25 Random Facts About Me

1. I enjoy running cross country more than track.
2. Spiders are my least favorite type of bug.
3. I use my iPod more than my cell phone.
4. I like to pray to God every night before I fall asleep.
5. Cats are my favorite animals, even though I do not own one.
6. Books are my best friends. Never ever will I grow tired of reading Harry Potter.
7. I have a small obsession with the Phantom of the Opera.
8. Titanic is my favorite movie.
9. Swimming is one of my favorite pastimes during the summer.
10. I'm saving up for a trip to Europe, particularly Germany.
11. I LOVE to sing. I may not be the best at it, but I want to get better at it so I am joining chorus next year.
12. I am going to start guitar lessons in a few weeks.
13. If I could take another language, I would want to learn Russian.
14. My family and I take a vacation to Ocean City, New Jersey every summer.
15. I used to play softball but gave it up to run track.
16. I am a Philadelphia fan! The Phillies, Eagles, and Flyers are my favorite sports teams.
17. I hate pop. I listen to punk/rock/alternative music.
18. Criminal Minds and Saturday Night Live are my two favorite shows.
19. I'm thinking about going into sports medicine when I attend college.
20. I love the amazing feeling when you go to a concert to see your favorite band live.
21. I have been to six or seven concerts. 
22. I just recently I saw 30 Seconds to Mars live and I am not lying to you, it was the best night of my life.
23. My dad and I are "concert buddies."
24. My favorite bands are: My Chemical Romance, 30 Seconds to Mars, Paramore, VersaEmerge, Coldplay, Panic! At the Disco, and All Time Low.
25. Hayley Williams is one of my favorite singers. She is also one of my heroes.

Shakespeare Is the Man!

On Monday, May 16, the freshman honors English class took a trip to the Flogler Theater in Washington D.C. They went to learn more about a man of many talents, William Shakespeare.  The bus trip on the way down was cheerful and everyone was excited to watch the phenomenal acting troupe, Bill's Buddies preform live.  The show was exciting, yet educational.  All of the actors had wonderful stage presence and effortlessly recited some of Shakespeare's most famous lines.  Different scenes from different plays were acted out and at times the audience was called on for volunteers to help.  Students learned how to break down a line of Shakespeare and interpret the meaning.  After the play was over, the class walked several blocks to Union Station, where everyone ate lunch and relaxed.  As the freshman walked back to the bus, they got to have their picture taken in front of the Capitol building with their teacher, Mrs. Zurkowski, the awesome teacher who made the trip happen!  The Washington D.C. trip was a fun-filled day of learning and sightseeing!

I never thought that I was going to have as much fun as I did yesterday.  My favorite part of the trip was watching Bill's Buddies preform a scene from A Midsummer Night's Dream. I have a newfound respect for Shakespeare because he was a writer who made a huge mark on history by writing world famous plays that we all can relate to.

   The Capitol building.

Heroic Traits of Julius Caesar and Brutus

Julius Caesar:
Heroic Traits:

• He already led Rome so he could possibly be a good leader.
• Once popular to the public.
• Julius Caesar knows his priorities and he will get what he wants.
• Defeated Pompey in battle.  

Tragic Flaws:

• Too ambitious for his own good.
• He had to much of an ego.
• Caesar did not respect his wife or the soothsayer for their advice.
• Intelligent, but oblivious to the conspiracy.  

Brutus:
Heroic Traits:

• Brutus knows that Caesar could abuse his power as king so action has to be taken.
• He joins the conspiracy for the safety of Rome and its people.
• Although Brutus is a close friend to Caesar, he took precautions before joining the group who wants to assassinate the future leader of Rome. 
• Makes a speech about how the conspirators were trying to protect the people of Rome from Caesar if he become drunk with the power of being king.
• Treats his wife, Portia, with respect, realizes that equality is important.

Tragic flaws:

• Brutus trusted to many people.
• Believed the motives of others.
• Put his public life above his personal life.
• Naive, took his feelings for the people.

Julius Caesar

Brutus

Their Eyes Were Watching God Book Review

Their Eyes Were Watching God is a story about the freedom of women and how to live your life. Janie was a young woman who was looking for true love and the meaning of life. It took her years to finally find the answer but she learned and gained so much knowledge along the way.

