Ideas for Reports and Papers
1. Jon Krakauer attributes Chris McCandless's death to "one or two seemingly insignificant blunders." What were these mistakes, and how might Chris have avoided them? Discuss the types of preparations necessary for someone planning to live in the wilderness.
2. Who are "Rubber Tramps" and "Leather Tramps"? Describe their lifestyles. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of living as a vagabond.
3. Reflect on the various accounts Krakauer mentions of individuals undertaking similar ventures to McCandless's. Discuss the types of idealism or feelings of alienation that drive these young people to leave their former lives and embrace potentially hazardous existences.
4. Select an individual who has attempted to live in the wild like McCandless and research their experiences. Write a brief biography about their adventures and the lessons they may have learned.
5. Krakauer appears hesitant to judge either McCandless or the people involved in his life. Many individuals have either praised or criticized McCandless for his perceived recklessness or Krakauer for his empathetic narrative approach. How would you defend or critique the author's decision to remain neutral?
6. In several instances, Krakauer includes autobiographical elements and suggests that his own experiences shape his viewpoint. Discuss an episode from your life where your past experiences may have influenced your judgment or understanding of someone else.
7. The often strained relationships between children and their parents is a key theme in Into the Wild. Describe and discuss some communication barriers between generations that you can identify either in this book or from your own experience.
8. Krakauer states that he tries to "minimize" his "authorial presence." Explain what you think he means by this, and discuss whether considering authorial presence is important when reading other types of literature, such as fiction.
9. Krakauer incorporates quotations from other wilderness books and anecdotes about other ill-fated young adventurers as intertexts in Into the Wild. Based on your response to this book, discuss how the use of intertexts enhances your understanding of the story.
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