Into the Wild Chapters 11-13

Objective: Determine why Krakauer chooses to include elements of McCandless’ childhood

later in the book. Identify passages that have changed in meaning, or are deeper in
meaning, with the revelations in chapters 11-13. Explain how these revelations affect our
interpretations as readers.

Select 2 moments from chapters 11-13 that give us information on how McCandless was
growing up/in college (paraphrasing is fine, but be detailed).

1: McCandless was around a lot of adventure and danger in his youth from his dad in the
Rocky Mountains State Park where they reached a 13,000 elevation before turning back.
Even though his dad wanted to turn around McCandless wanted to keep going through the
dangerous steep part of the mountain revealing to us that at youth McCandless loved the
excitement of danger and being rebellious as he was going to go against his fathers wishes
to go back down the mountain. This connects to the situation he finds himself in when he
doesn’t listen to his parents and leaves with not sufficient supplies entering a dangerous
environment killing him.

2 When Chris is facing the bombshell of his dad being with both families he begins to
leave for trips and drives for one of his trips to Fairbanks, Alaska. This is an important
moment because when he was up there he grew to like the adventure of Alaska. It also
gives us information on why he wanted to go back which shows maybe one reason that he
went to Alaska the second time to survive with little surprise.

Identify 2 moments from earlier sections that can be read differently with the information
above (paraphrasing is fine, but be detailed).

1 In the book when Gallien warns him about not going into the Alaskan woods alone with
no supplies he goes anyway. This makes sense after reading the later chapters as you learn
that McCandless is rebellious to his warnings and wants to get there as fast as possible with
little supplies to be an “adventure man” and fight the dangers of Alaska. Also, his love for
Alaska caused him to go there after visiting the first time.

2 When Burress gives McCandles knives for his trip to Alaska in chapter 5 she goes back
into the trailer to see that McCandles took the knives out of his bag and put them on the
bed in the trailer. After reading the later chapters it makes sense that he left his stuff behind
as from youth he has been rebellious and didn’t like to take help from others, being
individual.

Select and Explain: Choose one of the examples above and explain the effect on the
reader when gaining new information (3-6 sentences)

As McCandles hiked up the Rocky Mountains in the Rocky Mountain State Park with his dad and
half brother the reader gains more background on McCandless's actions and beliefs that caused his
death in Alaska later in life. Once his father, him, and his half brother reach the elevation of
13,000ft McCandlesses dad wanted to turn back but McCandless showed rebellious qualities to
keep going. The reader gains new information about McCandless that is shown when he goes to
Alaska for the second time as he rebels against advice given to him to rethink his decision and stay.
After reflecting on the adventurous mindset of McCandless given in the later chapters it connects
to when in the first chapters when Gallien is giving McCandless a ride to the place where
McCandless will start his journey in Alaska. Gallien informs McCandless on the ride there after
seeing his supplies to bring more supplies, bring someone with him, and to not go in general.
However, he refuses and gets dropped off highlighting the adventurous and rebellious mindset that
is later shown at the Rocky Mountain State Park.