“Death of an Innocent” by: John Krakauer Into the Wild “Death of an Innocent” by: John Krakauer

The BIG Question: Does our society allow us to find true happiness and fulfillment? Have you ever felt as though you needed to get away from what you knew in order to learn more about yourself or life in general? What would you do if you felt as though you needed a radical change in your life to find meaning in living? Would you take the chance or would you keep on living the way you always did?

Paraphrase: Finding Meaning W. H. Davies Money, O! When I had money, money, O! I knew no joy till I went poor; For many a false man as a friend Came knocking all day at my door. Then felt I like a child that holds A trumpet that he must not blow Because a man is dead; I dared Not speak to let this false world know. Much have I thought of life, and seen How poor men's hearts are ever light; And how their wives do hum like bees About their work from morn till night. So, when I hear these poor ones laugh, And see the rich ones coldly frown Poor men, think I, need not go up So much as rich men should come down. When I had money, money, O! My many friends proved all untrue; But now I have no money, O! My friends are real, though very few.

He grew up in an upper-class family and graduated from the renowned Emory University (Atlanta, Georgia) in 1990. He was influenced by authors and philosophers who viewed materialism as empty and unfulfilling

McCandless began embarking on solitary trips with no money, hitchhiking and depending on gifts and odd jobs to survive.

In 1992, he decided to travel alone to Alaska, where he hoped to live off of the land and find meaning in his life. He never returned.

The story of his life and death was made into a major motion picture, Into the Wild, in 2007.

Surveying the Text Journalism: the collecting, writing, editing, and presenting of news. Key word is presenting. Information can be given in drastically different ways. Have you heard about McCandless’s story? The film Into the Wild? How is this article broken up?

4 Predictions This article was first published in 1993 before a full book was released in 1996. What aspects of the journey might the author put his focus into? The subject had no witnesses around during the last several months of his life. How might the author find information regarding his journey and final months?

More predictions 3. Who will the author interview to gather his information? 4. The article is titled “Death of an Innocent” - What does this suggest about the author’s opinion of the subject? Will this piece be critical or full of praise?

Vocabulary: Define These Terms 1. sojourn 2. sully 3. surfeit 4. excursion 5. forsaken 6. peril 7. renunciation 8. bewilder 9. escarpment 10. incongruous

First Reading What is the “story” being told, beyond the facts that are described? How do you feel about the subject of the story? How do you feel about Christopher McCandless?

Second Reading Highlight each segment of the text which gives the audience insight about McCandless’s character and personality. Reflect: What are your initial impressions of Christopher McCandless, aka Alexander Supertramp? Why do you believe he decided to go on such a dangerous journey?

Quickwrite (After Sections 1-4): Do you believe that McCandless’s mind was “poisoned” by the authors he studied in college? Or was he just exposed to new ideas? Can books and articles be dangerous? Has there ever been a story that you have read or heard that has changed the way you live or view your life?

Analyzing Rhetorical Appeals (After Sections 5): Analyzing Ethos (1 paragraph response):  Krakauer begins telling his own story about dangerous adventures.  As an audience, we see that this is why he is drawn to McCandless.  How does this affect the objectivity of his journalism?  Does it make you more or less compelled to trust his depiction of McCandless' story?

Analyzing Rhetorical Appeals (After Sections 6-7): Analyzing Pathos (1 paragraph response):  Do the youth and intelligence of McCandless affect the way the audience feels about this story? If he were an older man who had no formal education, would your feelings toward him be different? Would we feel compelled to idolize him?

BW: Section 7 emotionally-charged words Re-read the first paragraph of Section 7 and write a plus sign (+) above every word with a positive connotation. Re-read the fifth paragraph of Section 7 and write a minus sign (-) above every word with a negative connotation. Think of the text overall so far: Does Krakauer have a mostly positive or negative view of McCandless?

Analyzing Rhetorical Appeals (After Section 10): Analyzing Logos (1 paragraph response):  It seems as though the author states that McCandless is a victim of bad luck, but it is also notable that he did not bring a map with him. How might McCandless’ fate have been altered if he was more practical and less idealistic?

Final Images

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Final note written by Mccandless

Memorial left on Bus 142

Reflection on the Text (After Section 10): 1 ½ to 2 pages A). Write a summary of the story (1 paragraph) B). Were you left with the impression that the author was objective in telling the story? Why or why not? (1-2 paragraphs) with details. C). How did you ultimately feel about McCandless by the end of the article? (1-2 paragraphs)

Hero or Tragic Figure? Writing an Opinion Piece Introduction: Do you feel that McCandless’ story has been overly romanticized? Should it have been published into a book and made into a film? Body paragraphs (2-3): What is the meaning in all of this? Is there a lesson to take away or is this just a character study of an interesting, if not flawed, young man? Be specific! Add INTEGRATED quotes from the article to back up your POV. Remember to include parenthetical citation. Conclusion: Ultimately, is McCandless an admirable young man, or a tragic figure to learn from?