Reaction In Jon Krakauer's 'Into The Wild'

Aymeric Alejo-Chaban

9/5/15

English Summer Assignment

Title of Novel: Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer

Chapter 1: The Alaska Interior

Initial Reaction: In the first chapter of Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer the author begins by presenting the main character Chris’ last human interaction before entering the wild. This interaction is very interesting as it highlights Chris’ traits through indirect characterization. This is seen when Chris receives advice from Gallien before entering the woods. Chris’ reluctance to listen to the advice given by Gallien exposes his sense of self-reliance.

Subsequent Reaction: I wonder if Gallien ever learned of Chris’ fate and if he did, does he think he could have done more to stop Chris and save him? Additionally,

Chris’ reluctance to acknowledge the advice of his friends and family also reveals that his self-reliance can lead to his own destruction.

Chapter 2-3: The Stampede Trail & Carthage
Initial Reaction: Both of these chapters serve to characterize Chris further. When Chris graduates from Emory University, his parents offer to pay for law school and a new car. However, Chris refuses and chooses to drive his older, broken down yellow Datsun. This indirectly characterizes Chris as a person who prefers to live a simpler life. This may be a reason why he chooses to go into the wilderness.
Subsequent Reaction: After finishing the novel, I believe I was correct in stating that Chris left to live in the wilderness for a simpler life. However, I also believe another reason for Chris leaving was that he could not find happiness with the family he had. His parents were constantly fighting over money and thus it drove him away.

Chapter 4: Detrital Wash
Initial Reaction: During this chapter Chris finds work as ranch hand for a rancher named Crazy Ernie but leaves after he learns he will not be paid by Ernie. I thought this was interesting as earlier on in the story Chris burns his money before leaving to hike in the dessert as a form of defiance against materialism. Thus I question why he is choosing to find work.
Subsequent Reaction: I wonder if Crazy Ernie had decided to pay Chris, whether or not Chris could have avoided going to Alaska and started a new life around his new career? This is interesting to note as it shows how one action or in this case in-action can change a person’s life.

Chapter 5-6: Bullhead City & Anza-Borrego
Initial Reaction: Earlier on in novel we learn that Chris cuts ties with his family completely. During this chapter, Chris meets an older women named Jan and helps her sell books. As he sells books he meets a seventeen-year-old girl named Tracy who has a crush on him however he doesn’t reciprocate her feelings and instead bonds with Jan. This is interesting as it seems Chris would rather pursue a familial relationship than a romantic one hinting that Chris still wants to be part of a family regardless of cutting off his old one.
Subsequent Reaction: I believe it’s interesting how Chris abandons a number of relationships with people that love him such as his family or Jan during the beginning of the novel. However, once he lives in the wilderness he finally learns how valuable those relationships are when faced with isolation.

Chapter 7-8: Carthage & Alaska
Initial Reaction: I noticed during this chapter that Krakauer indirectly characterizes Chris as more book smart than street smart. This is seen during Chris’ job when he fails to realize that there is rancid chicken grease in the microwave. Through this characterization I believe Krakauer is foreshadowing Chris’ eventual death when he reaches Alaska as he lacks the awareness needed to survive.
Subsequent Reaction: In Carthage, Westerberger offers to fly Chris out to Alaska instead of allowing Chris to hitchhike. However, Chris denies the offer. I believe this indirectly characterizes Chris as someone who travels the road less walked upon. The difficult road is the road Chris would like to tread.

Chapter 9-10: Davis Gulch & Fairbanks
Initial Reaction: I find it interesting that Krakauer goes on to write about another traveler named Everett Ruess who disappeared into the wilderness. Krakauer contrasts how Everett changes his name several times until he finally chooses the name “Nemo” which translates to nobody and how Chris changes his name several times until he finally chooses Alexander Supertramp. This leads me to believe that Chris, unlike Everett who diminishes his identity with the name “Nemo”, finds his true identity in the wilderness with the name Alexander Supertramp.
Subsequent Reaction: I believe that Chris never did actually find his identity. Instead what he found was that happiness is shared with others. Thus my initial belief was wrong.

Chapter 11-12: Chesapeake Bay & Annandale
Initial Reaction: This chapter goes a long way to explain a number of Chris unusual behaviors during the novel. When Chris was 6, his family moves to D.C. as his father got a job with NASA. Krakauer continues to explain that money was tight for Chris’ family and this lead to a number of fights between his parents. I believe that during this moment of his life, Chris made a connection between money and unhappiness and thus explains why he would rather live in the wild than become a participant of the capitalist system he lives in. He believes that forgoing materialism will lead to him finding happiness.
Subsequent Reaction: I believe that an additional reason why Chris sought isolation was because his father betrayed his family by having an affair with his ex-wife.

Chris then wrongly taught himself that he could no longer trust anyone and thus his only option was to be alone and forgo human contact in the wilderness so to avoid being betrayed.

Chapter 13-14: Virginia Beach & The Stikine Ice Cap

Initial Reaction: Krakauer makes an interesting parallel between Chris and his family after Chris’ is discovered dead. As his family mourns his passing, Carine and Billy stop eating and lose weight while Walt gains weight due to eating too much. The parallel between Chris and his family is that as Chris’ death is associated with a lack of eating; his family chooses to deal with the grief by changing the way they eat as well. Thus unconsciously bringing their experiences closer to what Chris experienced before his death.

Subsequent Reaction: A second parallel is created by Krakauer when he describes his own hiking adventure up the Devil’s thumb. Krakauer continues to describe that the hike will change his life. Krakauer vision of climbing the Devil’s thumb alone mirrors Chris’ journey into Alaska. Consequently, creating a narrative parallel between Krakauer and

Chris.

Chapter 15-16: The Stikine Ice Cap & The Alaska Interior
Initial Reaction: I believe that the materials Chris’ brings with him before journeying into the wilderness reflect his characteristics. Chris brings with all that he believes he will need to survive. This includes rice for food, a rifle for hunting, a guide to foraging and a number of books to read. The fact that Chris brings books instead of other supplies that could increase his change of survival implies to me that he is not choosing to live in the wilderness for the thrill but to find his own identity.
Subsequent Reaction: It is interesting to note that Chris may have brought the books not only to find the truth but that books offered a sense of human interaction as he lived in isolation. Additionally, Chris may consider books a form of human interaction without the risk of betrayal.
Chapter 17-18: The Stampede Trail
Initial Reaction: These last chapters’ exhibit Chris’ realization that it was mistake to go live in the wild. Specifically, that he can’t find the happiness he was longing for in isolation. This can be seen when Chris writes in one of his books that “happiness is only real when shared.” Chris discovers that true happiness is a communal experience, celebrated among others.
Subsequent Reaction: I wonder who Chris would have wished to share his happiness with. Would it be his family or the number of friends he made as he journeyed to Alaska?