Epilogue: Grief
Epilogue
What was your initial sense of McCandless’s mental condition compared to what you think now? Have you changed your mind?
My initial sense of McCandless's mental condition was that he is a normal man who loved to climb and be outdoors. Now, my prospective on his mental condition is completely different, as the story went on I kept thinking that he had some kind of mental condition that made him not think about what if he didn't make it out alive.
What was your reaction to his parents as they visited the bus?
My reaction to Chris' parents as they visited the bus is that I thought that they were going to react very differently. I honestly thought that Billie was going to cry and not stop for a while, as for Walt, I thought he was going to get emotional because he hadn't seen Chris in a long time and this was the last place he was alive at.
Sunday, November 25, 2012
The beginning of Chris' death
Chapters 16–18: Into the Alaskan Wild
Chapter Sixteen: The Alaska Interior
Was McCandless crazy?
I think that McCandless was going crazy because of how his relationship with his father was going because he was now realizing that he still needs his father.
Did he have a death wish?
I think at the end of this chapter he had a death wish coming to him because he didn't want to cross the river and he decided to go back to the bus where no one had passed it since before he took it over.
Chapter Seventeen: The Stampede Trail
Was he just ignorant?
In this chapter I think that Chris was getting a little ignorant because he didn't do much anymore to keep himself alive and I think that he was now just waiting for someone to come along and save him from the condition he was in.
Chapter Eighteen: The Stampede Trail
Investigate further the wild sweet peas and wild potatoes McCandless ate? Were they toxic?
I think that the wild sweet peas and wild potatoes that he had eaten were not toxic. How he prepared them made them bad for him I think.
Chapter Sixteen: The Alaska Interior
Was McCandless crazy?
I think that McCandless was going crazy because of how his relationship with his father was going because he was now realizing that he still needs his father.
Did he have a death wish?
I think at the end of this chapter he had a death wish coming to him because he didn't want to cross the river and he decided to go back to the bus where no one had passed it since before he took it over.
Chapter Seventeen: The Stampede Trail
Was he just ignorant?
In this chapter I think that Chris was getting a little ignorant because he didn't do much anymore to keep himself alive and I think that he was now just waiting for someone to come along and save him from the condition he was in.
Chapter Eighteen: The Stampede Trail
Investigate further the wild sweet peas and wild potatoes McCandless ate? Were they toxic?
I think that the wild sweet peas and wild potatoes that he had eaten were not toxic. How he prepared them made them bad for him I think.
Getting to know John Menlove Edwards and Krakauer
Chapters 14 and 15: Krakauer Interjects
Why does Krakauer talk about himself in these two chapters?
I think Krakauer talks about himself in these two chapters because he didn't want the whole book to just be about Chris McCandless and his family problems and how he died. He wanted the book to have some variety about who and what is going on with the world of climbers and people who like to "live off the land".
John Menlove Edwards said that climbing is a “psycho-neurotic tendency.” Do you think that is so? Always?
I only think that climbing is a "psycho-neurotic tendency" when it is freezing outside and you are climbing this incredibly tall mountain that you know not very many people have successfully done in the past but you try anyway.
Do you think that Edwards defines McCandless? How is he psycho-neurotic?
I don't think that Edwards really defines McCandless because each and every hiker/climber is different. The only reason why I think McCandless is a psycho-neurotic is because he went out into the Alaskan wilderness with not much of anything but a twenty pound bag of rice, some books, a sleeping bag, and boots that were two sizes to big for him.
Chapter Fourteen: The Stikine Ice Cap
What is your reaction to his description of his own climbing experience?
As I was reading about Krakauer's climbing experience, I felt as if I was actually there climbing with him. He uses such great details about how scared he is and how dangerous the crevasses are.
Chapter Fifteen: The Stikine Ice Cap
How is Krakauer’s life related to McCandless’s?
Krakauer's life is just like McCandless' in the sense that neither of them got along very well with their father's. Also they are similar in the fact that their father's are the one's who introduced them to climbing at a young age.
Do you like his interjections?
I like his interjections sometimes. The only time I don't like his interjections is when I get really into what he is says about Chris and all the sudden changed the subject to himself.
