John Mazzoleni: Chapter 1 - 6

 

Chapter 1

 

1. Who picked up Chris and brought him to the edge of Denali National Park?

Jim Gallien 

 

2. What did the man give Chris before he left?

A pair of rubber boots and his phone number so Chris could call him when he left.

 

Chapter 2 

 

3. From what book does the Chapter start out quoting? Why is this important?

It quotes Jack London's White Fang.  This is important because Chris idolized London and based some of his journey off his writing.

 

4. Who found Chris' body in the bus?

A couple was standing outside of it scared, and then three hunters came along and discovered his body.

 

Chapter 3 

 

5. Describe Wayne Westerberg.

He was a hyperkinetic man with thick shoulders and a black goatee.  He owns a grain elevator in Carthage, South Dakota.

 

6. How do Chris and Wayne meet? What happens between them?

Wayne picks Chris up one day while he's hitch-hiking.  Wayne offers Chris a job and Chris starts working for him, and the two eventually become good friends.

 

7. What did Chris' parents want to give him after he graduated? Why did he refuse it?

They wanted to buy him a new car.  He didn't want it because he had an old Datsun he had driven since high school and he loved it.  He didn't like how his parents were always trying to buy gifts for him, but never listened to what he wanted.

 

Chapter 4 

 

8. What happened to Chris' Datsun?

It stopped working so he left it by a river.  He came back for it later but the Park Service had already taken it and used it for drug busts.

 

9. Who owned a ranch who Chris worked for briefly?

Crazy Ernie

 

10. Who did Chris' parents hire after they found out what he was doing?

Peter Kalitka, a private investigator who worked for the FBI.

 

11. Where did the rivers that Chris followed take him? How did he get back?

They took him all the way down to Mexico.  He crossed the border and was caught by the INS, where he was forced to give up his gun.

 

Chapter 5

 

12. Where did Chris live and work after leaving Las Vegas in May 1991?

He lives in Bullhead City, Arizona.  He works at a local McDonalds.

 

13. Why didn't the McDonald's people like Chris?

He didn't wear socks, he worked slow, and he shaved and kept clean in the bathroom.  The people who work there offer him rides, but he always declines.

 

14. Where did Chris talk about going to Jan?

Alaska, to live off the land.

 

15. Where did Chris stay with Jan and Bob? What did they do to make money?

He lived in a place called "The Slabs".  He sold books and knick-knacks at a flea market type thing.

 

16. Describe Tracy.

Tracy is a seventeen year old who lives at the Slabs with her parents.  She takes a strong liking to Chris, but he is partial to her because of her age and her situation.

 

17. What did Chris do with the stuff Jan gave him?

He left it in their trailer, and she didn't find it until she got back.

Chapter 6 

18. Who is the man who asked for the magazine? Why is he important?

Ronald A. Franz. He said he knew Alex (Chris) on a personal level and he meant a lot to him. He wanted to learn more.

 

19. Where was Chris staying when Ron picked him up?

Oh-My-God Hot Springs.

 

20. Where did Chris go after he left Ron?

He went back to South Dakota to work for Wayne

 

21. What advice did Chris give Ron?

To live away from the land for a while, and to try and make something out of his life so he can stop wallowing in his past.

 

Taylor Thelemann Chapters 7-12

 

Chapter 7

 

1. Who is Wayne Westerberg?

A rancher who picks up Chris Hitchhiking, offers him a job.

 

2. Does Chris like Wayne?

Chris really enjoy's the time he spends on the ranch, and enjoys working for him. Him and Wayne have a lot of key conversations about Chris' future and where he is headed.

 

3. Is Chris a good Worker? Use a quote to prove why or why not.

Yes, he works very hard. Wayne even says he is a hard worker. "He was the hardest worker i've ever seen. Didn't matter what it was, he'd do it" (Krakauer 18).

 

4. Does Westerberg think Chris is intelligent?

Yes, but he admits there were gaps in his intelligence, and that he didn't know his way around machinery very well. He was brilliant, but lacked common sense.

 

5. Why didn't Chris come back?

Chris passed away before the fall, which was when he told Westerberg he would work for him.

 

6. Why did Chris leave in the first place if he loved it so much?

Chris left because Westerberg got arrested. He wasn't good friends with the rest of the guys, and didn't fit in or have close relationships with any of them.

 

Chapter 8

 

7. Do the opening quotes show much hope for Chris?

No, the quotes are explaining the extremes of people living in Alaska, not to mention that Chris is living on his own in the wild.

