GROUP ONE: CHAPTERS 9-15

12/20/2010

Identify two specific details or examples (using quotes) from Chris McCandless’ childhood/high school years that seem to predict his later behavior. What is it about these events that help to explain his actions as an adult? If using the same detail/example, provide new evidence, quotes, and insights to explain these predictions.

CHOOSE ONE of the following prompts to answer: Not everyone should choose the same prompt. Be sure to add new insights/details to answer the prompt, especially if answering the same as other students.

1.      Contrast McCandless’ feelings about his family with his family’s feelings about him. How does the Thoreau quote that opens the chapter match Chris’ feelings about his family? Support your points with two quotes from the reading.

OR.....



2.      Read the italicized passage on page 168 that McCandless wrote and the italicized passage he highlighted from Tolstoy on page 169. Based on these writings and events in this chapter, what convinced McCandless that it was time to return to civilization? What did he learn from his time “in the wild”? Support your answer with specific details.

Now, respond to at least one person for EACH of the questions, even though you did not answer all three. Spend a little more time in your response to the question you did NOT answer.

34 Comments

Tiffany Gantt

12/23/2010 10:38:10 am

Question 1
Chris was high achiever,he wanted to prove that there was at least one person that could get something done that everybody eles thing it couldn't be done.So this right here let him to to prove that a man could live in the wild of Alaskas and that he dint need anybody help to do it. Another example is when he was in high school he would go around and help the prostitutes and the homeles by buying them meals.Another example that stood at me when his buddy Hathway made a ommited about that chris "had a trouble wth the whole idea's of parents" that he called that his parents unreasonable tyrants.They didn't like the fact that chris didn't want to go to college so they try to push him to go but it didnt work out as they plan Chris had started his journey of his own life.

Tiffany Gantt

12/23/2010 11:07:23 am

Question 2
Chris has learn alot of thing in the wild.But he most thingi think he learn was that He found his own self and not letting people put a name tag on him.He also learn that there is "only one certain of a happiness in life is to live for others"this is what he highlight in tolstoy's book he agree that a man heart desire is to be there for others and be useful as well in life and have a mate and perhaps childen.Chris had lean the life in the wild isn't a life that a man should have.chris didnt want to leave ths world without living a life beyond the wild.Chris is ready to go home and begain a civilization with humans.

Andy

12/29/2010 05:47:12 am

Question One:

Chris as a teenager was popular and sociable but he also liked to go out and be by himself quite alot. ( pg 107) He could be alone without being lonely. Also as a child Chris went out late at night and went through the woods to a neighbors house and scaring his parents half to death! Showing that even as a child he was very adventurous even at a young age.

Andy

12/29/2010 05:51:42 am

Question Two:

During this chapter and his whole experience in the wild he finds his true self. he finds that he can make it on his own, but he also finds that being alone isnt what he wants his whole life. He realizes that it would be nice to go back to civilization where he can socialize and actually have heat. He has made the experience he acheived for and thats all he wanted.

Rebekah Lambeth

12/29/2010 10:36:20 am

Question 1:
"Chris was fearless even when we was little. He didn't think the odds applied to him. We were always trying to pull him back from the edge."(109) This helps explain Chris's actions as adult showing how he was fearless giving up everything he had to go into the wild. Chris was a high achiever in almost everything that caught his fancy.(109) He was willing to do anything to achieve something he wanted to do. He wouldn't let anyone change his mind.

Rebekah Lambeth

12/29/2010 12:09:36 pm

Question 2:
Throughout the whole journey Chris found his meaning in life. He didn't need anyone to tell him how to live his life he knew exactly the way he wanted to live. It was a struggle at times and he achieved what he wanted to achieve. He realized that he needed to return to civilization. He experienced what he had always dreamed to do. Chris learned that he couldn't make the rest of his life in the wild without nothing.

Rebekah Lambeth

12/29/2010 12:31:46 pm

Reply to Andy's Question 1:
I agree. Chris lived his life very much on the edge. Since he was very adventurous as a child it help predict that he was going to life his life on the edge when he got older and that's what he did by taking a daring journey into the wild without anything.