Why does Krakauer talk about himself in these two chapters?
I think Krakauer talks about himself in these two chapters because he didn't want the whole book to just be about Chris McCandless and his family problems and how he died. He wanted the book to have some variety about who and what is going on with the world of climbers and people who like to "live off the land".
John Menlove Edwards said that climbing is a “psycho-neurotic tendency.” Do you think that is so? Always?
I only think that climbing is a "psycho-neurotic tendency" when it is freezing outside and you are climbing this incredibly tall mountain that you know not very many people have successfully done in the past but you try anyway.
Do you think that Edwards defines McCandless? How is he psycho-neurotic?
I don't think that Edwards really defines McCandless because each and every hiker/climber is different. The only reason why I think McCandless is a psycho-neurotic is because he went out into the Alaskan wilderness with not much of anything but a twenty pound bag of rice, some books, a sleeping bag, and boots that were two sizes to big for him.
Chapter Fourteen: The Stikine Ice Cap
What is your reaction to his description of his own climbing experience?
As I was reading about Krakauer's climbing experience, I felt as if I was actually there climbing with him. He uses such great details about how scared he is and how dangerous the crevasses are.
Chapter Fifteen: The Stikine Ice Cap
How is Krakauer’s life related to McCandless’s?
Krakauer's life is just like McCandless' in the sense that neither of them got along very well with their father's. Also they are similar in the fact that their father's are the one's who introduced them to climbing at a young age.
Do you like his interjections?
I like his interjections sometimes. The only time I don't like his interjections is when I get really into what he is says about Chris and all the sudden changed the subject to himself.
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Getting to know Chris McCandless
Chapters 11–13: Family History
Chapter Eleven: Chesapeake Beach
What was McCandless like as a child and as a teen?
Chris was the kind of kid to always get good grades without even trying. He didn't like to be told what to do and how to do it. Chris also liked animals especially his sisters' dog Buckley. When he was able to grow vegetables in the backyard he would go around the neighborhood selling all of it and come home with an empty wagon. He always liked money and knew how to keep it without spending it all. In high school Chris would always go and drive around giving food to homeless people. Chris was never a "loner" he just liked being alone.
What was he like as an adult?
Chris was always thinking of how to use his money. He taught his sister how to "keep books" to see if he had made any profit or not. He had some struggles with his parents along the way like any kid, but he thought they were controlling him to where he had to become what they wanted.
Were there indications throughout his life as to the kind of person he would become?
There were a few indications to what kind of person he would end up becoming by how he would act against racism, world hunger and how different people lived. Also there was some indication when he thought his parents were controlling him, after he moved out on his own he didn't really let anyone control him.
Chapter Twelve: Annadale
Chapter Thirteen: Virginia Beach
Do you think you are essentially the same person you were as a child? How have you changed?
I do have some bits and pieces of me that are the same as when I was a child, but a lot of me has changed because of all the things I went through. I have changed by not letting people have a good grip in my life. When you're younger, you don't really have a chose but to do what your parents say. Now, that I'm eighteen and out of the house no one can really tell me what I can and can't do.
Chapter Eleven: Chesapeake Beach
What was McCandless like as a child and as a teen?
Chris was the kind of kid to always get good grades without even trying. He didn't like to be told what to do and how to do it. Chris also liked animals especially his sisters' dog Buckley. When he was able to grow vegetables in the backyard he would go around the neighborhood selling all of it and come home with an empty wagon. He always liked money and knew how to keep it without spending it all. In high school Chris would always go and drive around giving food to homeless people. Chris was never a "loner" he just liked being alone.
What was he like as an adult?
Chris was always thinking of how to use his money. He taught his sister how to "keep books" to see if he had made any profit or not. He had some struggles with his parents along the way like any kid, but he thought they were controlling him to where he had to become what they wanted.
Were there indications throughout his life as to the kind of person he would become?
There were a few indications to what kind of person he would end up becoming by how he would act against racism, world hunger and how different people lived. Also there was some indication when he thought his parents were controlling him, after he moved out on his own he didn't really let anyone control him.
