In Chapter 1, we are able to see that Chris only had a ten-pound bag of rice, cheap hiking boots, a 22 caliber and no ax, bug spray,snowshoes or compass.
After reading this chapter, do you think that Chris recognized how inadequately prepared that he was for his adventures or do you believe that he truly thought survival was possible with what little he had?
From what you have read thus far, do you believe that Chris went into the woods, not wanting to come out alive or did he want to take an approach similar to Thoreau in existing simply?
Respond to the following questions in a total of at least 5-8 complete sentences.
Due by: Wednesday, February 2nd at 11:59pm
I believe that Chris did know what he was doing when he entered the wilderness with such few supplies. I believe Chris knew that he had a good chance of dying, however I do not think his intentions were to end up dead. Instead I believe that he was trying to go through with an approach similar to that of Thoreau. Chris was warned many times by many different people that it was going to be a rugged journey, let alone with such little supplies. He truly believed that he had enough supplies to be able to sustain life in the wild, he also thought that his body would be able to help him escape many of the possible situations that he could end up in. He also thought that nature itself would help keep him alive, that the fruits, animals, and plants would be able to provide enough food for him. - Dylan Rutherford
ReplyDeleteI believe that Chris had no idea whatsoever of what he was doing when he went into the woods. He should have thought ahead when he decided to go into the woods. Chris probably also knew that he had a high chance of dying and this is another reason that he took too little supplies into the woods with him. Chris was warned multiple times but different people that he was in for a rough time in the woods and yet he still took too little supplies. He was trying to live on his instincts as well as his few supplies and this will prove a large problem for him. His lack of an ax was the biggest mistake because he would not be able to easily chop up fire wood. So no, Chris was not recognizing how inadequately prepared he was for his trip into the woods.
ReplyDeleteI believe Chris had no idea what he was getting into when he went into the wild. He underestimated the materials needed to survive and overestimated his survival skill in the wilderness. I think that Chris went into the wilderness trying to be like Thoreau and existing simply because he wanted to find solitude and to find meaning in himself. Mark D
ReplyDeleteI believe that Chris was fully aware of his actions. During the process leading up to his departure he had plenty of time to think. he openly chose to leave. He also would have had enough time to get proper equipment. It doesn't take a survivalist to understand the basic needs of human and that his supplies didn't meet them. From what I can gather Chris was rebellious, brave, and naive. I feel, whether it was his intention or not, he knew he would die in the wilderness. He fully accepted this fate and faced it everyday in defiance of what ever he was running away from.
ReplyDeleteSean H.
I firmly believe that he knew that he was not going to come back alive. I came to this conclussion because of how litte he took. Also, due to the fact that he gave almost 25k dollars to charity. Thirdly, he did not want anything from the man that gave him a ride, other than the fact that he reluctantly took a sandwich from him. Lastly, he stopped all communication with his parents, showing that he did not want to be talked out of leaving.
ReplyDeleteFrom what I have read from this chapter, I believe that he never he wasnt going to come back from Alaska alive. Even Thoreau got more supplies after time and he went in and out of society. I believe that he knew what he was doing when he left for Alaska also because he gave all his money and possessions. I think if he felt like he was coming back he would have kept one or both of those things he gave away. I felt like he was thought that he was a man of nature that he was going to die being with nature.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Chris is a very intelligent man and knew what he was getting himself into. Doing what he did takes a lot of thinking about therefore, i think that he did not underestimate the materials he brought to survive. He is not only intelligent but also simplistic and i think that is why he brought such few materials because he knew he wouldn't need much to survive.
ReplyDeleteI dont realy know for suere whether he was just overconfident in his surival abilities, or if he just believed that surviving in the wilderness by himself would be a cake walk, but i think that what he was going for with his barebones approach to this treck is very similar to that of Thoreau, in the fact that they both went at this challenge in the absolute most simplistic of ways, so as not to muddle the purity of complete reliance on nature
ReplyDeleteI don't think that Chris thought he was fully prepared and equipped for what he was about to do but I don't think he thought he was underpacked. But then again he's a twenty year old kid who thinks nothing can happen to me. I think Chris went into the woods not wanting to come out. The difference betwwen him and Emmerson was emmerson didn't completly exclude himself from the rest of the world, he lived isolated but if anything went bad help wasn't to far away
ReplyDeleteI believe that Chris knew exactly what he was doing when he entered the woods. He brought only those supplies for a reason. He seems like a smart man and plus, mainly anyone would be able to recognize that those supplies weren't enough for survival. However, I don't think Chris wanted to die. He knew it was a strong possibility he wouldn't come out alive, but he just wanted to test Thoreau's way of life. He wanted to know what it was like to live simply and felt he needed to take the chance of death in order to live a good and happy life that was full of nature and independence.
ReplyDeleteI think that Chris had no idea what he was getting himself into when he went into the woods. I think he was just trying to test Thoreau's way of life. He did not know what he was doing though. This can be observed in his lack of supplies that he carried with him. If he had know exactly what it would have been like, he would have bought more supplies.
ReplyDeleteI personally think that Chris thought that he could survive in the wilderness with what little he had. I think he believed this because when Jim, the trucker, questioned the supplies that Chris had with him, in looking that he had not come prepared to stay in the wild for a number of days, Chris had shrugged it off as if it was not a big deal, and he did not except anything offered to him except for a few sandwiches and a pair of sturdy boots.
ReplyDeleteWhen Chris went into the woods, I don't really think that he intended anything. In one of his entries, he wrote saying "if I come out of this...." and "if I dont come out of this then..." I think he didn't really care whether his outcome was life or death, he really just wanted a true transcendentalist experience.