Into the Wild

ASSIGNMENT: Read Into the Wild, and by Thursday 4/15 write a 750-1000 word essay on the book. As always, you are encouraged to provide your own original insights, but you may consider some of these thematic questions: How does the story of Christopher McCandless fit into the American tradition of self-discovery in nature embodied by Thoreau? According to the author, Jon Krakauer, what were McCandless’s reasons for setting off on his Alaska adventure? In your opinion, was McCandless’s journey a greater defiance of society and cultural norms than Thoreau’s? What journalistic techniques does Krakauer employ in reconstructing McCandless’s story? What is your impression of the section in which Krakauer draws parallels between his own life story and McCandless’s? Does the author succeed in making his own autobiography relevant to the story that he’s telling? Does Krakauer succeed in evoking McCandless’s state of mind, and if so does his journalistic technique seem legitimate to you? How does this text relate to current issues of interest to you and your generation?