Chapter 17

1. Krakaur observes that it is not "unusual for a young man to be drawn to a pursuit considered reckless by his elders."  Identify two details from this chapter where McCandless exemplifies this observation.  Explain whether or not McCandless would agree with Krakauer.  Finally, compare McCandless' view with that of one of the following men mentioned in this chapter: Andy Horowitz, Gordon Samel, Roman Dial, Sir John Franklin.

Chris would mostly agree with this quote. In an earlier chapter, Chris mentions that he wanted to this while he was still young. He realized that older people do not have the same passion for things like tramping. Just because he knew they did not have as strong of a passion as him, did not mean they could not do it. In an earlier chapter, Chris told an 80 year old man to sell his apartment and all of his belongings and go live your life. The old man took this to heart, sold everything, and went and lived in a trailer on the outskirts of town. Both Andy Horowitz and Chris yearned for more adventure.

2. Krakauer goes on to claim that McCandless' "life hummed with meaning and purpose.  But the meaning he wrested from existence lay beyond the comfortablepath."  Do you agree with Krakauer?  Support your response with two specific quotes from this chapter.

I agree with Krakauer. Chris needeed to get off the comfortable path and create his own path, hoping some will follow. This path he created was one that survived off of the land  and not let anyone tell him what to do and how to do it. Chris thought he did not need money or his own car  to survive across North America.

*ADDITIONAL TOPICS FOR WRITING: Adventure and freedom versus safety.

You have to leave safety behind to be adventurous. To be adventerous is to leave behind things that are familiar to you and try something new or to be brave and do something risky. Adventerous people go rockclimbing or do anything risky knowing that their is a chance something could happen to you. Also, there is no safety in freedom. Men and women in America leave the safety of their homes and families to risk their lives and fight for our countries freedom.