I never thought this book would have so much meaning to me. At first, I thought it was just going to be another required book to read. As Janie's story began to unfold, I was instantly pulled in. Just as any other person, Janie was determined to figure out her purpose in life. After two failed marriages, she finally found what she was looking for. Tea Cake was one of my favorite characters because he expressed hid love to Janie like no other.  He wanted to take care of her and keep her out of danger. One of the most prominent events in the book, the hurricane, really pushed the book to its limits.  Unfortunately, the life of Janie and Tea Cake took a turn for the worst.  During the length of Tea Cake illness, I was flying through the pages of the story, only to find out what would happen next.  I was left speechless after Janie shot Tea Cake, her one true love.  It was done out of safety.  The love between Janie and Tea Cake remained the same, it just could not be shared the same way it was before.  The ending of the book left me feeling very hopeful because Janie achieved what she wanted to do and I want to follow in her footsteps. 

I can see where Zora Neale Hurston was highly criticized during the story.  Their Eyes Were Watching God is an honest, true historical fiction novel.  It opened my eyes to the terrible treatment African American women received before they were given equal rights.  Even though the harsh words said about this book, I was painted with beautiful images that gave me a lot of insight and made me feel like I was in Janie's shoes.  This books is inspiring for all, because if you work hard, you will make it to the horizon and back.  I give this book a five out of five stars. 

   Image: http://bit.ly/iUbHWy

Their Eyes Were Watching God Imagery

The imagery in Their Eyes Were Watching God is used frequently and it describes certain events and feelings that the characters have throughout the book.  

1.      “The morning road air was like a new dress.” Janie was ready for change. Page 32

2.      “A feeling of coldness and fear took hold of her. She felt far away from things and lonely.” Janie is now being expected to take on more responsibility and she does not feel loved. Page 46

3.      “…He’s de wind and we’se de grass. We bend which ever way he blows.” Joe is now the man who has control of Eatonville. Page 49

4.      “Every morning the world flung itself over and exposed the town to the sun.” Every day is a new chance to start over. Page 51

5.      “A little war of defense for helpless things was going on inside her.” Janie can’t speak her mind so all of her feelings are bottled up inside her. Page 57

6.      “She was a rut in the road. Plenty of life beneath the surface but it was kept beaten down by the wheels.” Janie learned to not speak and keep her opinions to herself. If she spoke her mind, there would be consequences. Page 76

7.      “It was like somebody snatched off part of a woman’s clothes while she wasn’t looking and the streets were crowded.” Janie was very embarrassed because she cut the tobacco plug wrong and Joe made a fuss over it. Page 78

8.      “But even these things were running down like candle grease as time moved on.” Janie starts to notice that Joe’s physical features that once made her believe that he was handsome have now changed. He has now grown old and is treating Janie terribly.

9.      “He stands in his high house that overlooks the world. Stands watchful and motionless all day that with his sword drawn back, waiting for the messenger to bid him come.” Death is silently waiting to take Joe in his clutch. Page 84

10.  “She had been getting ready for her great journey to the horizons in search of people; it was important to all the world that she should find them and they find her.” Janie is now ready to fully blossom and show the world who she truly is. Page 89

11.  “They were all so respectful and stiff with her, that she might have been the Emperess of Japan.” Now that Janie is single, all of the men want to please her and hope she will fall for them. Page 92-93

12.  “He was jumping her king!” Tea Cake is already starting to win Janie’s heart. Page 96

13.  “So she sat on the porch and watched the moon rise. Soon its amber fluid was drenching the earth, and quenching the thirst of the day.” The moon signifies the end of the day and Janie met a man who she could possibly falling for. The day was fulfilling to her. Page 99

14.  “He could be a bee to a blossom—a pear tree blossom in the spring.” Janie thinks that Tea Cake could be the lover she has been looking for. Page 106

15.  “Nobody else on earth kin hold uh candle to you, baby. You got de keys to de kingdom.” Janie has the keys to Tea Cake’s heart; they are both in love. Page 109

16.  “De world picked out black and white for mournin’, Joe didn’t.” Janie does not want to mourn over her dead husband anymore, she is ready for new love.

17.  “If people thinks de same, they can make it all right. So in the beginnin’ new thoughts had tuh be thoughts and new words said.” Janie is trying to say that great minds think alike, and it’s the thoughts and words that count.

18.  “One went outside and chewed a little grass like a sick dog, he said to keep it from killing him.” The men who fought at the party were trying to hide their weaknesses. Page 123

19.  “So her soul crawled out from its hiding place.” Janie can be her full self with Tea Cake.

20.  “Ground so rich that everything went wild.” The soil in the muck is rich and the plants are able to grow.

