Question 49: Chapter 17

Krakauer writes in Chapter 17, "I guess I just can't help identifying with the guy"(p 185). Krakauer makes the claim that everyone in some way can relate to Chris. Is this an empty claim made without sufficient evidence as it does not apply to you or do you agree with Krakauer in that Chris speaks to you in some way, but not necessarily every way?

This question requires you to externalize your personal response as well as recall characteristics of Chris to best formulate an answer. You will need 5 characteristics total. If you believe that he speaks to you in some aspect, then write the characteristic and how it applies to you. If you believe the contrary, then write a characteristic and why that does not represent you. You may mix it up with some characteristics that apply as well as some that don't apply.

Ms. Lanese's Example-
1) Characteristic: Unpreparedness- Chris was not properly prepared for his Alaskan odyssey. As Krakauer stated, Chris should have brought "a large caliber rifle, map, compass, and ax" with him, which would have aided in survival (180). This characteristic is not a representation of Ms. Lanese because as a teacher she  spends an extensive amount of time making sure that her classes are filled with creativity and substance. If Ms. Lanese was inadaquately prepared, then this would lead to an unproductive day for all of her students.

*Take note: Writing about yourself in third-person is not required for this specific response

Due: Sunday, March 13th 11:59pm

Question 48: Chapter 17

-Krakauer went a year and a week after Chris' death to the Teklanika River and The Magic Bus to see where Chris died and understand why (p. 173). From this journey, what did Krakauer uncover? In observing what Krakauer uncovered, were there specific things that could have been avoided or done differently? Be specific, state 5 things uncovered, and next to each, write the corresponding page number.


-Chris is also compared to Sir John Franklin. Find two similarities and two differences betwixt the two of them.

DUE: Sunday, March 13th 11:59pm

Question 47: Chapter 13

Compare and Contrast Chris and his sister, Carine. Include how their lives evolved in reaction to their parents' situation. List 3-4 for each.

Due: Friday March 11th 11:59pm

Question 46: Chapter 16

What final measures did Chris take to prepare for his journey before going into the Alaskan wilderness? 1-2 sentences.

What are some of the personal philosophies that Chris uncovered through his reading and experiences in the wilderness? List at least 5-6.

Due Friday March 11th 11:59pm

Question 45: Chapter 16

Should Stuckey have called Chris' parents when he had the chance? Do you believe the outcome would have been different had Stuckey called them? Would Chris have been taken home or saved? Would Chris have protested and refused to come home? What do you believe would have happened? Responses need to be between 5-8 sentences.

Due: Friday, March 11th 11:59pm

Question 44: Chapter 15

Compare and Contrast Krakauer's journey climbing The Devil's Thumb to Chris' Alaskan Odyssey. You may include the motives, the preparation, the journey itself, etc. Find at least 3 examples, and next to each example write the corresponding page number for evidential support.

Due Friday, March 11th 11:59pm

Question 43: Chapter 14

What personal connection did Krakauer feel with Chris? Find 5 similarities and 5 differences between Krakauer and Chris. Next to each piece of evidence, write the corresponding page numbers where you located the information.

Due: Friday, March 11th 11:59pm

Question 42: Chapter 12

Billie states at the end of the chapter, "I just don't understand why he had to take those kind of chances...I just don't understand at all" (p. 132).

From what you have read thus far, why do you believe that he took those kind of chances? Why do you believe that he was able to leave his family behind, especially Carine?

Look at the situation from his familys' perspective, if you were in their position, would you understand what Chris did?

Pretend that you are Carine, if you were able to say something to Chris before his trip, or while he was on his trip to Alaska, what would you say to him?

Respond to the questions above with depth and specificity.

DUE: Friday March 4th 11:59pm

Question 41: Chapter 12

What does Chris learn about his family while on his first road trip after high school? What effect, if any, do you believe that it had on his trip to Alaska?

Need 5 or more complete sentences for full credit

DUE: Friday March 4th 11:59pm

Question 40: Chapter 11

After you have gained new knowledge about Chris from this particular chapter of his childhood and years prior to college, I would like you to take that information and apply it to the following task.

Task: Hypothetically, if Chris just transferred to St. Mary High School half way through his Freshman year, plan out what he would do over the course of his four years at St. Mary. What would he participate in? What sports, school oriented clubs, etc.
In order to get the best possible score on this task, you must be as specific as possible in your response. You will incorporate specific information from the chapter and page numbers to support reasoning. You will use specific sports/ school groups, places in Westfield, etc. to formulate your response. Make sure your response is appropriate! This response need not be longer than a paragraph, but responses of fewer than 4-7 sentences will most likely receive a lower grade than those who put in obvious effort or went above and beyond*.

* Preferred! :)

DUE: Friday March 4th 11:59pm

Question 39:Chapter 11

List 20 things that you learned about Chris from his childhood/adolescence (jobs, characteristics, activities, etc). Next to each thing, write the page number that you found it

List 10 things that you learned about Walt and Billie. Next to each thing, write the page number that you found it.