Chapter Twelve: Annadale
Chapter Thirteen: Virginia Beach
Do you think you are essentially the same person you were as a child? How have you changed?
I do have some bits and pieces of me that are the same as when I was a child, but a lot of me has changed because of all the things I went through. I have changed by not letting people have a good grip in my life. When you're younger, you don't really have a chose but to do what your parents say. Now, that I'm eighteen and out of the house no one can really tell me what I can and can't do.
Friday, November 16, 2012
Investigating McCandless' and others' death's
Chapters 8–10: The Outcasts
Chapter Eight: Alaska
Chapter Nine: Davis Gulch
What is the function of these chapters? What is their relationship to the rest of the text?
In Chapter Eight, it starts off talking about Chris and what had happened in Alaska, as the chapter proceeds, it starts to talk about people similar to Chris McCandless. The other people they talk about all had a similar idea to Chris in going off and "living off the land" and that they all died from starvation. In Chapter Nine, it tells a story of Everett Ruess, who was the most similar to McCandless in many different ways. Their writings to friends, and people they have meet along the way all seem like they were writing the same thing just in their own words. Authorities never found Ruess' body so they don't know how he died exactly.
Why did Krakauer interrupt the McCandless story with Chapters 8 and 9?
I think Krakauer interrupted Chris McCandless' story because he wanted everyone to know that Chris is not the only one who had attempted to "live off the land" and happened to die in the process before returning home. Also to tell the sad stories of everyone else to give the book as a whole a variety of people instead of just McCandless.
Chapter Ten: Fairbanks
Were you surprised that McCandless left trails so that the authorities could find out who he was?
Yes, quite honestly, since he changed his name from Chris to Alex, and carried very little money and sometimes none at all. All of the journals he wrote he never used "I" he always referred to himself in the third person which, not many people do when they are writing journals.
What’s in a name? Does it matter that we have the name we were given by our parents? How do names matter? Does your name fit you? If not, what name would you choose? Why?
I think that there might be a reason why your parents gave you the name they did. It does matter that we have the name we were given at birth because then our parents, could potentially say that, they actually gave many thoughts to why they named us what they did. I think names matter because then no one would call you that one person, or whatever their heart desires to call you at that moment. I think my name fits me because I'm the only Kaitlin in my family so I have a unique name. Also my middle name came from my grandpa's middle name just transformed into a girl version.
Chapter Eight: Alaska
Chapter Nine: Davis Gulch
What is the function of these chapters? What is their relationship to the rest of the text?
In Chapter Eight, it starts off talking about Chris and what had happened in Alaska, as the chapter proceeds, it starts to talk about people similar to Chris McCandless. The other people they talk about all had a similar idea to Chris in going off and "living off the land" and that they all died from starvation. In Chapter Nine, it tells a story of Everett Ruess, who was the most similar to McCandless in many different ways. Their writings to friends, and people they have meet along the way all seem like they were writing the same thing just in their own words. Authorities never found Ruess' body so they don't know how he died exactly.
Why did Krakauer interrupt the McCandless story with Chapters 8 and 9?
I think Krakauer interrupted Chris McCandless' story because he wanted everyone to know that Chris is not the only one who had attempted to "live off the land" and happened to die in the process before returning home. Also to tell the sad stories of everyone else to give the book as a whole a variety of people instead of just McCandless.
Chapter Ten: Fairbanks
Were you surprised that McCandless left trails so that the authorities could find out who he was?
Yes, quite honestly, since he changed his name from Chris to Alex, and carried very little money and sometimes none at all. All of the journals he wrote he never used "I" he always referred to himself in the third person which, not many people do when they are writing journals.
What’s in a name? Does it matter that we have the name we were given by our parents? How do names matter? Does your name fit you? If not, what name would you choose? Why?
I think that there might be a reason why your parents gave you the name they did. It does matter that we have the name we were given at birth because then our parents, could potentially say that, they actually gave many thoughts to why they named us what they did. I think names matter because then no one would call you that one person, or whatever their heart desires to call you at that moment. I think my name fits me because I'm the only Kaitlin in my family so I have a unique name. Also my middle name came from my grandpa's middle name just transformed into a girl version.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Dead and Alive
Chapters 4–7: The Journey
Chapter Four: Detrital Wash
Who does Chris McCandless meet along the way?