21.  “The rich black earth clinging to bodies and biting the skin like ants.” All of the workers would come to Janie and Tea Cakes for parties. It was as if no gave a care in the world when they had fun. Page 131

22.  “You’se something tuh make uh man forgit old and forgit tuh die.” Tea Cake is telling Janie that he is so in love with that man would forget things. Page 138

23.  “Beyond her faith was a fanaticism to defend the alters of her god.” Janie tries to defend her rights as a woman and a member of her race. Page 145

24.  “And the lake got madder and madder with only its dikes between them and him.” The hurricane was slowing stirring which meant danger was coming. Page 159

25.  “…He saw that the wind and water had given him life to lots of things that folks think of as dead and given death to so much that had been living things.” The wind was so strong that everything was flying all over the place. Page 160

26.  “He stood once more and again in his high flat house without sides to it and without a roof with his soulless sword standing upright in his hand.” The destruction of nature pushed people to their limits. Page 168

27.  “Tea Cake was the son of Evening Sun, and nothing was too good.” Tea Cake was finally at rest. Page 189

28.  The seeds reminded Janie of Tea Cake more than anything else because he was always planting things.” Tea Cake was a hard worker and Janie thought the seeds were a aprt of him. Page 191

29.  “She called her soul to come and see.” Janie’s life was finally fulfilled and she found the happiness she was longing for. Page 193

My favorite piece of imagery was “she called her soul to come and see” because the words are telling the reader that Janie finally had a fulfilled life and she was at peace with herself.              

Their Eyes Were Watching God Symbolism

• Trees/roots- African people without any roots
• Pear Tree- Janie's budding womanhood

• Mule- black women get the worst treatment; the black woman's experience. She does the worst jobs for white people and black men. She gets "walked on." Logan buys Janie a mule to represent hoe he is tired of treating Janie like a princess or white woman, and now he wants her to do the heavy labor jobs around the farm

• Gate and the Road- another opportunity; related to the metaphor at the beginning. The Gate is the shore and the Road represents that waves as Janie look down the road to find a new dream.

• The New Horizon- Janie is constantly looking over the gatepost, down the road, to a new horizon (a dreamer or new start.)

• The Eatonville general store- represents the center of this all-black town.

• The illumination of the lamp post represents the start of a new all-black town. It also shows that Joe Starks is all-powerful and likes others to bow down to him, including Janie.

• Joe and Janie's two-story house- Seems to represent his similarity to a plantation owner, while the hard working townspeople live in small shack-style homes like servants' quarters.

• Tobacco spittoon- represents again how wealthy Joe is.

• Head rag- Joe makes Janie wear a head rag while she works the store.  It is a symbol of ownership and protection so the men know Janie is his.

• Guitar- playful side of people.

• Muck- place in Florida where plants are grown; every culture blends

• Overalls- working side

• Janie's long braid- freedom, love to Tea Cake

• Packet of seeds- new life, birth; remembrance; call in her horizon at the end

• Fish- sharing relationship
• Checkers- Janie's equality
• Booker T/Mrs. Turner- racism within a race 

• Hurricane- God's almighty power

• Rabid dog- sign of changing life

• Color blue- Tea Cake and Janie's proof of love

• Tea Cake/ Janie's house- magnet of the community, place of pleasure 

Criticism for Their Eyes Were Watching God

Zora Neale Hurston's most famous novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, was a story that was praised or looked down upon.  The novel was reviewed by people in the black community and shot down by many of them.  Richard Wright was especially harsh during his review and thought the book was a bad reflection on the black community.  He stated in his review that  ". . . The sensory sweep of her novel carries no theme, no message, no thought. In the main, her novel is not addressed to the Negro, but to a white audience whose chauvinistic tastes she knows how to satisfy. She exploits that phase of Negro life which is "quaint," the phase which evokes a piteous smile on the lips of the "superior" race." ("Between Laughter and Tears," 1937) His review sent Zora Neale Hurston into seclusion and gave her writings a bad name.  

I think that Zora Neale Hurston's writing style introduces people to the black dialect and culture.  Their Eyes Were Watching God gave people insight to the tough times black women went through because they are treated the most unfairly.  Her story so far has been a journey through a young woman life who is trying to find her true self while finding love.  Their Eyes Were Watching God is full imagery, symbolism, and African American oral tradition.  Zora Neale Hurston did not receive the credit she deserved during her lifetime.  After the harsh criticism, and she stopped writing and died poor.  Her story is read by people.  Hurston's book gives readers an insight on how hard a black woman's life was, just like Janie's.  Zora Neale Hurston is a well-respected author who should have been given more respect for her writings despite the tough criticism from other popular authors of the time.

Zora Neale Hurston 

Sources: 
"Hurston, Zora Neale." U*X*L Biographies. Detroit: U*X*L, 2010. Gale Student Resources In Context. Web. 14 Apr. 2011.
"Hurston Home Page." n. pag. Web. 14 Apr 2011. <http://people.virginia.edu/~sfr/enam312/znhhp.html>.      

