DISTILLED PAGE. By Gemma Junkinsmith

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1 Eng 9 H3 April 13th

2 2 By Gemma Junkinsmith DISTILLED PAGE The collage is very simple, but it says all that it needs to say. At the bottom, and sort of the beginning of McCandless s journey in my opinion, there is a picture of a winding river through beautiful wilderness. The wilderness is appealing and inviting, but in the photo, the river takes twists and turns and dips that are hard to see. At some point in the river s journey, it takes off into a place that is invisible unless followed. I think that this is like Chris s journey, it is appealing and inviting and looks like fun, but to tell the truth he had no real idea about what exactly he was facing. There are two photos with words, one that says my life in moss on a fence and the other that reads, resolve in clear sharp lettering. McCandless was stubborn and resolved to do what he needed to do. For him, his life needed to be led that way, and he knew he had control of his life. What he didn t know was that nature is a force. He may have had a certain sort of control over his life, but to be honest, nature had control over him from the start. That is why I included the picture of the flower growing through the pavement. Nature is unstoppable. And you may do what you want and need to do with your life, but nature will keep on despite human defiance. The last picture is of Chris himself. It is reminiscent of before things went wrong, and when he was still doing what he needed to do. Before he had found what he was looking for. This is an important picture because Chris is happy here, and he isn t fighting against anything at that particular moment, the way he seemed to be for a large part of the book.

3 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS Distilled Page...2 Table of Contents...3 Theme Statements...4 Author Biography By Tatyana Johnson...5 Setting By Gemma Junkinsmith...7 Character By Alondra Garcia...8 Symbol By Sophy Park...10 Point of View By Olivia Humes...12

4 4 THEMES Bold acts can be perceived as crazy or brilliant, but either way, despite the risks, some people still have to do them so they can feel alive. When people take risks those who love them can get hurt. Some people need go into the wild to do what they love, take risks, and test themselves. Some people think that young people cannot make their own decisions to take risks.

5 5 AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY By Tatyana Johnson On April 12 of 1954 a journalist respected to this day was born in Brookline, Massachusetts; Jon Krakauer. Editor and author of many pieces of literature; Eiger Dreams, Into Thin Air, Into the Wild, Under the Banner of Heaven and much more. Jon grew up in Corvallis, Oregon and was exposed to mountain climbing at a ripe age of eight years old. After graduating from Hampshire college, he attempted to climb Devil s thumb in Southeastern Alaska where he almost lost his life. Though this experience was scarring for him he continued to spend most of his time hiking and marveling at nature s wonders in Alaska, Colorado and eventually across the world. Following his Mt. Everest expedition, Jon wrote one of his most famous novels, Into Thin Air; the honest story of his journey to the peak of the world. It was credited as Book of the Year and in 1998 became one of the three finalists for the Pulitzer Prize. Krakauer s writing has also appeared in various magazines and newspapers such as: Rolling Stone, The New York Times, National Geographic, and The Washington Post. In 1996 Jon s story of a brave young man named Chris McCandeless was published as a biography; Into the Wild claimed a spot on the New York Time s Bestsellers list for two years. Krakauer s interest in Chris life story started out as an article in the Outside magazine he was supposed to oversee.

6 6 AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY By Tatyana Johnson As a mountaineer, Krakauer found that the similarities between him and Chris were many. They both longed to get away from society and soak into nature. Their stubborn personalities put them in risky situations that killed Chris and almost took Jon down too. Because the two men seemed to connect, Krakauer came to the conclusion that an article was not enough, a full blown novel had to be the memorial of the boy that called himself Supertramp. A passage from the biography shows Jon Krakauer s passion for being adventurous, "Make a radical change in your lifestyle and begin to boldly do things which you may previously never have thought of doing, or been too hesitant to attempt. So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservation, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man's living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun. If you want to get more out of life, you must lose your inclination for monotonous security and adopt a helter-skelter style of life that will at first appear to you to be crazy. But once you become accustomed to such a life you will see its full meaning and its incredible beauty." (Jon Krakauer Into the Wild) Into the Wild proved Krakauer to be a phenonomenal reporter and author; it set him up for success in books written by him later in his life.

