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1-Page Summary of Into the Wild

Overall Summary

Author’s Note

This book is about a young man who goes to Alaska and gets lost. He’s from an affluent family, but he decides to go on his own into the wilderness of Alaska. His body was found months later by hunters.

Outside magazine asked Jon Krakauer to write about the story of Chris McCandless. He explains that McCandless grew up in an affluent suburb, was a star student and athlete, graduated from Emory University with honors, changed his name and donated all his money to charity. Then he disappeared off the grid by abandoning his car, giving up all of his possessions and burning all the cash in his wallet.

“When McCandless died, I wrote an article about his death and the things he left behind. But as I researched more into him and his life, I was intrigued by what caused him to do what he did. So, instead of just writing a book about how he died, this book is my research on why Chris McCandless died.”

Author Jon Krakauer describes the main theme of his book, which is to explore how wilderness has a hold on the American imagination. He also explores why young men are drawn to high-risk activities and how fathers and sons interact with each other. Despite claiming that he isn’t an impartial biographer of Chris McCandless’ life story, Krakauer reveals that he was personally affected by it. In addition, while trying not to insert himself into the narrative too much, he does interrupt McCandless’ story with excerpts from his own youth. Finally, Krakauer describes Chris as an extremely intense young man who had trouble fitting in with modern society because of his stubborn idealism about living a simple life without wealth or privilege like Leo Tolstoy did.

Krakauer argues that McCandless was not looking for a land of milk and honey, but rather he went to Alaska in search of adversity. Krakauer believes that if McCandless had survived his journey into the Alaskan wilderness, he would have continued with his adventurous lifestyle. However, two mistakes ultimately led to his death.

There are many different opinions and letters about the story of Christopher McCandless. Some people think he was brave, while others believe he was reckless and arrogant. Jon Krakauer invites the reader to form their own opinion on this matter, but at some point in his book it will become clear what his own convictions are regarding this story.

Chapter 1

Jon Krakauer begins the chapter by describing a postcard Alex sent to his friend Wayne in Carthage, South Dakota. On April 27th, 1992, Alex wrote: “If this adventure proves fatal and you don’t ever hear from me again I want you to know that you are great man. I now walk into the wild…”

Jim Gallien, who was driving on the outskirts of Fairbanks, Alaska, picked up a young hitchhiker. The man introduced himself as Alex and said that he wanted to live off the land for a few months.

Gallien thought that Alex was a Jack London fan who wanted to live in the Alaskan wilderness. However, he agreed to drive him there because he noticed that his backpack was light and Chris’s boots were poor quality for the weather. He also observed that his.22 caliber rifle wasn’t powerful enough to kill big animals.

On the drive, Alex seems to be a charming and adventurous young man because he talks about nearly dying off the coast of Mexico during a storm. He shows Gallien his crude map of the national park, pointing out his intended hiking route: The Stampede Trail. Sensing that Alex is unprepared, Gallien attempts to dissuade him from hiking alone into the forest. But Chris refuses his advice, declaring that he will handle all obstacles on his own and without help from anyone else including family members with whom he has cut ties. Gallien drops Alex off on the edge of The Stampede Trail. Chris attempts to give Gallien his watch and loose change but Gallien implores him to take leftover lunch so that he can eat well while in the woods as well as use them for warmth or dryness if necessary. Chris reluctantly accepts these gifts and hikes onto the trail believing that everything will be fine since it’ll only be a few hours before hunger sets in forcing him back home again where there’s plenty of food available at any time throughout town or even nearby restaurants outside town within driving distance which would make it easy enough for someone who knows how to operate vehicles such as cars or trucks (which is something most people know how to do) especially since they’re not far away by car/truck making it possible for one person or more than one person if need be (depending upon whether another individual(s) are available at home willing and able enough along with you being willing enough yourself too just in case some extra assistance might prove useful afterall depending upon what happens once you actually get out there) given an opportunity like this should anything happen once you’ve arrived safely out there too wherever “there” may end up being.