Facts About Zora Neale Hurston

• Zora Neale Hurston was born in 1891 and died in 1960. 
• After her death, Hurston's writings inspired several African American authors.
• She was attended Howard University, Barnard University, and Columbia University.
• Zora wrote fictional stories and many readers enjoyed her metaphorical language and interest in black culture.
• In 1937, Hurston released her most famous novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, which required her to do a lot of research and explore the past of a woman who went through three marriages.
• She also wrote a series of short stories, plays, and journal articles.
• Her books contain a use of the African American dialect and aspects of the culture and it made many of the people in the black community upset.
• Not many acknowledged Zora's death and her writings were lost.
• In the 1970s, Alice Walker and other writers re-discovered her writings.
• Two volumes of her work were republished in 1995.

Sources:

"Zora Neale Hurston." Microsoft® Student 2009 [DVD]. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Corporation, 2008.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zora_Neale_Hurston

Into the Harlem Renaissance

• The Harlem Renaissance, or the New Negro movement, was an African American cultural movement between the 1920s and 1930s.Many new job opportunities were open in the northern part of the United States because of World War I.  African Americans moved form the south to the north.
• This was known as the "Great Movement" because of the migration of African Americans to the north.
• Many of the educated and "socially conscious" African Americans move to Harlem, New York.
• The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was formed by W. E. B. Du Bois to gain rights for black people.
• African American literature and arts started to develop at the turn of the century. A lot of singers and songwriters became every popular.
• Three works of literature were published and that ignited the start of the Harlem Renaissance.
• After that, more African Americans were being recognized for their contributions to society, especially in the arts.
• The Great Depression and other factors started the gradual downfall of the Harlem Renaissance.
• Active members of the black community left New York and some of the associations changed their interests and stopped promoting the Renaissance. 
• The famous writings influenced popular American writers later.

Langston Hughes

• Langston Hughes hit the height of his career during the 1920s, during the Harlem Renaissance 
• He was a famous poet, columnist, novelist, and playwright. 
• Hughes was born to mixed race parents in Joplin, Missouri and continued to grow up in tiny Midwestern towns. 
• In 1921 his famous poem "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" was published in The Crisis, an official magazine for the NAACP.
• Hughes died at the age of 65 after problems due to surgery.

Paul Laurence Dunbar         

Image: http://tinyurl.com/3pr7pzp

• Paul Laurence Dunbar was the son of two former slaves who escaped from a plantation in Kentucky.
• He started writing poems at the age of 6 and his works were first published by the Wright Brothers who knew Dunbar in high school.
• His first collection of poems, Oak and Ivy, was published in 1983 and his second book was Majors and Minors was released in 1985.
• During his career, Dunbar published a dozen poetry books, four short story books, five novels, and a play.
• His most famous work was written in African American dialect. It was published in 1986 called Lyrics of a Lowly Life.

Jean Toomer 

• Jean Toomer was born on December 26, 1894 in Washing D.C to mixed race parents.
• After he was finished with college, Jean Toomer went off and published a few short stories and continued to write during World War I.
• In 1921 he traveled down to Georgia to serve as a principal for a new industrial school for black children.
• After he returned to New York, his most well known novel, Cane, was released. 
• Small amounts of his fiction and essays were featured in Quakers Publications for an amount of time.

Sources: 

Microsoft Student with Encarta

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Laurence_Dunbar

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Langston_Hughes (Picture was found on Wikipedia page)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Toomer (Picture was found on Wikipedia page)

  

Into the Wild Final Project

Off the Trail

By: Amanda Spaeth

I made it.

After miles walked, hitchhiked, and canoed,

I finally reached my destination.

My legs trudged miles through the snow with little supplies and clothing.

It is time to go into the unknown.

 During my walk, I think about the adventures I had during the last two years.

I met wonderful people, visited unforgettable places, and experienced life.

After every exploration, I felt closer to finding my true self.

Houston, Detrital Wash, Carthage, Las Vegas, and Fairbanks

are some of the many places I visited.

I paddled down the rushing waters of the Colorado River that carried me into Mexico.

I was lost for a while, but I found the Gulf of California.  

 My friends, Wayne, Jan, and Ron-- you will always be close in my heart.

Yesterday I found a “magic” bus that will shield me from harsh weather and give me some shelter.

I am ready to explore more of the world because it is my time to be

one with nature.

I have now walked into the wild,

So now it is time to be my true self.

Goodbye civilization.

Hello Alaskan wilderness.

Into the Wild Characterization Chart

Chapter 1, page 4

Description/Quote: “Five eight with a wiry build, he claimed to be twenty-four years old and said he was from South Dakota. He explained that he wanted a ride as far as the edge of Denali National Park, where he intended to walk deep into the bush and ‘live off the land for a few months.’”

