Are You Somebody's Keeper?

I have a younger cousin who is very shy and doesn’t speak up for herself much.  Because of this, people try to walk all over her and she lets them.  I’m usually the one to step in and stand up for her.  I’ve also helped her get over her shyness and branch out more.  She has gotten better at standing out and being her own person.  People have stopped pushing her around as much and she’s making more friends. 

New Book!

I just began reading the novel "My Sister's Keeper" by Jodi Picoult.  She was born May 19, 1966 in Long island.  She was awarded the New England bookseller award.  She wrote the first book at the age of 5.  She studied at Princeton University and graduated in 1987.  Harvard gave her a master's degree in education.  She is happily married and has three children and many animals.  Her most recent book is called, "Sing You Home."  A handful of her books have been turned into Lifetime movies.  My Sister's Keeper was turned into a feature film.

Christopher McCandless: Leaves this Earth a Tragic Hero, not a Naïve Boy

Sarah Pattisall 

Mrs. Zurkowski/ Greens

April 12, 2011

Christopher McCandless: Leaves this Earth a Tragic Hero, not a Naïve Boy

By: Sarah Pattisall

In what might have been Christopher McCandless last contact with humanity, he says to Wayne Westerberg, “If this adventure proves fatal and you don’t ever hear from me again I want you to know you are a great man.  I now walk into the wild” (3 Krakauer).  McCandless was completely aware of the fatality of his expedition, but that didn’t stop him.  Nothing could stop him from reaching Alaska, living off-land, and going into the wild.  For 112 days he survived in the dangerous and unforgiving tundra of Alaska.  If you are brave enough to venture on to the stampede trail and cross the Teklanika you will come across a small transit system bus for Fairbanks City.  Bus 142, once a home to McCandless, is now a memory of him.  People from all over the world come to visit the bus and see what Chris must have endured.  These people see him to be a hero, a brave explorer, and an ingenious man who learned to get rid of material things and find himself.  Not everyone shares this view of McCandless.  Many people see Christopher McCandless as an idiotic and unprepared young man looking for an adventure he could not handle; however, I see Christopher McCandless as an insightful man who goes on a journey to figure life out, something not many people can do.

Many people had an impression of McCandless along these lines, “Didn’t like to be around to many people, though. Temperamental. He meant good, but I think he had a lot of complexes” (42 Krakauer.)  People saw that Chris was a nice guy and had good intentions, but it was obvious to them that he didn’t enjoy company.  Anyone could tell Chris was more than just an average young adult looking for an adventure.  Many people could tell he was very complex for his age and did not fit into normal society that thrives on material things.  McCandless was happier surrounded by nature and freedom. 

Chris McCandless’ sister Carine argues that, “Chris was good at almost everything he ever tried.  If you attempted to talk to him out of something, he wouldn’t argue. He would just nod politely and then do exactly what he wanted” (119 Krakauer.)  McCandless most definitely had a natural talent at just about everything; even his own family could see his that.  Knowing this he was very confident with himself, and he believed he was invincible.  He also did not take orders too well and would do what he thought was best regardless of what anyone else said.   He did not listen to anyone but himself.

McCandless records in his journal, “Two years he walks the earth.  No phone, no pool, no pets, no cigarettes.  Ultimate freedom…” (163 Krakauer.)  He had two years of experience in the wild living off basic necessities, he was more prepared than people thought for Alaska.  McCandless had already had many dangerous encounters with the wild, but nothing as life threatening as Alaska, he was ready to take on the challenge.

 “He had a need to test himself in ways, as he was fond of saying things that mattered.  He possessed grand-some would say grandiose-spiritual ambitions” (182 Krakauer.)  Maybe McCandless’ ambitious personality is factor in his death.  Ambitions are nothing to be ashamed of and are actually good qualities to possess; however, if you take ambitions to far and try to achieve the impossible there could be problems.  Perhaps McCandless was not ready to take on the Alaska, but that doesn’t mean he was naïve, he is a tragic hero who died doing what he loved, living in the wild.

One native Alaskan believes, “Alex is a nut in my book, the author describes a man who has given away a small fortune, forsaken a loving family, abandoned his car, watch and map and burned the last of his money before traipsing off into the ‘wilderness’ west of Healy” (72 Krakauer.) McCandless was kind enough to give away his small fortune to charity; however, it wouldn’t have hurt to have kept some money to help him out during his journey.  He completely deserted his family without letting them know where he was or giving them any closure which was wrong of him.  Also if he were to have had a map with him he would have survived; he would have learned about various place around him where could get help, and he would’ve made it out of Alaska alive.

Christopher McCandless was an amazing and intellectual man who strived for the unthinkable and strayed away from modern society to achieve a basic life in touch with nature.  McCandless was happier living a life with complete freedom then a life surrounded by people, he enjoyed being alone.  He was incredibly ambitious and followed his heart.  He did not enjoy limitations or rules set out in front of him but instead he did what he wanted to do.  He ventured out into the wild and fell in love with nature; a tragic story for a tragic hero.

Krakauer, Jon. Into the Wild. New York: Anchor, 2007. Print.

