Name ______________________

Mr. Benincasa

Group 1: Connecting Walden to Into the Wild

Free write about the relationship between adventure and comfort: To what extent is being comfortable and happy a deterrent to risk-taking? Use examples to support your points.

Reading the excerpted passages from Thoreaus Walden (Where I Lived, and What I Lived For, Solitude, and Conclusion): As you read the assigned selections from Walden, write down any passages (including page numbers) that seem to connect with McCandless philosophy about society, nature, and life.

Group Discussion: Read the following passage: So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a mans living spirit is his passion for adventure. (57) Discuss the significance of this passage, especially in relation to the reading you just completed from Walden. What similarities and differences do you see between the texts? Take notes from the discussion in the space below.

After discussion, as a group: write a thesis statement and a supporting paragraph that synthesizes the two texts, drawing connections between Krakauers statement and Thoreaus perspective. Use textual evidence from each text and analyze that evidence to support your ideas. Once you have finished your paragraph, transfer it to poster paper, and be prepared to share your thinking with the class.