 

8. What does the criticism of Chris show about his character?

Many people doubted him, especially when he chose to go to Alaska. People don't respect his decisions, but Chris goes into the wild regardless.

 

9. Do you think peoples criticism slows Chris down at all?

No. What people think about him doesn't bother him at all. He gets stronger and more motivated with everyone doubting him.

 

Chapter 9

 

10. What is the point Krakauer is trying to get across with the letters at the beginning of Chapter 9?

He is trying to show a similar lifestyle to Chris'. To try and show that he wasn't the only one courageous enough to do what McCandless did.

 

11. Does Ruess' story directly relate to Chris'? How are they similar?

They are similar, but do not directly relate. They both went into the wild on their own, and they both changed names upon leaving.

 

12. Do you think that Chris struggled as much as Ruess did? Explain.

No, I think Chris is doing better on his own. It mentions that at times Ruess hadn't ate for up to 6 days, something Chris didn't do until he got sick. Up until the moment he got sick, he was doing great. He was living on his own, meeting new people, and feeding himself. It took him being poisioned to get him to stop eating, only because he couldn't move. It seems like Ruess wasn't as smart in the wild as Chris was, and struggled to survive a lot more.

 

Chapter 10

 

13. What was the date of the New York Times article that explained Chris' death?

September 13, 1992.

 

14. What other newspaper has news of McCandless death in it?

"Anchorage Daily News"

 

15. What does Jim Gallien Realize while reading the article?

Gallien thinks that the article matches the person he picked up hitchhiking. He soon after begins to doubt his original thoughts, because the evidence starts to mismatch his more and more.

 

16. Who is Sam? and what does he realize by the picture?

Sam is Chris' half brother. While reading the article of his death, he can tell it's Chris. He had no idea until he saw the picture. Although Chris had long hair and wasn't cleanly shaven like usual, Sam knew the face.

 

17. After realizing the Hiker is Chris, what does sam realize he has to do?

He knows he must go to Maryland and tell Dad and Billie about it. While on his way, he admits he has no idea how to break the news to them that their son has died.

 

Chapter 11

 

18. From what Chris' father tells Krakauer, did the family like him?

The McCandless adored Chris. They wonder "how a child with so much compassion could cause so much pain to a family"

 

19. From how Walt is described, was he successful in his past?

Yes, they mention how brilliant he is. This is probably where Chris received his intelligence. They also mention how he is accustomed to calling the shots and being in control, which might have been one of the reasons that Chris left.

 

Chapter 12

 

20. From the quotes early in the chapter, what is apparent about his relationship with his parents?

They said that he really respected his father, despite his differences, and enjoyed his help throughout his childhood.

 

Chapter 13

 

1. Where is Carine McCandless in the beginning of this chapter?

She is in Virginia Beach, thinking about why her brother did run away. Sick of her parents.

 

2. What does Carine cry over?

Chris's death 

 

3. How long has it been since Carine found out about Chris's death?

ten months

 

4. Where do Carine and her husband go visit?

her parents home

 

5. In Fairbanks what do they retrieve or get?

Chris's Body

 

6. How has Chris's death affected their diets?

He starved to death

 

Chapter 14

 

7. Where did Chris send his last card to?

Westerberg 

 

8. The death was a accident? What happened?

Yes, Chris ate poisonous berries.

 

9. What does he say his obsessions were in his letter?

Climbing, reaching new heights, prove to his father his new skills.

 

10. What job did Jon quit?

Carpentry job

 

11. Where does the author, Jon set out for?

Alaska

 

12. What mountain does Jon climb?

Devils Thumb

 

13. Does he finish climbing the mountain?

No

 

Chapter 16

 

14. What does he send to people he met along the way?

Postcards and pictures

 

15. What animal does he kill, that he feels bad for, ends up not eating it?

Moose

 

16. What does he start treating his food like?

Treats it Holy and sacredly 

 

17. What does Chris eat instead of meat?

Different kinds of plants

 

18. He planned on to return home on July 3rd what stops him?

A beaver damn blockade

 

19. What does he live in until his fatal death?

a Bus

 

Chapter 17

 

20. Jon arrives at the Bus, what does he discovers?

The remaining bones of the Moose.

 

21. Inside the Bus Jon finds what?

Chris's bones, clothing, pot and pans, books, and supplies.

 

Chapter 18

 

22. What did he die from?

poisonous pea

 

23. What does Chris write for?

Help

 

24. His last noted journal entry, what does Chris say and take?

Goodbye, and takes a picture.