going to die. It's so painful to watch people become attached to Chris knowing that in a short amount of time he will be gone. This book makes me think about how I am portrayed to others, as in only a few hours of meeting Chris, Wayne's mother is completely enamored by him.

#headingout #walkintothewild #forgotheenticementsoftheflesh

Krakauer begins this chapter with magazines and opinions from people about McCandless's death. The majority of people considered him selfish for leaving his family behind and a kook (pg. 71). Many other men's stories about living off the land are told, starting with Gene Rossellini, an educated and athletic man. He resorted back to the Stone Age for an experiment, claiming that it is possible to live this way, but after 30 years, determined that it was impossible and a failure (pg. 75). Next is John Waterman, who was described as a "socially awkward man-child" (pg. 76). In March 1978 he made his most astounding expedition on a solo ascent of Mt. Hunter. After this he would continue to make more assents and would eventually have more physiatric breakdowns, making him lock himself away in a mental hospital. He would only soon release him as he believed there was a conspiracy (pg. 79) to lock him away. The last man, Carl McCunn, a fun guy just like Chris gets lost in the woods and accidentally turns away a rescue plane. Carl was described as impractical (pg. 85) and was always hoping for romance (pg. 83), hoping one of the girls he asked to join him on his adventures would come to save him in his final days. Though this never happened, as he was starving to death, McCunn ended up taking his own life. These 3 other men were in similar situations as Chris, though each story is very different.

I think Krakauer included the stories of these 3 other men as Chris may be seen as a crazy person and might of thought he was one of the only few people to feel like he did. This isn't the case and there are lots of people just like him. These people, including Chris, were very extreme and unprepared and it eventually led to their demise.

#johnwatermanforlocalschoolboard #learnrescueplanesignals #crazypeople:0

This chapter discusses another man similar to Chris McCandless, only his name is Everett Ruess. He would take many solo trips, only to return for his high school diploma then leave once more. For the remainder of his life, he would live out of a backpack (pg. 90). Unlike other people, Everett actively went out and lived his dreams (pg. 90) for the rest of his life, pushing and straining his body. In his letters he would describe himself as a wanderer (pg. 91) and that when it is his time to die, he will find the loneliest and wildest spot there is. Chris considered himself to have no one who understood him, but it's interesting as Ruess says the same thing while in the same situation. "I don't know of anyone, though, who would have more than a partial understanding; I have gone too far alone (pg. 91). Another similarity between the two is that Ruess picks up a new name, Nemo (pg. 93). On a solo expedition, Ruess goes missing and is never seen or heard from again. No one knows what truly happened to him besides speculation of murder, falling, or just plain ignorance that killed him. Everett Ruess is similar to Chris as both had strong desires to explore the wild, but eventually, it overcame them both.

I wish Chris would have been able to meet or have heard about the people Krakauer is comparing him to. He always described himself as feeling alone and like no one understood him, but we are given a plethora of examples of men who went through the same thing. It's such a shame to see such young men give in to their urges and end their lives out of ignorance

#findingnemo #intodeep #wandering

How lucky the authorities were to have Chris give his real name and social security number to Wayne. He never would have been 100% confirmed and identified, and his family never would have gotten the closure they desperately needed. I can't imagine if I had siblings and I had to be the one to bear the news to my parents, it's so heartbreaking.

#falselead #whoamI #socialsecurityforthewin

In this chapter, we finally begin to learn about the McCandless family, which consists of Walt, Billie, Chris, and Carine. Walt is a hard-working man and was very strict. He never got along with his son though, saying that he was always frustrated (pg. 104) with him. Both boys are so similar and don't like being told what to do or think, both requesting authority (pg. 104). After meeting at work, Walt and Billie get married and move to Virginia to start working on their own business. They lived a comfortable life, yet Chris and Carine were often alone due to their parents ignoring them (pg. 109) due to constant work. Chris and Carine became especially close, both were high achievers, and Chris had natural talent (pg. 111) in specific skills. The two would rival with each other over who was better at what and would even rival over who Buck the dog liked more, even though it was Chris. A few of Chris' childhood friends are asked about the family and said they never knew anything about what was going on behind the scenes. Chris was a great business (pg. 116) man and was able to run and thrive in different companies and jobs, but he didn't care for money. After graduating high school, Chris left immediately and began going on solo trips, slowly disconnecting himself from his parents, and then Carine.

