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Krakauer's Into The Wild -- Blog Post #12

Krakauer's Into The Wild -- Blog Post #12


Krakauer's Into the Wild's style was not something I've read previously. Where each chapter is a location and everything is piece together and the movement of the book is a swift back and forth between the life of McCandless, his journey Alaska and the author's personal musings and understandings of the events that transpired as well as their own stories meshed in at the end. The characters were dynamic - particularly the turmoil between Chris and his parents Walt and Billie and his close relationship with his sister Carine.

The fact that this was a true story made it harder for me to read, because this was someone's brother and son, and not a fictitious character re-imagined in a world that centered around them and their conflicts. Still, Chris had conflicts of his own which he dealt with in his own way and with his own wayward philosophy. The parallels the other drummed up not only with himself but with several other young men that vanished or held the same philosophy were striking. Especially when the author went to Alaska himself to check everything - the bus, the river, and the various places that McCandless had been just a year before.

This would be a book that would interesting to teach in class. Since it was originally an article before Krakauer had been given access to all of Chris's personal writings and journals. I think it would make a unique lesson, drawing on the real life relation ships and endeavors of Chris - his personal philosophy and understanding of the world that went against the grain of most people. And how he inspired others along the way and kept in touch, more so than he did with his own parents. I think it would be a great book to teach in class, probably for older students closer to Chris' age though it would make a great addition to a literary circle as well as it has several relatable concepts and things to ponder on.

Particularly why Chris chose to live that way - giving up his worldly possessions and embarking on a journey with just the bare necessities and a stranger's kindness. It likely wouldn't happen in the same way today as it would in the nineties though the basis of his exploration is very relatable as well. His family troubles and his need to find his own path in life. It's a struggle that the students will likely face at the same time they're reading it and would certainly be worth looking into further.

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