Analyzing Chapters 4–7

Directions - Answer the following questions in your journal.

1. Compare the language and tone of the two letters that McCandless writes, one to his
sister and one to his parents.
1. What did McCandless mean when he said, “They will think they have bought my
respect”? (21).

b. Consider the authorial presence in these chapters. A few pages from the end of Chapter
7, Krakauer gives us an analysis of McCandless’s relationship with his father and
mother. It begins, “Westerberg’s latter conjecture  . . . ” (64).
1. What is the tone of this paragraph?
2. Does Krakauer cite any evidence that suggests he “knows” that his analysis is
accurate?
3. Does it matter?

b. Considering what you know of McCandless so far, why did he make the belt discussed
near the end of chapter 7? What does it represent to him? Why did he feel a need to
explain it to others?