Interpretation: Chris is not physically fit to live in the wild.  He seems slightly insane.

Chapter 1, page 7

Description/Quote: “Alex insisted on giving Gallien his watch, his comb, and what he said was all his money: eighty-five cents in loose change.”

Interpretation: Chris does not want to bring any technology or personal belongings with him on his trip.

Chapter 2, page 13

Description/Quote: “The remains were so badly decomposed that it was impossible to determine exactly when Chris had died, but the coroner could find no sign of massive internal injuries or broken bones.”

Interpretation: Chris didn’t have any fatal injuries that caused his death; this puzzled scientists at the laboratory.

Chapter 2, page 14

Description/Quote: “But because he had been carrying no identification, the authorities didn’t know who he was, where he was from, or why he was there.”

Interpretation: Chris wanted to go out into the wild not knowing who he really was.  He didn’t think this through, he mostly acted on impulse.

Chapter 3, page 16

Description/Quote: “McCandless was smallish with the hard, stringy physique of an itinerant laborer.”

Interpretation: Chris was short, and looked like the average working class American.

Chapter 3, page 17

Description/Quote: “His face had a strange elasticity: It would be slack and expressionless one minute, only to twist into a gaping, oversize grin that distorted his features and exposed a mouthful of horsy teeth.”

Interpretation: Chris had a striking smile that imprinting in Wayne’s mind.

Chapter 4, page 29

Description/Quote: “McCandless was exhilarated: He saw the flash flood as an opportunity to shed unnecessary baggage.”

Interpretation: Chris saw the flood as a way for him to get rid of the things he thought he didn’t need. 

Chapter 4, page 33

Description/Quote: “Wayne, you really should read War and Peace. I meant it when I said you had one of the highest characters of any man I’d met. That is a powerful and highly symbolic book. It has things in it that I think you will understand. Things that escape most people.”

Interpretation: Chris loved his copy of War and Peace and he gave it to his closest friend. He thought the book would do him good by reading the story.

Chapter 5, page 38

Description/Quote: “When his camera was ruined and McCandless stopped taking photographs, he also stopped keeping a journal, a practice he didn’t resume until he went to Alaska the next year.”

Interpretation: Not much is known why Chris did this so his direct feelings were not written on paper.

Chapter 5, page

Description/Quote: “I thought Alex had lost his mind when he told us about his ‘great Alaskan odyssey,’ as he called it.”

Interpretation: Chris is a man who will take chances and follow his dreams. He was determined to reach the final destination of Alaska.

Chapter 6, page 51

Description/Quote: “He seemed extremely intelligent,”…

Interpretation: Chris, in fact, was very smart.  He knew a lot about the world but lacked basic common sense.

Chapter 6, page 52

Description/Quote: “Not infrequently during their visits, Franz recalls, McCandless’s face would darken with anger and he’d fulminate about his parents or politicians or the endemic idiocy of mainstream American life.”

Interpretation: Chris did not have a close connection with his parents because of past family events.  One reason I think Chris wanted to live in the wild was because he wanted to escape from the laws of the government and the way our society is run.

Chapter 7, page 62

Description/Quote: “During those four weeks in Carthage, McCandless worked hard, doing dirty, tedious jobs that nobody else wanted to tackle: exterminating vermin, painting, scything weeds.”

Interpretation: Chris did the little jobs that no one wanted to do and didn’t seem to mind doing them.

Chapter 7, page 65

Description/Quote: “Chastity and moral purity were qualities McCandless mulled over long and often.”

Interpretation: Chris had a respect for life and knew the difference between good and bad values.  Even though he was not close to his parents, they raised him to be a person to be chaste.

Chapter 8, page 71

Description/Quote: “Why would anyone intending to ‘live off the land for a few months’ forget Boy Scout rule number: Be Prepared? Why would any son cause his parents and family such permanent and perplexing pain?”

Interpretation: Chris wanted to be free, and his way of doing that was following his dream and traveling cross country to go ‘into the wild.’ He did cause his family a lot of pain, but Walt made his family suffer and that lead Chris to retaliate and create a new life for himself.

Chapter 8, page 72

Description/Quote: “The prevailing Alaska wisdom held that McCandless was simply one more dreamy half-cocked greenhorn who went into the country expecting to find answers to all his problems and instead found only mosquitos and a lonely death.”

Interpretation: Chris went into the wilderness for his own sake. He wanted to do something he always wanted to do and it ended up turning bad.

Chapter 9, page 92

Description/Quote: “Also like McCandless, Ruess was undeterred by physical discomfort; at times he seemed to welcome it.”

Interpretation: Chris almost died from starvation a few times and his life spared. He didn’t seem to mind that he didn’t eat for a few days and neither did Everett Ruess. They lived the lives of what people must have done thousands of years ago.