From your reading of this chapter, what could you infer about Chris' relationship with his parents during high school? (3-4 sentences). Try to make connections, inferences, etc. Cite the page number next to information taken directly from the text.

DUE: Friday March 4th 11:59pm

Question 38: Chapter 10

 Why do you believe that Chris' second W-2 Form that he filled out for Wayne had all of his legitimate information, whereas he didn't treat his 1st one seriously? Be as specific as possible in your conclusions.

DUE Thursday, March 3rd 11:59pm

Question 37: Chapter 9

In looking at the two quotes below by Everett Ruess and from the text of chapter 9, in what ways can you find similarities and differences, parallels, to the life that Chris lead? dedicated to living? Be as specific as possible, which means take examples from the text or from your own interpretation of the text. Use your own words. I will not give full credit if you are simply restating the information provided. Find a total of at least 8 ways.

"I have always been unsatisfied with life as most people live it. Always I want to live more intensely and richly. Why muck and conceal one's true longings and loves, when by speaking of them one might find someone to understand them, and by acting on them one might discover oneself?"

"I have not tired of the wilderness; rather I enjoy its beauty and the vagrant life I lead, more keenly all the time. I prefer the saddle to the streetcar and star-sprinkled sky to a roof, the obscure and difficult trail, leading into the unknown to any paved highway, and the deep peace of the wild to the discontent bred by cities." - from the last letter Ruess sent to his brother, dated November 11, 1934.

DUE: Thursday March 3rd 11:59pm

EXTRA CREDIT OPPORTUNITY

For extra credit, read the following National Geographic Article on Everett Ruess, and write a 3 paragraph (5-8 sentences each) opinion piece on the theory that you believe best supports Everett's dissapearance. The object of this is not choosing the "right answer," but rather reflecting on one theory that you read about/ citing evidence that you believe bests supports your theoretical take on his dissapearance.

Link to the article:
http://adventure.nationalgeographic.com/2009/04/everett-ruess/david-roberts-text

Due Date: I will be collecting this until the unit exam at the end of our reading of Into the Wild

I am not mandating the completion of this extra credit assignment, but this will be one of the few opportunities left for the quarter to obtain extra credit.

Question 36: Chapter 8

Find five similarities and five differences between "The Major of Hippie Cove,"Gene Rosellini, and Chris McCandless. The excerpts with Rosellini, that will help in answering this question, are on pages 72-75. The information of Chris that you can utilize is that which you gained from prior reading. Then, I would like you to do the same in comparing and contrasting, finding parallels between, Chris and John Waterman (pgs 77-80). Lastly, do the same with McCunn (pgs 80-85). Why do you believe that Krakauer incorporated those three stories into the novel?

In order to gain an A on this assessment, you must make textual references and include page numbers.

DUE: Thursday March 3rd 11:59pm

Question 35: Chapter 8

In the beginning of Chapter 8, Krakauer mentions a number of responses to the article that he wrote about Chris in Outside Magazine. I want you to read the following quotes, some are from the book and some taken from the magazine.  Choose ONE quote that you agree with and ONE quote that you want to argue with. In a different document, cite the quote and your explanation for agreeing/arguing with each (5-6 sentences each). In terms of your responses, I am really looking for quality and depth.

Quotes from Krakauer’s Outside Magazine article about Chris McCandless:

“Alex is a nut in my book. The author describes a man who has given away a small
fortune, forsaken a loving family, abandoned his car, watch and map and burned the last
of his money before traipsing of into the ‘wilderness’ west of Healy.”
- resident of Healy, Alaska

“Personally I see nothing positive at all about Chris McCandless’s lifestyle or wilderness
doctrine. Entering the wilderness purposefully ill-prepared, and surviving a near-death
experience does not make you a better human, it makes you damn lucky.”
-resident of Healy, Alaska

“Krakauer is a kook if he doesn’t think Chris ‘Alexander Supertramp’ McCandless was a
kook.”
- resident of North Pole, Alaska

“Over the past 15 years, I’ve run into several McCandless types out in the country. Same story: idealistic, energetic, young guys who overestimated themselves, underestimated the country, and ended up in trouble. McCandless was hardly unique; there’s quite few of these guys handing around the state, so much alike that they’re almost a collective cliché. The only difference is that McCandless ended up dead, with the story of his dumbassedness splashed across the media…(Jack London got it right in “To Build A Fire.” McCandless is, finally, must a pale 20th- century burlesque of London’s protagonist, who freezes because he ignore advice and commits big-time hubris)…His ignorance, which could have been cured by a USGS quadrant and a Boy Scout manual, is what killed him. And while I feel for his parents, I have no sympathy for him. Such willful ignorance…amounts to disrespect for the land, and paradoxically demonstrates the same sort of arrogance that resulted in the Exxon Valdez spill—just another case of underprepared, overconfident men bumbling around out there and screwing up because they lacked the requisite humility. It’s all a matter of degree.McCandless’s contrived asceticism and a pseudoliterary stance…”
--resident of Ambler, Alaska—Inupiat village north of the Arctic Circle

