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Into the Wild

Page history last edited by PBworks 16 years, 1 month ago

Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer

In the Prologue, Krakauer states his objectives:

--to understand the grip wilderness has on the American imagination

--to understand the allure of high risk activities

--to understand the bond between fathers and sons

He goes on to say that his initial article in Outside generated the most mail of any article in the history of the magazine. He withholds his convictions about McCandless. What is the effect?

In the Author's note Krakauer offers readers a dichotomy: either McCandless is a wacko and narcissist or he is to be admired for his courage and noble ideas. State you own perspective.

What is the myth of the West and of wilderness? How does it affect McCandless? Consider the values of roughed individualism and the consequences of such thinking. These forces are part of the culture we live in and often shape our attitudes and options.

--Consider gender and ethnicity. How might this quest into the wild be different for women or people of color?

--Consider American wilderness and the history of American identity. How have Americans used the "Wild" to continually forge their identity

--The literature McCandless read: Thoreau, Tolstoy, Jack London, others. What is the effect? Locate specific passages in the writing.

--Romanticism and realism: What is the difference? Are we always able to tell?

--Counterculture idealism: if there is a way of life that denounces conformity in America, how would you define it? Examples?

--Alaskan wisdom: what is it?

--The essence of youth: What are young people looking for?

--Post-adolescent fog: incomprehensible worlds

--Skewed family relations

--Krakauer's personal narrative (Chapters 14 and 15) Autobiography is different than Biography. Krakauer frames his own quest to climb Devil's Thumb with the story of McCandless. Why? What purpose does this narrative structure serve?

--Your personal narratives: any stories in your own life that shape your attitudes and perspectives about Krakauer's text?

--Everett Ruess: How is he different than McCandless? Who is Everett Ruess? See if you can find out.

(Source for the above, as well as a thorough discussion guide)

http://www.wsu.edu/~hughesc/into_the_wild_guide.htm)

Here is the link to the original magazine article that inspired the book.

http://outside.away.com/magazine/0193/9301fdea.html

Check out the trailer for the brand new film

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LAuzT_x8Ek

Values Auction Resouce

Values Auction.doc