Chris meets some boaters who take him to the West shore of Lake Mead to Callville Bay. He also meets a man who called himself Crazy Ernie and he also offered him a job. When he was in the bushes, he met Jan Burres and her boyfriend, Bob. Chris met Wayne Westerberg, outside of Cut Bank. When he is in Mexico he encounters canal officials to help him south and he also mets a Mexican duck hunting guide. He returns to North America and at the bottom of the Grand Canyon he meets a German couple Thomas and Karin.
What is the purpose of Chapter Four?
I think the purpose of Chapter Four is to show what he had to go through before he went to Alaska, he never gave up and just kept pushing forward. He met a good number of people along the way that have good hearts and gave him rides, food and money when he needed them. He also learned a lot of techniques that kept him alive.
Chapter Five: Bullhead City
Who does Chris McCandless meet along the way?
In Chapter Five, Chris finds work and meets his new co-workers. Later after he quits his job he meets a man named Charlie who lets him live in the RV, even though he isn't supposed to let him live there. While staying with Jan Burres and Bob, he met a young girl named Tracy who fell in love with Chris after a short week.
What was it about McCandless’s personality that made an impression on people?
McCandless's personality made people like him because when he gets mad he never really showed that he was mad but you could tell he was. Chris was always pleasing people, he never got in fights with anyone. He was also an animal lover, which to Jan was surprising yet adorable.
Note Alex’s journal. Why do you think he avoided using the first person when he talked about himself? Why doesn’t he use the pronoun “I”?
When Alex's camera got ruined because he buried it with his backpack and other belongings as he started his work life in Las Vegas, Nevda. I think he avoided using the first person when he wrote because then, someone who read his journal could figure out if he was lying about his name and what he has done. I think he doesn't use the pronoun "I" because when someone else wants to read it, it would make them feel like they actually had to be there when he was writing his journal.
Chapter Six: Anza-Borrego
Who does Chris McCandless meet along the way?
In May of 1992, Chris met Ronald Franz who took him from Salton City, California to Grand Junction, Colorado. They kept writing when Alex was alive.
Characterize Ronald Franz. What kind of a human being was he? Did he have your sympathy? Why or why not?
Ronald Franz was a very kind man who grew attached to Alex for some reason, he helped every hitchhiker that had crossed his path by driving them where ever they needed to go. I did have some sympathy for him because he had lost his son and wife, but then again I don't have sympathy for him because he drank his sorrows away. When he met Alex, he stopped drinking and changed his ways a little bit at a time.When he got Alex's final letter he finally listened and changed his life to what Alex was doing and then when he found out that Alex had died, he went back to drinking his sorrows away.
Chapter Seven: Cathage
What more did you learn about Alex’s relationship with his father? Do you think his anger is justified? Why or why not?
I learned that Alex and his father never saw "eye-to-eye" about what was best for Alex. He did everything his father told him to do in high school and in college and that is all Alex could take. I don't really know if Alex's anger is justified because family is important, it doesn't matter how much you talk to them or how close you are, they are blood and they should always be there for you. When Alex graduated from college and left, he felt good about not being near his parents who never seemed to like his ideas. As time goes on, he gets asked questions about what happened with his family and he only gets defensive, which could mean that he was still that upset with them or he was finally realizing that they probably need to know where he is and what he is doing.
Chapter Four: Detrital Wash
Who does Chris McCandless meet along the way?
Chris meets some boaters who take him to the West shore of Lake Mead to Callville Bay. He also meets a man who called himself Crazy Ernie and he also offered him a job. When he was in the bushes, he met Jan Burres and her boyfriend, Bob. Chris met Wayne Westerberg, outside of Cut Bank. When he is in Mexico he encounters canal officials to help him south and he also mets a Mexican duck hunting guide. He returns to North America and at the bottom of the Grand Canyon he meets a German couple Thomas and Karin.
What is the purpose of Chapter Four?