Rebekah Lambeth

12/29/2010 12:39:51 pm

Reply to Tiffany's Question 2:
I agree with your answer. When Chris goes out into the wild he finds his true self. He learned his strengths and weaknesses. He lived for once the life he had always dreamed of living. He lived for what made him happy and not what made everyone else happy. But once he lived the way he wanted to live he knew it was time to return to civilization.

cheap air jordan shoes link

1/10/2011 04:24:15 pm

Good articles and thanks for sharing! I dont think it’s my explore problem? Beacuse it’s pretty normal when visit other websites. Time keeping is essential to dream weaving.

STOPP!!!

5/26/2011 02:39:07 am

people need to stop commenting pointless replies. you dont have to grade it, Mrs.Carter does and im sure she doesnt want to keep getting dumb emails saying stupid stuff.be considerate of others.. act your age and stop doing it! Its immature.

Emily Clark

5/26/2011 11:44:42 am

McCandless was an independent individual. On 107 it mentions that a teacher pulled his parents aside at a PTA meeting and said that 'Chris marches to a different drummer'. Chris also enjoyed his space as a child. On page 107 his sister goes on to say that he "could be alone without being lonely". Further on his sister says that she could depend on Chris when their parents weren't getting along.

Emily Clark

5/26/2011 12:13:52 pm

Question 1b

Chris became very withdrawn and angry towards his parents after his sophmore year in college. He didn't understand why his parents worried so much and he seemed to resent them. While his parents were very concerned about Chris and thought the world of him. His dad was thrilled when Chris mentioned going to law school. The quote at the beginning of the chapter fits Chris' feelings towards his parents because he seemed distant from them like they were un-hospitable.

ryan smith

5/26/2011 12:50:34 pm

question 1;

Chris was in some way a very stubborn younge man.He had set his mind to living out in the wild, and wouldnt take nanything from anyone. People offered him resources and he wouldnt take them. After a little bit, Chris noticed that the life without civilization was alot harder than he had essentially thought. He began to realize that he may indeed need to go back to civilization, so thats exactly what he did.

ryan smith

5/26/2011 01:18:06 pm

question 2;

Chris felt like he was lackin the great neccesities of life. He felt he was missing everything with value. McCandleless was satisfied with what he had learned in the wild and was ready to return to civilization.It was time to bring his "final great adventure" to a close. He wasnt giving up, he just felt he had learned enough.

ryan smith

5/26/2011 01:25:35 pm

reply to emily; question 1

I agree witht the quote" he could be alone with being lonely," talking about Chris. "He has a great imagination and doesnt need soomeone else there to help im have a good time. He can do it on his own. He is very independent and uses expperiences like thiis to challenge himself and learn from his mistakes. He feels that these are "great adventures" and he loves being on his own in nature without civilization.

ryan smith

5/26/2011 01:30:06 pm

reply to emily; 1b

I agree that Chris was very impatient and angry with his parents when he was a sophmore. He just didnt understand that they worried so much just because they cared.Chris' dad felt a sort of excitement and acccomplishment when Chris menioned going to law school, as all parents would.

abbey byrd

5/26/2011 02:12:12 pm

Question 1:
McCandless’ parents tried to push him to go to college and that was not what Chris wanted. Chris is a very independent and adventurous individual. Chris felt that his parents were unreasonable tryrants. Chris felt the need of doing things on his own without other peoples help. He also very well stuck to his words. McCandless “had trouble with the whole idea’s of parents.” As Chris turned into an adult he slowly grew more and more away from his parents. He also lost respect for his father when he found out he had a son with his first wife. This pushes him away farther from his parents. Although Chris is stubborn that would probably push me away too. He saw his family as just bringing him down and pretty much left them for the wild. I would love to do that but I don’t think I would be as courageous as Chris has been throughour the novel so far.

Question 2:
Based on the writings and events in this chapter, I think Chris decided to return back to civilization because he found that living in the wild alone is hard. It would also be very lonely. Chris was happy at what he had accomplished. Since he is stubborn I think he went “into the wild” because he had his mind set on it and he is very driven to accomplish things he wants to do. I think he found himself on his long journey and found the meaning of life. He also wanted to start over and forgive his parents.

abbey byrd

5/26/2011 02:19:07 pm

Reply to Emily:Q1
I agree, it is obvious that Chris was very independent and enjoyed his space as a child. He also does seem like someone you can depend on because he is someone who seems like they would always get the job done.

