Into the Wild Discussion- 1. What do think caused Chris to embark on his journey?

2. Chris' journey was a decidedly solitary one. Yet toward the end, it seems to have dawned on him
that (in a passage he underlined in Tolstoy) it was necessary "to be used to do good to people." He
noted in the margin of another book, "Happiness only real when shared." If he had been able to return
to civilization, how might his life have changed?
3. The American Alpine Club estimates that there are about 250,000 climbers and 10-40 climbing
fatalities in the US each year. Krakauers book Into Thin Air is an account of the deaths of 9 people on
Mount Everest. What is it about extreme adventure that draws some people in? Is the pursuit of such
extremes selfish or admirable?
4. What words of wisdom do you have scrawled in your bedroom? On your refrigerator? On your
notebook cover? In your car? Write one down and explain what it means to you.
5. A quote on page 155 says, It is easy, when you are young, to believe that what you desire is no less
than what you deserve, to assume that if you want something badly enough, it is your God-given right to
have it. Does this quote seem to have a ring of truth to it? Does it apply to you? Why or why not?
6. How did watching the movie and reading the novel affect your opinion of Chris/Alex?

Peer Responses