7 7 By Gemma Junkinsmith SETTING I walk into the wild was one of the last things that Chris wrote to someone. And he really did. He completely let go of everything in his life, simply to be in the wild, in nature. There were roaring and strong rivers and trickling streams, floods and hot weather, tons of animals and wildlife etc. At a few points he even came across some hot springs. But generally it was very cold. Chris immersed himself in all this. He would even sleep under the stars. He was constantly going and surviving and working hard to battle nature. But in his head he didn t see it as much as battling but as living in harmony with. Some people think that Chris is a genius. They think that what he did was amazing and fantastic and unforgettable. It surprised them that he didn t survive. Some people think that he was stupid, and selfish and ignorant and he was far too arrogant and it was no surprise that he died. Krakauer had the opinion and themed the book in a way that this was what Chris had to do with his life. That Chris wasn t stupid and arrogant, but he might have been a little bit selfish. That Chris wasn t amazing and smart and fantastic, this is just what he had to do, and nature decided it was his time to die. If the setting were any different, the book would not be the same at all. Chris may not have died and to go back even further, he may not even have gone on his journey at all. The intense wilderness changed Chris, and he was a very different person at the end of the book than he was at the beginning and a lot of this is due to the setting and what he had to do to endure it.the setting is a very important part of the story because Chris puts himself there. It is the whole point, the idea of where he is throughout his journey. If he didn t or wasn t allowed to go there it would defeat the purpose of his journey. Through the setting, Chris was getting the power and control that he wanted and maybe even needed. To Krakauer, Chris just had to do this. It was his only choice. And obviously Chris felt the same way because he left his friends and family behind to go into the wild.

8 8 By Alondra Garcia CHARACTER Chris McCandless stops at nothing to disappear from his parents life and get to Alaska for his one last life journey to prove himself what he is capable of. He was a great man to others and still is after is death. Chris was a strong and bold person he was easy to get along with but then slipped out of your life painlessly at least through his part. He always had an armor up man or woman could get into his heart after family problems. He made himself disappear out of his parents life and changed his name multiple times, a billionaire child. What kind of man would leave a life of riches? Chris. He was horrified of the idea depending on people he needed to depend on himself and being in the wild was where he felt at most dependent. His passion for the wild was massive. No woman nor man could get him from stepping away from his Alaska journey. His strong character was what kept him being out there on his own for several months. But the truth is he wouldn t feel any different after the trip. The author, Jon Krakauer, had a same life and death experience but he survived it and after that long trip he realized doing that didn t make a difference in his life because life still moves on no matter what you do. What he and Chris had in common that fire they had for the wilderness put them in danger but that didn t stop them that s where they felt sane and themselves, away from humanity and any living soul except animals and the trees.

9 9 By Alondra Garcia CHARACTER All he ever wanted was to be in the wild where he could turn to when he was alone that s what had his back and was stable in his life. Chris is and was a stubborn young man who thought he could do anything just like any teenager thinking they are indestructible, but being proven wrong when something tragic and deadly happens. After that moment they realize they cant do everything and that just sometimes your going to be wrong and make a wrong choice. But Chris didn t think straight through who would get hurt if he died, never knowing so many people would call in for him asking if that was him who passed away. He thought he was prepared for anything and thought he knew everything but he was wrong. After all the mistakes Chris did he still is a hero to many because a hero doesn t have to be perfect as long as they follow their heart. Every person he met while he was on his way to Alaska begged him to not go and just call his parents and go home. But I think he needed to go to Alaska to feel alive and get the guts to call his parents back and say he wants to go home again. Maybe that s what got him to stay away from home because he had such a cushiony life, he wanted a thrilling expedition that would make him go face to face with death and say I did it I can finally feel like myself, I m Christopher Johnson McCandless and I m finally in my own skin and feet. That s all he needed but tragically the wilderness got the best of him.