Reply to Ryan: Q2
Agreed! Chris did feel like he was lacking the great necessities of life. He was very proud of what he had accomplished but at the same time ready to go back to civilization. He was ready to bring his adventures to a close and come back willing to forgive and now more confident because he found himself and the meaning of life.

emily clark

5/27/2011 02:43:23 am

reply Ryan 1

I agree that Chris was a very stubborn man. He had plenty of people who tried to talk him out of the stunts he pulled. His parents were always trying to talk him into being more careful when he was younger. Then Wayne tried to offer him plane tickets which he declined. Even strangers that he hardly knew tried to talk him out of going into the wild. Chris' refusal of taking an easy route shows his stubborn mind and drive to acheive what he wanted.

emily clark

5/27/2011 02:47:54 am

reply Abbey 2

I agree that Chris realized that living alone in the wild was harder than he imagined. However, i think that's why he wanted to try it in the first place, to prove that he could. Once he realized he could I believe he decided that he had learned all that he needed to know. That doubt of making it is what gave him the drive to set and accomplish such a remarkable goal. By returning to civilization Chris was going to show the world that he did even though no one thought he could.

Ashley Beckham

5/27/2011 02:49:27 am

Question 1:

As a child Chris always kept to himself. He wasnt antisocial, he always had friends. But he could entertain himself for hours (pg. 107). When he got his car in his senior year of highschool he got in the habit of taking it on extended road trips when classes were'nt in session. He told his parents that he was "going to disappear for a while." (pg. 24) Both of these examples show how Chris came to be as an adult. He likes to do what he wants and he didnt care what people thought about him.

Thomas Carota

5/27/2011 02:49:53 am

Question 1:

One example of Chris's behavior from childhood that'd predict his later behavior was when his sister said "he was very to himself, he wasn't anti social he had friends, and everbody liked him but he could go off and entertain himself for hours. He didn't seem to need toys or friends. He could be alone without being lonely". This quote showed that even when Chris was by himself, he was never lonely. It shows he was very independent and can take care of himself. Another example was when Chris was 12 years old, Walt took him and his children to the Rocky Mountains at 14,256 ft in elevation. The path they took to try and reach the top was rather hazardess, and Walt wanted to stop. Walt said, "I'd had it okay...but Chris wanted to keep going to the top. I told him no way. He was only twelve then, so all he could do was complain. If he'd been fourteen or fifteen, he would have simply gone on without me." This shows that Chris is also very independent and likes to take many risks.

Thomas Carota

5/27/2011 02:56:07 am

Question 2-- Prompt:

On page 103 Thoreau said, “As if all your life you had been led by the hand like a small child and then suddenly you were on your own, you had to learn to walk by yourself. There was no one around, neither family nor people whose judgment you respected. At such a time you felt the need of committing yourself to something absolute—life or truth or beauty-- or being ruled by it in place of the man-made rules that such as been discarded." This quote shows that as you get older you become a man. You walk on your own, your fend for yourself, your very independent. This related to Chris' feelings about his family in many ways. He wants to become self-reliant on himself, and he wants to become one with nature, and he doesn't want anybody's help.

Thomas Carota

5/27/2011 03:02:32 am

Reply to Ashley, Question 1:

I agree with you completely. I believe Chris took extended road trips to be alone, and also because he was becoming a man. As he got older, he became more and more independent on himself and nobody else. As he goes through the years, you can see more and more on how he wanted to become independent and self-reliant on himself and not others.

cara saxton

5/27/2011 03:04:48 am

Question 1

When he was a little boy he always kept to him self, he had friends but he could be by him self with out being lonely. His parents tried and tried and tried to get him to go to college and he did not want to because he is very independent. He likes to do things on his own.

Question 2

By reading the novel IN TO THE WILD I believe chris is very free-spirited and loves doing things own his own and for him self with out the help of others. i also think his dad is very controlling like on page 105 it says " accustomed to calling the shots, taking control is something he does unconsciously and reflexively." i think what that is saying is his dad is controlling with out him even knowinghe is doing it.

