Analysis Of Chris Mccandless s Odyssey Into The Wild

1. Who was the most compelling character? Why? What conflicts did this character face? How did the author develop this character? Include one or two supporting quotations with page number or e-book location cited in parentheses after the quotation. Jon Krakauer’s odyssey Into the Wild follows Christopher McCandless through his last year of his life traversing the North American frontier. As a biography based on McCandless’ journals and interviews, much of the details of Chris’ journeys are speculated. Yet, Krakauer succeeds in developing the enigma of Christopher McCandless, or as he would be immortalized in the bus on the Stampede Trail, Alexander Supertramp, in a way that tugs at the buried wanderer inside of everyone. Throughout the novel, Chris McCandless faces numerous crises and trials during his time in the wild. McCandless journeys represent the age old conflict of man vs. nature. In the first chapter, Chris seems to be charismatic, yet ultimately ill-prepared to face the harshness of the Alaskan wilderness. Alex admitted that the only food in his pack was a ten-pound bag of rice. His gear seemed exceedingly minimal for the harsh conditions of the interior, which in April still lay buried under the winter snowpack. Alex’s cheap leather hiking boots were neither waterproof nor well insulated. His rifle was only .22 caliber, a bore too small to rely on if he expected to kill large animals like