I could never imagine leaving my family and never speaking to them again, no matter how frustrating they get sometimes. I wish Alex would have just taken breaks from his family now and then, especially considering he was away at college. At least he was able to live out his dream for a little bit, just wish he could have achieved it another way. 

#familyproblems #siblinggoals #naturallygifted

The night of Chris' graduation party he became very emotional (pg. 118), and began telling Walt how grateful he was for him despite their differences. He leaves for a solo trip for the whole summer and avoids his family. When he returns he is extremely skinny (pg. 118) and begins to frighten his family with these trips. At college, Chris would have been considered frightening to his preppy college roommates, yet Chris made the dean's list and his roommates dropped out. Although Chris was a generous and great kid, some of his ways still baffled (pg. 120) his parents. This was due to him having monomania (pg. 120), and he didn't easily or wasn't able to let things go. One of these things was his father's infidelity. Walt ended up having a whole second family! He had two wives, two houses, practically living out two lives, and had children as well! Instead of discussing this with his father, he didn't say anything, yet he still couldn't pardon (pg. 122) what his father has done. He once again leaves for a solo trip, hoping to avoid his family and successfully cut them off. From June 1990 until September 1992, before they learn of their son's death, Walt and Billie don't understand why Chris isn't in contact with them, and never find out til after.

If I was Chris, I would react the same way! Not only was his father living two lives with a different wife and family, he never told his current family ever. It must have been so heartbreaking for Chris to find out on his own. I couldn't imagine ever looking at my father the same way, or my mother. I believe that this whole family was a victim in this situation, but it depends on who's side you're looking at.

#doublelife #can'tletitgo #neverthesame

In this chapter, we get to learn about Jon Krakauer's experience in the Alaskan wilderness. When he was 23 years old, he decided to head out and climb and hike the mountain known as Devil's Thumb. He is focused on climbing the glacier (pg. 138), which is also known as the Stikine Ice Cap. Similar to Chris, Krakauer develops almost an obsession with climbing this mountain. This ascent is considered extremely dangerous and can potentially kill him, but he doesn't care. He carefully climbs the crumbly (pg. 142) and steep (pg. 142) glacier, trying not to fall and die. The ice was getting thin and it was getting harder and harder to reach the top, trying his best to find spots that will support (pg. 143) him. The trip becomes too challenging and Krakauer must surrender and head back down (pg. 144).

I'm glad Krakauer included his own experience, as well as others. In this story so far though he has failed and eventually had to resort to giving up. This is something that Chris did not do on his solo adventure. Whenever there was a trial he would push through or try to overcome it, not once did he consider going home. Although I respect this and his perseverance, it makes me wonder why he was so careless in the choices he made.

#headinguptheglacier #curtainrods #neardeathexperience

The chapter starts with Krakauer arriving back at his tent, and he is very upset. He begins to chain-smoke cigarettes while reading and eventually decides to smoke a joint. He ends up accidentally starting a fire (pg. 147) which destroys the walls of the tent his father gave him. He begins to think of his father, describing him and their relationship as volatile (pg. 147). We are now able to start seeing parallels between Krakauer and Chris' relationships with their fathers. Growing up Jon's father wanted him to follow in his footsteps, so once he was finally able to leave the house, he had a new sense of freedom (pg. 148) and resented his dad up until he was older. By then his father was a drug addict and slowly losing his mind. He uses this as his motivation as he makes his final descent up Devil's Thumb. He somewhat "cheats", but he eventually makes it over and shares this with a few people at a local bar. They either didn't believe him or approve (pg. 154) of him. He discusses how when he was younger he believed that what he desired, climbing Devil's Thumb, was what he deserved and was meant to do. Later on and older in life he now realizes that this is not the case, but McCandless never grew old enough to realize this. Both of the boy's adventures were both based on chance (pg. 155), and sadly only Krakauer got lucky out in the wilderness. He shares that McCandless didn't go out into the wilderness as a death wish, only to achieve a dream he strongly desired as a youth.