                                            

Characterization of Chris McCandless

Characterization Notes on Christopher McCandless

(a.k.a. Alex Supertramp)

Assignment Directions:  As you read Into the Wild, take notes on direct and indirect characterization traits about Christopher McCandless.  For each chapter, pick out 2-3 descriptions about Chris that really stand out to you.  This could be direct descriptions about what Christopher looks like to indirect descriptions about how Chris acts, what he says, how others view him, how he treats others, and anything about Chris that helps you form an opinion about him by the end of the novel.  Keep in mind that by the end of the book, you will write an essay that gives your opinion on either side of the following argument presented in the “Author’s Note”:

            “Some readers admired the boy immensely for his courage and noble ideals; others fulminated that he was a reckless idiot, a wacko, a narcissist who perished out of arrogance and stupidity – and was undeserving of the considerable media attention he received.”

Fill out the chart as you read and post on your blog when the chart is completed. Mrs. Z. will check your chart on your laptop periodically to see that you are adding notes and keeping up with the character chart as we read.

Direct and Indirect Characterization Notes on Christopher McCandless

(Alex Supertramp)

Chapter and page #	Description/quote from novel	What impression you get about Chris with this character trait or description?
Chapter 1	“Five feet seven or eight with a wiry build, he claimed to be 24 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.”  Page 4	Chris wasn’t in the right physical shape to be hiking in to Alaska and living off the land.  Based on his intentions he seems a little bit crazy.
Chapter 2	“Chris’s remains weighed only 67 pounds when he was found.” Page 14	No healthy young adult should way that much.  They came to the conclusion that a cause of his death was starvation, he was unprepared.
Chapter 3	“McCandless was smallish with the hard, stringy physique of an itinerant laborer.” “There was something arresting about the youngsters eyes.” Page 16	His physical appearance was wiry, but built.  He seemed to have a striking charm.
Chapter 4	“He was a nice kid. Said his name was Alex. And he was big-time hungry. Hungry, hungry, hungry. But real happy.” “Said he’d been surviving on edible plants he identified from the book. Page 30	No matter what challenges Chris was faced with he remained happy and content with his life.  He was very smart and used his knowledge in order to help him survive and find food.
Chapter 5	“Nice guy, yeah, a pretty nice guy.” “Didn’t like to be around to many people, though. Temperamental. He meant good, but I think he had a lot of complexes. Page 42	People saw that Chris was a nice guy and had good intentions, but it was obvious to them that he didn’t enjoy company.  Anyone could tell Chris was more than just an average young adult looking for an adventure.
Chapter 6	“The boy had said his name was Alex-he’d declined to give a surname-and that he came from West Virginia.” “He was polite, friendly, and well-groomed.”  Page 51	Chris was a mystery and he was good at keeping a secret.  Others thought he was polite, friendly, and well-groomed.
Chapter 7	“He was kind of shy at first.” “He acted like it was hard for him to be around people. I just figured that was because he’d spent so much time by himself. Page 63	Chris was shy around people he didn’t know very well and was even a little socially awkward.
Chapter 10	“He has long hair, and he had beard.” “Chris almost always had short hair and was clean shaven. And the face in the picture was extremely gaunt.” Page 101-102	Chris’s appearance changed over time just liked he did.  He no longer saw the need for shaving or keeping well-groomed in life.
Chapter 11	“Christopher Johnson McCandless came into the world with unusual gifts and a will not easily deflected from its trajectory.” “He wasn’t antisocial-he always- had friends, and everybody liked him-but he could go off and entertain himself for hours. He didn’t seem to need toys or friends. He could be alone without being lonely.” Pg. 107	Chris was very unique even from birth. He had a natural talent for just about anything, including things out of the ordinary.  Chris was nice and didn’t mind having friends; he got along well with everyone.  At the same time he was perfectly fine with being alone.
Chapter 12	“Chris was good at almost everything he ever tried.” “If you attempted to talk to him out of something, he wouldn’t argue. He’s just nod politely and then do exactly what he wanted.” Pg. 119	Chris had a natural talent at just about everything.  Knowing this he was very confident with him and believed he was invincible.  He didn’t listen to anyone but himself.
Chapter 13	“Like Chris, Carine is energetic and self-assured, a high achiever; quick to state an opinion.” Pg. 129 “Standing five feet eight inches tall, Carine McCandless is the same height as her brother was, maybe an inch taller; and looks enough like him that people frequently ask if they were twins.” Pg. 128	McCandless had a lot in common with his sister.  Not only did they have similar personalities but they looked a lot alike.
Chapter 14	(N/A)	(N/A)
Chapter 15	(N/A)	(N/A)
Chapter 16	“Two years he walks the earth.  No phone, no pool, no pets, no cigarettes.  Ultimate freedom…” Pg. 163 “And by the end he kind of let his guard down. He was a dandy kid. Real courteous, and he didn’t cuss or use a lot of that there slang. You could tell he came from a nice family. Mostly he talked about his sister. He didn’t get along with his folks too good, I guess. Told me his dad was a genius, a NASA rocket scientist. Pg. 159	For two years he lived without any basic necessities and it was freedom for him.  When you first met McCandless he wasn’t very open or talkative but he eventually began to let his guard down and talk to you.  When he did talk to you a lot he was very nice.  You could tell he really cared about his sister and came from a great family.
Chapter 17	“McCandless, on the other hand, went too far in the opposite direction.  He tried to live entirely off the country- and he tried to do it without bothering to master beforehand the full repertoire of crucial skills.” “He had a need to test himself in ways, as he was fond of saying, that mattered.  He possessed grand-some would say grandiose-spiritual ambitions.” Pg. 182	A reason why McCandless may have died is because he may not have been prepared enough to survive entirely off land.  Maybe his ambitious personality is also a factor in his death.

 http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriso2000/2100029996/