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Into the Wild Chapters 10-14
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25/10/2025 4:34 pm
I believe that in this case it was ethical for the author to introduce his own story in the midst of this book because I feel like it closely relates to the McCandless story. The event has many similarities to McCandless' adventure which makes it feel like the author has a deeper connection and understanding of this story. If the story he had added would have had nothing to do with the story going on it would have been much different. But it was similar to many of the other stories in the book of other people and how they had adventures similar to McCandless. It just makes sense and it fits being added into the book because it gives you another perspective of someone else's journey in Alaska and how difficult it really is to survive.
I think the introduction is helpful because it demonstrates the idea that maybe McCandless wasn't a crazy guy who was making decisions off a whim, because it demonstrates a story of someone else who similarly made a choice to take a trip to Alaska and it proved to be just as difficult for the other person. It was necessary because it puts you in the shoes of someone else who had a similar experience to McCandless and offers you what his experience was like, which makes us have a better understanding of what mccandles might have been going through while on his journey. “Hours slide by like minutes. The accumulated clutter of day-to-day existence-the lapses of conscience, the unpaid bills, the bungled opportunities, the dust under the couch, the inescapable prison of your genes” (143) This quote feels like something very similar to how McCandless talks about feeling in his journal entries. How he could not keep track of time and days and weeks blended together. It helps us to get an understanding of how different it really is to be in a situation completely cut off from all of society and on your own fending for yourself. It gives me a feeling of respect for these people because how could anyone imagine feeling like you are going crazy and not even being able to do something as simple as keeping track of time, yet they are so calm and accepting of it and it just becomes normal to them. “I felt abandoned, vulnerable, lost.” (141) This also backs up the idea that going out into the wilderness on your own is a daunting thing and it can take a toll on you mentally. It takes a strong person to go through this and persist on and keep going to achieve a goal they have set for themselves. I did find it surprising that the author chose to add this story into the book. But I do think it was a creative way to show someone else's perspective of a journey so similar to McCandless. It opens up the reader's mind to thinking about how this could relate to McCandless' story. I think it helps tie everything together and gives us a more complex picture of what this was like for him and maybe why he did it.
27/10/2025 9:04 pm
This is exactly how I was thinking. It was absolutely ethical for Jon to add his own story to the story he wrote about McCandless. I understand it would not be ethical if he switched the story over to him and it ended by talking about Jon. He used his own experiences being a young man curious about the Alaska mountains. Like you had said, it does take a strong person to be able to stick it out in the Alaska woods. It was great that Jon was comfortable sharing his own experience, which makes the story more personal.
Jon adding his own story to his narrative about McCandless shows us that he is empathetic to McCandless. He was in a similar boat, wanting to explore and be dangerous. This answers many questions for us readers. Jon is not being selfish; he is guiding our understanding.
Would it be helpful if all non-fiction narratives had their own author write a personal anecdote?
28/10/2025 9:55 pm
I agree with how you say krakauer's story makes sense in the book because the story connects to McCandless in a way the reader might not be able to. Your response to this prompt helps me further understand that Krakauer might have also included his story to point out that neither Krakauer or McCandless were unique with their spontaneous actions. The fact that both Krakauer and McCandless both did this means that many more people have too, maybe to get away from social life or even their own thoughts. Many people have been doing things like that now to clear their heads, like hikes and walks. McCandless might have had that initial though before realizing it is daunting like you said. Do you think that people idolizing nature and going into the wild is becoming more common? Or do you think McCandless was truly unique in why he wanted to leave?
28/10/2025 11:04 pm
I concur with your opinion of Krakauer's insertion. Like you mentioned, Krakauer's personal story closely relates in similarity and goal to McCandless's, and I think that was his intention—to give another viewpoint to go off of for the readers to gain understanding of McCandless. I really like how you said, "helpful because it demonstrates the idea that maybe McCandless wasn't a crazy guy who was making decisions off a whim" (cgoulet26) because using his own experience might show the reader that perhaps McCandless didn't go into all this blind; maybe he knew what he was doing and was in it for the adventure after all—which I believe is something you also make reference to in your writing. You mentioned in your writing how you found it interesting that the author chose to add his story in the book, but that begs the question: did you have the same thought as me that maybe there was another way to add depth and understanding than the author's story, or did you find that it was a perfect fit and just surprised you?
