INTO THE WILD by Jon Krakauer

Krakauer, Jon. Into the Wild. Villard, 1996. 224 pages. Tr. $25. ISBN: 978-0679428503

Plot: An examination of what happened to young Christopher McCandless when he ventured west for a life of hitchhiking and living by his wits and then starved to death in an abandoned bus in the Alaskan wilderness. The book is a biography of McCandless’ life but it also examines other wilderness voyagers lives alongside fictional tales of longing for the great outdoors.

Critical Evaluation: At heart a mystery about what happened to a recent college graduate when he broke with his family and abandoned conventional civilization, it fully captures the spirit of heartbreak and adventure that pushes boys and men to forge into the wilderness. A heady travelogue, gripping psychological investigation, and a through study of the spirit of adventure that can uplift and inspire as much as it can hurt and destroy.

Reader’s Annotation: When a young man ventures into the wilderness and dies, a risk-taking writer tries to understand what made him – and so many others in American history – take incredible risks for a taste of freedom.

Author bio: A lifelong adventurer and mountain climber, Jon Krakauer was covering an expedition for Outside Magazine when his expedition fell into tragedy. His documentation of what happened during that fatal trek became “Into Thin Air,” his acclaimed book that explored the combination of mistakes and fatal bad luck during those days.

A native of Brookline, MA, and Corvallis, OR, and graduate of Hampshire College, Krakauer has lived in Washington and Colorado. His books tend to explore the place where man’s love of the wilderness turns to hubris.

Genre: Non-fiction, adventure

Curriculum Ties: Many of McCandless’ issues are anti-Capitalist and his philosophy was affected by a utopian, back-to-the-land pre-Communism that was rampant in Russia before the revolution.  One could link the book to Capitalism and early dissatisfaction with social changes caused by the Industrial Revolution.

California State Standards: World History – The Modern World

­10.3

2. Examine how scientific and technological changes and new forms of energy brought about massive social, economic, and cultural change (e.g., the inventions and discov­ eries of James Watt, Eli Whitney, Henry Bessemer, Louis Pasteur, Thomas Edison).

3. Describe the growth of population, rural to urban migration, and growth of cities associated with the Industrial Revolution.

6. Analyze the emergence of capitalism as a dominant economic pattern and the responses to it, including Utopianism, Social Democracy, Socialism, and Communism.

Booktalking Ideas: 1) Focus on a young son’s rejection of his family background, what they stand for…

2) Ask the questions of the book – treat the book like the mystery that it is and get the audience involved in asking some questions.

3) Talk about nature – what nature does for us and how little interaction that we have with it in modern urban/suburban life.

4) Focus on the desire to break free, gain independence.

5) Talk about explorers and risk takers. Bring up a couple of amazing feats. Discuss why anyone would ever want to take such risks.

Reading Level: Eighth grade

Interest Level: 14+

Challenge Issues: Some may say that the book glorifies reckless, thoughtless behavior.

Challenge Responses: 1) Be familiar with many positive reviews in notable papers, such as the New York Times. 2) Have the collection development policy handy.

Talk about the cultural significance of the book, with backing: http://www.nytimes.com/books/97/05/18/reviews/krakauer-wild.html

Why Included: The movie and the book got very good reviews, drew attention to a story that was shocking and widespread.  The book is very highly regarded by the Los Angeles Times YA book critic.