Chapters 4 and 5

1.  Chapter 4 ends with the following quote from McCandless' journal: "It is the experiences, the memories, the great triumphant joy of living to the fullest extent in which real meaning is found" (37).  Identify an experience from this chapter and explain what "meaning" you think Alex has found.  Use a quote to support your explanation.

"McCandless was exhilarated:  He saw the flash flood as an opportunity to shed unnecessary baggage....He buried his Winchester deer-hunting rifle and a few other possesions that he might want to recover....he arranged all his paper currency in a pile on the sand- and put a match to it"(29).

Alex loved hitchhiking and living off of the land. He didn't need money or a car to survive. After burying his belongings and burning his money, he felt triumphant.

2.  What does "Plastic People" in chapter 5 mean?  What are two things McCandless considered plastic?  Do you agree with his assessment?  Support your answer with a quote.

By "plastic people", Alex means they spend every day getting up, going to work, and going home. No adventure. 2 things he considered plastic were punching a clock and doing whatever they were told to do. I do agree that some people are plastic. Do whatever is told of them and don't stand up for themselves."McCandless explained to Burres that he'd grown tired of Bullhead, tired of punching a clock, tired of the "plastic people" he worked with, and decided to get the hell out of town"(43).

*ADDITIONAL TOPICS FOR WRITING: McCandless' definition of living life to its fullest.

Living life to the fullest for McCandless was living off of the land. He spent as little money as possible and accepted few items offered to him by friends. He could go wherever he wanted to and as long as he wanted. He didn't have the weight of his parents consent on him. To McCandless, everyone who didn't do what he did wasn't living their lives to the fullest.