Chapter 9, page 93

Description/Quote: “And like McCandless, upon embarking on his terminal odyssey, Ruess adopted a new name, or, rather, a series of names.”

Interpretation: Chris’s adopted name was Alex Supertramp. He chose that name so no one could trace his whereabouts because there really wasn’t an Alex Supertramp, only a Chris McCandless.

Chapter 10, page 99

Description/Quote: “Many of the entries in the brief, perplexing diary recovered with the body were terse observations of flora and fauna, which fueled speculation that McCandless was a field biologist.”

Interpretation: Chris was keeping track of the edible plants that he could eat.  There isn’t much you can eat in the Alaskan wilderness so that was his way of knowing what was edible.

Chapter 10, page 99

Description/Quote: “Because McCandless had told Gallien he was from South Dakota, the troopers immediately shifted their search there for the hiker’s next of kin.”

Interpretation: Chris had to protect his true identity so he lied from where he was from. He deceived most of the people he met.

Chapter 11, page 104

Description/Quote: “I spent a lot of time with Chris, perhaps more than with any of my other kids. I really liked his company even though he frustrated us so often.”

Interpretation: Walt and Billie really loved their son, but Chris tried to distance himself from his family and that was a selfish of him to ignore the love and care his parents wanted to give him.

Chapter 11, page 109

Description/Quote: “Chris was a high achiever in almost everything that caught his fancy.”

Interpretation: Chris was a very intelligent young man but didn’t have a lot of common sense. He mostly acted on impulse and didn’t fully think things through.

Chapter 12, page 118

Description/Quote: “He was almost crying, fighting back the tears, telling Dad that even through they’d had their differences over the years, he was grateful for all the things Dad had done for him.”

Interpretation: Deep down, Chris loved his dad but really never showed it. The soft side of Chris is never really shown so he really shows how much he appreciates everything his dad has done for him.

Chapter 12, page 120

Description/Quote: “He would have made a great CIA agent—I’m serious; I know guys who work for the CIA. He told us what he thought we needed and nothing more.”

Interpretation: Chris was private and didn’t reveal too much about himself. He was a man of many secrets, many of those secrets never revealed to his family.

Chapter 13, page 128

Description/Quote: “Chris was crazy about Buck.” Carine says. “That summer he disappeared he’d wanted to take Buck with him”

Interpretation: They say that dog is man’s best friend and Chris loved his dog.

Chapter 13, page 129

Description/Quote: “His criticism of his sister never went beyond good-natured ribbing, however; Chris and Carine were uncomfortably close.”

Interpretation: Chris liked to joke around with his sister because they were very close. Chris trusted his sister and enjoyed her company.

Chapter 16, page 158

Description/Quote: “Alex was clean-shaven and had short hair, and I could tell by the language he used that he was a real sharp fella. He wasn’t what you’d call a typical hitchhiker.”

Interpretation: Chris had a good education and thought he knew what he was getting into. He made a big impression on the people he met because he was highly intelligent.

Chapter 16, page 162

Description/Quote: “The heaviest item in McCandless’s half-full backpack was his library: nine or ten paperbound books, most of which had been given to him by Jan Burres in Niland.”

Interpretation: Jan thought Chris would need something to do to pass the time when he went out into the wilderness. Chris probably liked to read.

Chapter 17, page 174

Description/Quote: “Andy Horowitz, one of McCandless’s friends on the Woodsen High cross country team, had mused that Chris ‘was born into the wrong century. He was looking for more adventure and freedom than today’s society gives people.’”

Interpretation: Chris had a lust for adventure and excitement. He would have had a good life for himself when people went out to explore the American west.

Chapter 17, page 183

Description/Quote: “Unlike Muir and Thoreau, McCandless went into the wilderness not primarily to ponder nature or the world at large but, rather; to explore the inner country of his own soul.”

Interpretation: Chris wanted to find out who really was and the way he did that was by changing his lifestyle and following his dream to live in the wild.

Chapter 18, page 192

Description/Quote: “From all the available evidence, there seemed to be a little doubt that McCandless – rash and incautious by nature—had committed a carless blunder, confusing one plant for another, and died as a consequence.

Interpretation: Chris didn’t intentionally eat the plant, it was a careless mistake that he made an unfortunately caused him to suffer and die.

Chapter 18, page 198

Description/Quote: “And as Carine McCandless point out, ‘Chris would never, ever, intentionally burn a forest, not even to save his life. Anybody who would suggest otherwise doesn’t understand the first thing about my brother.’”

Interpretation: Chris had such a respect for nature that he wouldn’t do anything to destroy it.  It seemed like Chris wanted to be ‘one with nature’ so he went into the wild to do that.