This chapter was so interesting to me as it is a very real and similar story to what Chris went through. Both put themselves in extremely dangerous positions, and it shows that the main demeanor and savior of these situations is luck. Sadly Chris wasn't lucky and realized too late that he never needed to go into the wilderness. This makes me think about how what we want, isn't something we always need

#needanewtent #thirdtime'sacharm #daddyissues

This chapter begins again with Chris' story, and we finally get to learn more about his adventures in Alaska! It starts by discussing and recapping how he traveled through Canada and met a man named Gaylord Stuckey. He was reluctant at first but considered Chris to be a different type of hitchhiker (pg. 159) and agreed to give him a rid halfway. Stuckey actually enjoyed McCandless's presence and drove him the whole way, and even fed him! In return, he asked for a letter (pg. 160) from when he got to Alaska, and Chris agreed. He researches at Fairbanks university for a few days, trying to pick up last-minute tips and tricks, and begins to hitchhike again, grabbing a ride from Gallien. Once he is dropped off, we are only able to follow him through his journal entries. He follows the Teklanika River (pg. 162) and eventually comes across the bus. Chris' journal consists of the food and game (pg. 164) he can gather. His greatest shot is a moose (pg. 166) that he kills and excitedly writes about. Without the proper knowledge of how to contain the meat, most of it goes bad, and Chris regrets and feels awful about killing the creature. After reading a book about how happiness must be shared with others, we think that he may have left to return home, but he couldn't due to the insane speed and overflow of the river. Now that he is stuck and alone (pg. 163), he returns to his camp.

This chapter makes me so mad at parts! If he was only more prepared and well researched he could have lived because 1) he could have had tons of meat from the moose, or 2) he would have found a safer part of the river to cross. I got really sad though when he said he regretted killing the moose after he realized he wasted it. Although he loves being in the wild, he considers it so hard to have to hunt the animals.

#rememberamap #moose! #huntinggod

After Chris' failed attempt to cross the river and depart the wild, we are given the impression that he is unconcerned (pg. 188), and has faith that he will do fine. At this point, he is doing well on food and counts a plethora of game (pg. 188) he has been able to find and kill. We are led to believe that he is thriving, but a message written in a book reveals that Chris is weak (pg. 189) and starving (pg. 189). Author Jon Krakauer reveals 3 theories and causes as to why Chris McCandless starved to death. It was known that Chris brought potato seeds (pg. 190) with him before he went into the wild. After potato seeds sprout, they become very toxic, leading to the idea that he was poisoned (pg. 190). Another idea was that Chris mistook potato seeds for wild sweet pea, an extremely toxic and very similar-looking plant. This again though was not the case, as the seeds Chris ate contained fungus (pg. 193) on them. He became extremely weak and hungry and wrote that he was trapped (pg. 195) in the wild. Sadly McCandless was stuck to starve all alone and in pain, when just 3 hours away were cabins (pg. 196) that could've saved it. People believed and wrote that Chris McCandless was cocky (pg. 198) and stupid, which isn't the case. Although he was naive to the wild, how he died was a simple mistake for not checking the beans her ate. The last thing he wrote before he died is that he lived a happy (pg. 199) life, and was finally at peace (pg. 199).

The ending of this chapter made me so upset, especially when Chris said that he has lived a happy life. He accomplished one of his main goals in life, and although before he left for his adventure he said he hated his life and family, he now regrets this or changed his feelings. As sad as I am that he died, I'm glad that he realized he lived a good life, and he died at peace, despite the pain he was in.

#moldybeans #poisoncontrol #happylife

On a trip to visit the bus that the young Chris McCandless died in, Walt, Billie, and Jon take a helicopter (pg. 200) deep into the Alaskan wilderness. When they arrive at the vehicle (pg. 202), Billie points out how breathtaking the landscape is, describing the same area that eventually led to her son's downfall as pretty (pg. 202). When the two step inside the bus, they look at all of Chris' leftover supplies, his boots, and especially his pants. His mother becomes sentimental as she says they still have his smell (pg. 202). Together they set up a memorial (pg. 202) for him and place in extra supplies (pg. 202) for any other lost or young travelers in need of help. Walt describes the loss (pg. 203) of Chris being a pain that never really goes away, but it hurts less some days. Together they leave in the helicopter, and the bus is gone. 