I think the purpose of Chapter Four is to show what he had to go through before he went to Alaska, he never gave up and just kept pushing forward. He met a good number of people along the way that have good hearts and gave him rides, food and money when he needed them. He also learned a lot of techniques that kept him alive.
Chapter Five: Bullhead City
Who does Chris McCandless meet along the way?
In Chapter Five, Chris finds work and meets his new co-workers. Later after he quits his job he meets a man named Charlie who lets him live in the RV, even though he isn't supposed to let him live there. While staying with Jan Burres and Bob, he met a young girl named Tracy who fell in love with Chris after a short week.
What was it about McCandless’s personality that made an impression on people?
McCandless's personality made people like him because when he gets mad he never really showed that he was mad but you could tell he was. Chris was always pleasing people, he never got in fights with anyone. He was also an animal lover, which to Jan was surprising yet adorable.
Note Alex’s journal. Why do you think he avoided using the first person when he talked about himself? Why doesn’t he use the pronoun “I”?
When Alex's camera got ruined because he buried it with his backpack and other belongings as he started his work life in Las Vegas, Nevda. I think he avoided using the first person when he wrote because then, someone who read his journal could figure out if he was lying about his name and what he has done. I think he doesn't use the pronoun "I" because when someone else wants to read it, it would make them feel like they actually had to be there when he was writing his journal.
Chapter Six: Anza-Borrego
Who does Chris McCandless meet along the way?
In May of 1992, Chris met Ronald Franz who took him from Salton City, California to Grand Junction, Colorado. They kept writing when Alex was alive.
Characterize Ronald Franz. What kind of a human being was he? Did he have your sympathy? Why or why not?
Ronald Franz was a very kind man who grew attached to Alex for some reason, he helped every hitchhiker that had crossed his path by driving them where ever they needed to go. I did have some sympathy for him because he had lost his son and wife, but then again I don't have sympathy for him because he drank his sorrows away. When he met Alex, he stopped drinking and changed his ways a little bit at a time.When he got Alex's final letter he finally listened and changed his life to what Alex was doing and then when he found out that Alex had died, he went back to drinking his sorrows away.
Chapter Seven: Cathage
What more did you learn about Alex’s relationship with his father? Do you think his anger is justified? Why or why not?
I learned that Alex and his father never saw "eye-to-eye" about what was best for Alex. He did everything his father told him to do in high school and in college and that is all Alex could take. I don't really know if Alex's anger is justified because family is important, it doesn't matter how much you talk to them or how close you are, they are blood and they should always be there for you. When Alex graduated from college and left, he felt good about not being near his parents who never seemed to like his ideas. As time goes on, he gets asked questions about what happened with his family and he only gets defensive, which could mean that he was still that upset with them or he was finally realizing that they probably need to know where he is and what he is doing.
Monday, November 12, 2012
Getting into the text
Chapter Three: Carthage
What was Westerberg like? What kind of character did he have?
Westerberg was a man who loved to help hitchhikers out but especially liked to help out McCandless because he was different. Westerberg was the kind of person who would always help someone in need if they wanted, he never gave up on anyone and he liked to reminisce about all the things he has done with McCandless and for him as well.
What was McCandless like? What kind of character did he have? Would you have liked to know him?
McCandless was a hitchhiker who met Westerberg and did everything that was giving to him that needed to be done. McCandless was the kind of young adult who was extremely ethical and held very high standards for himself and was very intelligent. I would liked to meet McCandless because he sounds like a guy who never gave up on things even if it got hard and because he had strong values and he applied them to things he did all the time.
What was Westerberg like? What kind of character did he have?
Westerberg was a man who loved to help hitchhikers out but especially liked to help out McCandless because he was different. Westerberg was the kind of person who would always help someone in need if they wanted, he never gave up on anyone and he liked to reminisce about all the things he has done with McCandless and for him as well.
What was McCandless like? What kind of character did he have? Would you have liked to know him?
McCandless was a hitchhiker who met Westerberg and did everything that was giving to him that needed to be done. McCandless was the kind of young adult who was extremely ethical and held very high standards for himself and was very intelligent. I would liked to meet McCandless because he sounds like a guy who never gave up on things even if it got hard and because he had strong values and he applied them to things he did all the time.
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