"Author's Note" Response:
     I think that Chris was a "reckless idiot" that thought the way he could find himself was to drop everything and isolate himself from civilization.  He caused his family and friends a lot of pain following his death.  It was unfortunate the way Chris died, but he wasn't prepared to live out in the Alaskan wilderness.  There was final closure at the end of the story but it was very sad the way things turned out.  It wasn't until the end Chris realized that true happiness is found when you share it with others.  Chris was a man who acted upon impulse and didn't think things through.  He impacted many people's lives by opening their eyes to the world around them.  After Chris died, it was a shock to the people who knew him.  John Krakauer received letters form readers telling him that Chris was "a narcissist who perished out of arrogance and stupidity.  I agree with that because in truth, Chris had no idea what he was getting himself into.  If you have one chance to live, why not share it with the people who love you?  He died from starvation due to plant poisoning and his life was taken only in a matter of days.  If Chris really wanted have an adventure that would last him lifetime,  then he should have thought of a place to stay where he would thrive, not perish.       

A Journey to Take...

It has always been my dream to take a sight seeing trip across Europe and take LOTS of pictures.  The continent has always fascinated me with its vast amounts of history and buildings/monuments.  I could travel by plane over the Atlantic Ocean and land in England, my first stop.  It would be awesome to get my picture taken at Platform 9 3/4 at Kings Cross Station because I am such a Harry Potter fanatic.  Afterwards, I would spend a few days in Ireland.  One thing I would hope to do there is stare out into the beautiful rolling hills in a valley.  My next stop would be France and visit the famous Eiffel Tower.  II ist si beau. (It is so beautiful in French.)  The major country I would travel to Europe is Germany, or Deutshland.  I am learning German right now so I think it would be a good idea to put my current knowledge of the language to the test.  Our western civilization class is learning about ancient Rome, and that lead me to the idea to travel to Italy.  The Coliseum and the leaning Tower of Piza are two of the hundreds of things I could visit there.  I can only imagine what the pasta tastes like there, yum!  Finally, my trip would end at Greece.  The country has fascinated me, especially the history!  The myths of the Greek gods, goddesses, and heroes make the country so famous.  Just think-- how exciting would it be to walk into a  palace or temple where past rulers lived.  This trip would change my life because I could experience different cultures and customs in foreign countries.  I wish a journey like this was free, well I guess I better start saving up money for a plane ticket now!                  

Into the Wild Responses

1.  1. He lived in D.C. when he was a child, soon after college Chris cut off all contact from society.  He was a man who received a full scholarship to college and was very intelligent. (Author’s Note)

2.    2. Jon Krakauer talks about how the imagination changes in the wilderness, dangerous activities young men want to get involved in, complications, and the relationship between father and son. (Pg. 2 of Author’s Note)

3.   3. It was a postcard from Chris to his friend Wayne.  It was the least time Wayne ever heard from his friend. (3)

4.   4. Alex is Chris McCandless, he changed his name.  The purpose was not clarified yet. (4)

5.   5.Who is Jim Gallien, and how did he meet McCandless? Jim Gallien was the man who gave Chris McCandless a ride to the Stampede Trail.  He was the last person McCandless would have contact with.  (4)

6.   6. He was concerned that “Alex” was going to do something dangerous that would cause him harm.  Alex was a suspicious person. (5)

7.   7. He told him that living in the wilderness isn’t as nice or fine as it seems. (4-5)

8.   8. Also, what gift did Gallien give to McCandless? McCandless didn’t want to stop at Anchorage buy any hiking gear. Gallien gave him rubber work boots and told him to wear two pairs of socks so his feet don’t freeze. (6)

9.   9. Gallien thought that McCandless would get hungry and walk out to the highway like a “normal person.” (7) 

     10. It is ironic because McCandless did the exact opposite and went into the wild and never came out. (7)

     11. At the sight of McCandless death, there was a carving into a tree that read Jack Landon is King. (9)

     12. All of these places and things lead Chris McCandless into the wilderness. (9-12)

     13. The authorities thought he died from starvation. (14)

     14. Wayne Westerberg is Chris’s friend from North Dakota.  They got along because they lived and worked together.  Wayne wanted to take Chris “under his wing” and help him out. (16)

     15. ? A “leather tramp” is a vagabond who owns a vehicle. A “leather tramp” is someone who does not have a good way of transporting from place to place so they are forced to hitchhike. This refers to Saco Hot Springs, 240 miles east on the U.S. Highway 2. (17)

     16. McCandless stopped all contact with his family so the men he met were the closest friends he had at the time. It was a nomadic existence. (17)

