Into the Wild

1. My inital reaction to this book was great because it was telling an interesting story at a very fast pace. But after maybe the first two chapters I have come not only to dislike the main character of the book but that I don't feel as if th story is going anywhere. We already know he hitch hikes and then dies in the Alaskan wilderness.
2. One word: nonsense. He doesn't really have common sense. He isn't really thinking of other people when he leaves for his adventure. Also nothing about his trip really makes sense. I can't say that he is dumb, but in my opinion he has a serious lack of common sense, described in one word as nonsense I guess.
3. I think the way you interpret this book determines what you think the theme is. I see this book as having a theme of social conformity and that too much individuality without thinking of others is bad. I guess what I'm trying to say is that the author is suggesting that maybe going on some outrageous trip to Alaska where even you personally believe you might not return alive isn't a good idea.
4. Although it's not a direct correlation, this book makes me think slightly of the movie Homeward Bound. The family decides to go visit the kid's grandmother and leaves their pets on a farm of a family friend, who also has to leave for a horse show. They make sure the pets will still be fed, but basically they're left alone and the pets think they have been abandoned. The family is selfishly leaving. Now it's not totally the same because we don't treat pets as we should treat people because that would be kind of foolish, but it makes me think of that movie.
5. I draw a connection from this book to my own life with my sister going off to college. I miss her and I guess you could say that she selfishly left us, but in reality she is at school only 4 or 5 hours from our home and comes back ALIVE to visit on holidays, which Chris obviously can't and will not do in Into the Wild.
6. I guess one thing in our society that could relate to this directly is people who decide to join the army. They are doing this for their own pride, and leaving everything else behind with a chance they could die. Now they expect to come back and also joining the army isn't looked at as weird like hiking in Alaska is and would be, but there is definitely a connection there.