I'm so happy that Walt and Billie finally received closure after the years of wondering where their son went. I'm surprised that they didn't cry, especially when they noticed that his pants still smelt like him. It was so sweet of them to set up supplies, first aid kits, and food for other travelers, and advise them to call their parents. I bet if anyone was actually in dire need of these supplies, they were eternally grateful.

#chrismccandlessmemorial #callyourparents #alaskanbeauty

Back in Chapter 18, the mystery of the seeds was still unsolved, and we never were given a 100% confirmed cause of what caused Chris to starve to death. Now 20 years later we are finally given that conclusion by Krakauer and a series of tests. Before Chris died he wrote, "Extremely weak. Fault of potato seeds", leading us to believe the seeds are what killed him. The Eskimo potato plant has strong toxicity (paragraph 5) or is at least rumored to, which caused Krakauer to perform tests so that he could uncover the truth. He tested the seeds for beta-ODAP (paragraph 7), and the seeds tested positive for having a lethal concentration of it. This conclusion still wasn't enough though, multiple thorough tests and 20,000 later, that seeds didn't contain beta-ODAP, but L-canavanine (paragraph 10). This amino tricks the body into thinking it is healthy and good for itself, but in fact, it messes with the ability to metabolize, slowing starving yourself. Turns out too that during the summer, the natives would not eat the potato seeds, once again proving that McCandless was not prepared or educated enough in the Alaskan wilderness. We still don't know truly what the seeds (paragraph 18) did to Chris in those 2 weeks, but we do know that a compound in them ultimately led to his demise. Krakauer ends by saying no matter how much you know or don't know, if you aren't careful (paragraph 19), you could end up in big trouble.

If I was in Krakauer's position I don't know if I would be so dedicated to solving this seed mystery. Especially considering that he spent 20 years and over 20,000 running tests. I think it's cool though that scientists are working together and learning that they were originally wrong, and having to solve a new problem.

#deathseeds #20kinseedresearch #chemistrywhiz

One of my favorite parts, which I consider being very heartwarming, is when he kills the moose. It sounds morbid but he was so excited as it was one of his biggest kills. I think that him hunting this animal gave us a big glimpse into his personality directly from him and not just described by family members. Once he realizes that he wasted the animal, he feels awful, which is so sad. The remorse he feels shows that he's sensitive and didn't like having to hunt the animals despite loving being out in the wilderness. Carinne describes him as gentle and that he would never be able to hurt an animal intentionally. I just think it's good to know that he wasn't overly cocky about hunting and had respect for the wilderness and the inhabitants in it. He really loved the wilderness and always did his best to live off the land and limit how much he would consume.

Despite what happened in the family and the huge bomb that was dropped on Chris about his father, I still feel bad for his parents. Although Chris had a bad but justifiable reaction, I can still understand Billie and Walt's side of the story. I could never imagine having no contact or not knowing where my child was for years, just for the only "contact" to be hearing of his death. Sadly this pattern of abandoning people happens throughout the book. My heart broke for Ron when he tried to adopt Chris and Chris kept trying to change the subject. I bet deep down Chris did care for Ron, but I wish Chris would have expressed it better than just abandoning him. Then he has the audacity to try to give him life advice, which Ron accepts due to how much he loves Chris!

If I was in Chris' position I definitely would have done some things differently, and I don't completely understand why he did the things he did, but at the end of the day, he had his heart set on Alaska. I think Chris was such a kind and smart young man, and it sucks that he had to die so young. He could have accomplished so much considering what he did as an entrepreneur and human rights activist as a young teen. Hopefully, Chris actually meant it when he said he lived a happy life, and he didn't regret the things he did in his final days

#rip #chrismccandlesslegacy #liveoutyourdreams