“It should not be denied…that being footloose has always exhilarated us. It is associated in our minds with escape from history and oppression and law and irksome obligations,with absolute freedom, and the road has always led west.”
resident of Healy, Alaska

“It is true that many creative people fail to make mature personal relationships, and some are extremely isolated. It is also true that, in some instances, trauma, in the shape of early separation or bereavement, has steered the potentially creative person toward developing aspects of his personality which can find fulfillment in comparative isolation. But this does not mean that solitary, creative pursuits are themselves
pathological…Avoidance behavior is a response designed to protect the infant from behavioural disorganization. It we transfer this concept to adult life, we can see that an avoidant infant might very well develop into a person whose principal need was to find some kind of meaning and order in life which was not entirely or even chiefly, dependent upon interpersonal relationships.”
- Anthony Storr

DUE Thursday. March 3rd 11:59pm

Project

Creating your own "Odyssey"

Chris' dream was to carry out his "Alaskan Odyssey." The object of this mini-project is for you to get an idea as to the amount of effort that is involved in the planning process of a trip of this extent. This will hopefully provide a little more insight as to the drive and determination that Chris possessed.

I am cutting back on the amount of blog posts this week, which means that a great amount of effort should be placed into this project.

Task:

First, I would like you to answer these 7 questions below and preferably type them (you may post them to the blog, email or just hand them in). Secondly, I would like you to create a mini -journal discussing minimally 5 entries from your "travels." Entries should be minimally 8-12 sentences. Lastly, I would like you to create a collage encompassing all of the below questions. Include pictures of the places that you would go, the items that you would bring, words and phrases that represent your inspirations and thoughts, etc. This is a great opportunity to get creative! The more details that you provide in your collage, the better the grade. Due and to be presented to the class on Thursday February 17th.

1) Where would you like your Odyssey to end? For example: Chris' ended at Alaska. How many days, months, years would you like your odyssey to cover? Must minimally be 30 days. Example: Thoreau's was 2 years, 2 months and 2 days.

2) Through which states, countries, islands, etc, would you choose to travel before reaching your destination. Choose minimally 5 and when you are choosing, look at a map to make sure that it is possible/ logical to do so. For example: Chris went from Virginia to Willowcreek to Carthage to Needles, CA to the Mexican Border to LA to Las Vegas to Arizona to South Dakota to Canada etc.

3) If you were only able to bring a backpack of the following dimensions and it only held a maximum of 8 things comfortably, what would you bring with you? Take note that you will want to travel lightly and simply. The dimensions of the backpack that you will bring are: 12”W x 21”H x 8”D.

4) You have just graduated college and you have $2500 saved, will you donate your money to charity or take it with you? If you choose to donate it, where would you donate it and why? If you choose to keep it, explain how you will use it along the way on your journey. Site specific instances and expenses that you will forsee having.

5) Chris decided to go alone on his Odyssey, though he did meet many people whose lives he changed. Would you go alone on your Odyssey? If so, then why? Would you invite another person along with you on your Odyssey? If so, then who would it be and why? Take note that if you have someone join you, that doesnt mean that you will have any more money or materials.

6) What would your philosophy of nature be? Example: Thoreau went into nature to live "simply and deliberately" and to "suck the marrow out of life" before he woke up and realized that he had never lived.

7) When you reach the destination of your odyssey, what do you wish to explore? What is your reasoning behind choosing this destination? How long will you spend at your destination? What will you do with your time there? Create 5 journal entries reflecting upon your "experience" at your destination.

Chapter 7: Question 34

As we continue in our reading of Into the Wild, we uncover more about Chris. We learn about different facets of his personality, background, ambitions, talents, dark spots in his soul, etc. List 10 new things that we learn about Chris in this chapter. List more than 10 and you will get extra credit.

DUE: Weds. February 16th 2011

Chapter 6 and 7: Question 33

Over the course of this work, we as readers are able to see several parallels made between Chris and Thoreau. In this specific chapter, as well as those previously read, what parallels have you seen? List as many as possible. Next to each parallel, write the quote where you found it in the book.

DUE: Weds February 16 11:59pm

Chapter 6: Question 32

"Nobody, however, was affected more powerfully by his or her brief contact with the boy than Ronald Franz, who was eighty years old when their paths intersected in January 1992" (page 48).

Infer from your reading why you believe that Ronald Franz was affected to this degree by McCandless.

Respond in minimally 3-5 sentences. Make specific references to the text in your response. Include specific quotes for the best possible grade.

DUE Weds. Feb. 16th 11:59pm