     17. While Wayne was in prison he left Carthage because there was no more work for him to do. (19)

     18. It was his favorite book and gave it to his closest friend. Chris wrote a letter to his friend and told him that the book very powerful and symbolic. (19 & 33)

     19. . McCandless grew up in Annandale, Virginia. His father was an aerospace engineer and a younger sister whom he was extremely close to.  He also had six half brothers and sisters from his father’s previous marriage. (22)  

     20. He didn’t want a new car and stopped accepting gifts from friends and family. (22)

     21.  He sent his family the final grade on a report that he wrote and once he graduated college he “intended to invent an utterly new life for himself.” Chris created a new name for himself. He was no longer Christopher McCandless but Alex Supertramp. (23)

     22. Chris wanted to find himself and the way he did that was by traveling across the country to Alaska to live in solitude. (25)

     23. She is a “rubber tramp” who found Chris on the side of the road looking at a book while picking berries off of a bush.  She and her boyfriend Bob asked Chris if he needed a ride somewhere and they took him to Orick Beach. (30)

     24. He bought a canoe and wanted to paddle it from the Colorado River all the way down the Gulf of California.  He paddled down the river taking in all the beautiful scenery and snuck into Mexico by canoeing through the Morelos Dam flood gates and paddled through marshes until he was lost. Some officials found him and they directed him to the ocean with maps. It took him a few days to carry his canoe to find the new canal but after he though he reached the canal he ended up in a swamp. Some duck hunters took Chris El Golfo de Santa Clara, a fishing village on the gulf. He finally reached the sea.  After paddling for so long, he reached the beach and set a camp up on a plateau for ten days. (32-35) 

     25. Chris dated all of his entries so he could keep track of everything. (35)

     26. Chris is so thankful to be living. He is cherishing his experiences and living his life to the fullest. (37)

     27. Chris lived in Bullhead City for two months. He loved staying in the city during the winter and considered settling down and “abandon his tramping life, for good.” Chris got a job at McDonalds and rode to work on a bike and opened a saving bank. After living there for two years, he left. (39-41)

     28. 

     29. Chris was very musical and was a helpful man. Chris was social and everyone enjoyed his company. (44-45)

     30. Jan thought that Chris lost his mind when he told her about his plans to take a great Alaskan adventure but she also though that if he could figure out how to canoe into Mexico then he figure out how to survive in Alaska. (46)

     31. Ron Franz gave Chris a ride to Salton City to Grand Juntion in March 1992. He requested the copy of Outside magazine where they investigated the story of Chris’s death. Krakauer states that Chris made a huge impression on 80-year-old Franz. Chris sent him a post card and didn’t hear from him since. (49-51)

     32. It is a landscape that is beneath the badlands and is open country cut by steep-walled arroyos. (48)

     33. In 1957, while he was serving his time overseas, his wife and only son were killed in a car accident. A drunk driver hit them.  His son was supposed to graduate from college the following June. (50)

     34.He thought Chris was very smart, nice and friendly. He wanted to get Chris a job and education but Chris told him that he was already educated. (51)

     35. Franz was a leathermaker and he taught Chris all his secrets to the craft. Chris made a leather belt and he craved his journey into the leather, almost as if he was telling his story through pictures. (51-52)

     36. He called Franz to wish him happy birthday and sent postcards to friends telling them he was living off the streets. (53)

     37. He told Franz that he was having trouble finding work so he picked him up. (56-58)

     38. Franz prayed that God would protect Chris but he unfortunately passed away. Franz withdrew his church membership and became an atheist. (60)

     39. Wayne was mad because Alex never returned back to work. (62)

     40. ?  How did Chris feel about his sister Carine? Both men were stubborn and high-strung. Chris liked his sister and talked to her about the problems he had with their parents. (64)

     41. The story of Gene Rossellini is a story similar to Chris’s, but different.  He was a man that had a good life going for him but went to live in the wilderness and died. (73-75)

     42. The death of Rossellini got more media coverage so Krackauer wanted to acknowledge John Waterman and his story.  Waterman’s story is very exciting and memorable. (75-80)

     43. McCunn was a man who went to live in the wild and kept journal and didn’t bring much for his journey. The only difference between the two men is that McCunn took his own life and Chris died from plant poisoning.    

     44. Everett Ruess was a man who was interested in art and then went on to explore the west.  He hitchhiked to many states like Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona. Ruess was awestruck by the beauty of the west do he decided to change his name multiple times and live in the wilderness. He changed his name multiple times and unfortunately died the same way Chris did. Both men had similar journal entries and had few people they were close with. (89-95)   

     45. Both men wanted to follow their dream. Not many people try to follow their dreams but these two men were motivated to follow them. (96)