Chapter 6

1. What changes do you notice in the narrative stance of Chapter 4?

2. Why did they send Krakauer (the writer) a letter from Ronald Franz?

3. In Chris/Alex's letter to Ron Franz he reveals his philosophy of life. This is important for an understanding of what happened to him. Summarize his ideas in your own words.

4. What did the Krakauer learn when he visited Franz?

Chapter 7

1. What was Chris/Alex's relationship to his family?

2. What was his relationship to girls and his attitude towards sex?

3. What was his relationship to people in general?

4. How does the writer know all this?

5. When did Wayne Westerberg last see Alex?

Chapter 8

1. When people read about Chris McCandless' death what was their reaction?

2. Why does Krakauer write about other eccentric people?

3. How does Chris/Alex compare to these other people?

Chapter 9

1. Krakauer spends an entire chapter on Everett Ruess. How is Ruess similar to McCandless and how is he different? 

2. What connection do the Irish monks have with McCandless? Or, why did Krakauer bring them into this story?

What is your response to this section of the book?

Return to Schedule

Chapter 10

What do we find out in Chapter 10?

Chapter 11

1. Remembering Chris/Alex's letter to Ron Franz, how do you think Chris felt about his parents' lifestyle?

2. What did Chris inherit from his father?

3. What do we find out in this chapter that helps explains Chris' disappearance?

4. Trace a time-line for Chris in this chapter. 

Chapter 12

1. What discovery did Chris make about his parents in El Segundo? Why was this important?

2. What was Chris' emotional state during his last year of college?

3. Why didn't Chris contact his family after he disappeared?

4. How did his parents feel during this time?

 5. What do you think of Chris' attitude and that of his parents?

Chapter 13

1. What do we learn during this chapter?

2. How does this chapter make you feel about Chris, and about his mother and sister?

Chapter 14

1. Why does Krakauer identify with Chris?

2. What does Krakauer do and how is that like Chris?

3. Why do you think Krakauer writes about himself in this chapter?

Write a summary of everything you have learned about Chris/Alex thus far in the book.

Return to Schedule