In chapter 16, Chris arrives in Alaska and begins his time in the wild. Then, in chapter 17, we read about Krakauer’s own arrival at the bus where Chris was found, nearly a year after his death.
How were each of these arrivals the same? How did they differ?
How does the knowledge that Chris does not survive affect the both your reading of the story and Krakauer’s own telling of the story?
Like Chris, Karkauer stands at the edge of the river wanting to crossover. Unlike Chris, Krakauer is accompanied by three other men. Krakauer also has a map describing the terrain, a map that identified the gauging station Chris was unaware of.... something that could have saved his life.
Knowing that Chris didn't survive makes the reader curious...... we wonder what Karkauer will find, what he will be able to deduce from the things left behind. We wonder whether Chris left some clue that others weren't able to pick up on..... and we do get some of those answers. Krakauer is kind to Chris' memory and respectful of what he was able to accomplish..... he eliminates the belief so many had that Chris wanted to die, and he provides us with reasons why his death might have occurred.
Into the Wild