Reply 1

i agree with emily, chris is very indenpdent and likes doing things on his own.

Reply 2

i agree with abbey living on your own is hard much less in the wild. im glad he realized before it was too late.

Thomas Carota

5/27/2011 03:05:59 am

Reply to Emily, Question 1B:

I agree with you on that fact. I believe Chris' feeling towards his parents where that he felt very distant to them, as if they set him up to be self-reliant. He eventually changes his name to Alex because he wanted to become independent. He withdrew from society in order to become one with nature.

Thomas Carota

5/27/2011 03:06:55 am

Ms. Carter, I would reply to the second prompt, number 2, but everybody in my group answered the first prompt, so I am sorry.

Ashley Beckham

5/27/2011 03:07:31 am

Question 1b promt:

Chris feels that his parents lied to him, especially his father. He found out that after his father, Walt, married his mother, Billie, he still had a relationship with his "supposed" ex wife, Marcia. Walt had two lives, two families, and two households. Chris harbored his anger instead of talking about it and his resentment grew towards his whole family after he found out. (pg. 121-122) His family didnt know that he knew about his fathers lies. So they all assumed that he was just going crazy in a sense. They saw him become "different" and they saw him express his anger in silence and sullen withdrawal. (pg. 123) The quote in the beginning of the chapter goes perfectly with the way Chris feels about his family. The quote says "...I sat at a table where were rich food and wine in abundance, an obsequios attendence, but serenity and truth were not..." This shows that Chris feels lied to and betrayed.

emily clark

5/27/2011 03:12:12 am

reply Ashley 1b

I agree that the quote fits perfectly. He had a hunger for truth and all he was fed were lies. He felt that by being lied to his parents were being very cold towards him and leaving him out. Due to this Chris' resentment indeed grew emensley.

Ashley Beckham

5/27/2011 03:14:07 am

Reply to Emily Question 1:

I completely agree with you on the way Chris behaved as a child influenced his ways as an adult. It's also true that when Chris's parents would fight he would always try to be there for his sister. He also had no problems being alone and sometimes he even preferred it that way.

Ashley Beckham

5/27/2011 03:17:26 am

Reply to Thomas Question 1b prompt:

I think you used the wrong quote, either that or me and Clark did...
But anyways. I agree with the way you described this quote. It does show that as you get older you become a man and fend for yourself and learn to rely on yourself for things

kimberly carpenter

5/29/2011 09:17:00 am

question 1:
Chris was a very independent person even at a young age. he did not mind being alone because he still wasnt lonely. he alwaya relied on himself instead of others. I believe since he spent his childhood living like this, then that is the reason he is so independent as an adult. When someone offered him something, he would reject although they were giving it t him as a gift. "even when we were little, he was very to himself. he wasnt antisocial, he had friends..." He had many friends and enjoyed having people around but when it was just him, he still didnt mind because he didnt feel the lonliness.

kimberly carpenter

5/29/2011 09:33:38 am

question two:
Chris realizes he wants to return to civilization because he knows the wildlife isnt the one for him. He talks of how he wants to know a quiet life in the country with the possibility of being useful to people. he wants rest, nature music and books. also love for his neighbor. He was ready to turn to the world where he could "chug a beer, talk philosophy" also talk to strangers with tales of what hed done.pg 168 we can tell he is beginning to feel lonely and he is tired of the isolation he is dealing with in the wild.

kimberly carpenter

5/29/2011 09:42:27 am

reply 1:
reply to ryan.

I agree that he was very stubborn as a young man. and he didnt except anything from anyone. He was a little too independent in some ways though because they were only trying to help him but he rejected it.

reply 2:
reply to cara, q2

I agree that he was very free spirited and loved doing things on his own. I also agree that his dad did control him in many ways and that could be the reason he is the way he is now because he didnt want someone always standing beisde him telling him his every move. he wanted to be independent and free.

reply 3:
reply to abbey q2:
I agree! he did realize living in the wild was hard and he went into the wild to get away from everyone and start over new.

GROUP ONE: CHAPTERS 9-15

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