10 10 SYMBOL By Sophy Park MOUNTAINS In Into the Wild, mountains are shown everywhere. The setting itself is mostly based on the mountains. However, in the book, mountains are not just meant for background or history. It represents a difficult obstacle that challenges one s ability. The mountain tests Chris McCandless s will, his pride, and his passion. It also reveals the memory of the author, Jon Krakauer s youth. Chris McCandless is a young man with strong determination. With great journey in mind, Chris leaves everything behind and shuts himself from society. He eagerly walks away from civilization and tramps into the wilderness. Chris s dream was to start a great adventure and experience a new life in the wilderness. Chris came from a rich family with a domineering father. He wasn t able to get along well and rebelled against his parents. After graduating from Emory University, he donates his college funds to a charity and disappears. Without telling anyone where he was headed, he drove out with his yellow Datsun.

11 11 SYMBOL By Sophy Park Chris was intelligent and very likable. However, he was overconfident and overestimated himself. He went out to explore and test himself out in the wild. Jon Krakauer shared the same passion as Chris when he was young. Jon Krakauer dreamed about intense hiking and decided to escape to Alaskan wilderness and climb the Devil s Thumb. Hiking after hiking, all that greeted him were obstacles. However, Jon continued to climb. Although there were times where things were very difficult, he didn t give up on his goal. Despite the harsh conditions and extremely cold weather, he forgets about the hardship and concentrates on climbing all the way to the top of the mountain. He appreciated the nature and enjoyed his new freedom. Chris also wanted this sense of new freedom. He wanted to test himself and go beyond what he was able to do. He wanted to see how far he could go and achieve something great. Putting devotion to his passion, Chris pushes himself to continue and finish his journey. With limited supplies, Chris does his best to survive in the wild. He hunted what he could find and ate what he could. Unfortunately, Chris had little knowledge about Alaskan wilderness and lacked good equipments. By the time he had enough of his trip, he already had reached his limit. The risk he took to test himself and survive in the mountains made him weak. The wilderness consumed his life and his death caused many heartbreaks. His family and friends were all devastated, but the Alaskan hunters felt no pity for Chris and called him a fool. Led by his pride and will, he marched into the wild and was defeated. His luck reversed and turned to misfortune. However his death wasn t so depressing. Despite the painful situation he was in, he didn t seem to regret his trip. In his last picture, Chris seemed content and his eyes were peaceful. He was able to spend his last days and his last hours with the mountains.

12 12 By Olivia Humes POINT OF VIEW In Into the Wild, Jon Krakauer tells the story of Chris McCandless through a third person narration. Because this style of writing is used, reading the book is also like reading the story of how the author came to understand Chris; he even offers his own life as a comparison. Krakauer though he never directly says so does not think that Chris was reckless or crazy for going out into the wild, unlike many other case studies he draws on from many eras of history. One of the major themes of Into the Wild is when people take risks, the people that love them can get hurt. Krakauer ties this theme into Chris s story by interviewing members of his family and people Chris met along the way to offer another perspective on his story. Although Chris felt as if he needed to go into the wilderness to test his strength, the people he left behind were those who ultimately were tested the most. By weaving together these different perspectives, the author presents a very interesting and complex story.

13 13 POINT OF VIEW CONTINUED By Olivia Humes Krakauer s point of view is also very insightful because of his own personal experiences. Chris s life was very similar to Krakauer s, both had unstable relationships with their fathers and both wanted to go to Alaska to prove themselves. In the middle of the book, Jon Krakauer takes a break from retelling Chris s adventures to tell his own story of when he was young and attempted to climb Devil s Thumb. There are many times along the way where, with one wrong move, Krakauer would have died and ended up just like Chris. Hearing this story strengthens the theme that some people need to go into the wild to take risks and test themselves. Both Chris and Krakauer are those kinds of people, and their similar stories lead to a better understanding of what Chris went through. Originally, Krakauer wrote Into the Wild as an article for the magazine Outside. He received many letters back from people, stating their opinion about Chris. Some people thought that Chris was crazy, other thought he was suicidal, and still others thought he was brilliant. Although Krakauer lets the reader decide what Chris s intentions were, by reading the comparisons Krakauer makes to other illfated adventurers themselves crazy and drawing little in conclusion, you can tell he doesn t think Chris did anything wrong. From his background in mountaineering, he seems to understand Chris s desire to go out in the wild, and offers insight into what might have gone on in Chris s head. This ties into the theme that different people can perceive bold acts differently. Jon Krakauer wrote the book to show what he thought, and let the reader make up their mind.