The Throne of Fire by Rick Riordan

I'm sure many of you have heard about or read The Percy Jackson series and if you enjoyed those I know you'll love the new Kane series starting with The Red Pyramid. The second in that series recently came out and it surprised me so much that I felt a book review coming on. 

Rating: 9 & 1/4 out of 10

Pages: 446

First Line: "Carter here. Look, we don't have time for long introductions."

Synopsis: After the Egyptian gods and goddesses were let lose, Carter and Sadie have been pretty busy. They've been fighting monsters, training kids with Egyptian magic, and trying to save the world. I know you're probably thinking that a fourteen year-old  boy and an almost-thirteen year-old girl cannot possibly be trying to save the world because: a. they're too young, b. they just found out about their magical abilities not too long ago, and c. if the world were in danger, you would have heard about it--right? Wrong. You see Carter and Sadie have only just released the tape-recordings that tell their story. In just a few days, less than a week, in fact, the snake Apophis is going to swallow the sun and Chaos will take over. Basically, the world will end. But not if the Kanes can help it. They are planning to bring Ra, the sun god, out of retirement and have him stop Chaos from overruling Ma'at, order. To do this they have to find the three different scrolls that make up the Book of Ra, chant the spell correctly, and actually find the missing sun god. As they face their newest adventure, the odds are against them, but this never stopped before. Too bad that this is an impossible task, harder than anything they've ever seen. 

Review: I had thought the first book in the series to be just okay. This was caused by not enough explanation about the complex magic. Also, I found that I do enjoy the Greek gods in the Percy Jackson series and The Lost Hero, more than the Egyptian gods. I had thought The Red Pyramid was decent, but really didn’t think it was up to par as a Rick Riordan book. Well, the second book in the series definitely changed my mind.

            The Throne of Fire was jam-packed with adventure. There were all sorts of fights that were both won and lost by the protagonists, making the storyline very realistic. They traveled, got captured, and made daring escapes. Everything that makes a fast-moving, good action story was there.

            Also, there were secondary storylines and conflicts, such as Walt’s secret or Carter’s quest to find Zia. These added a lot of dimension to the story and complicated the main conflict, just like in real life. *SPOILER ALERT* And though not everything worked out with Zia and Carter, I found that she was a very important part of tying the first two books together and I believe we will see much more of her funky character in future books.

            I really love how these books are written as if they are transcribed. It makes them even more interesting and I enjoy the biting side comments that the sibling exchange. This brings me to the comedy in this book. Though Mr. Riordan does not put a whole bunch of comedic dialogue or jokes in, there is a humorous side to this story. He works in bits that are so random and his characters have such ridiculous quirks that you’ll be giggling out loud. I almost always found myself smiling as I read this book from the pure absurdity of it all. (This may not sound like a compliment to some of you, but from me it is.)

            One of the few things I thought the booked lacked was a really great climax. The rising action and the building momentum of the story were wonderful, but they promised so much more than we got. I found the main fight to be almost boring, partially because Carter and Sadie were not very involved. *SPOILER ALERT* Yes, Sadie reads an immensely difficult spell while Carter protects her, yet the fighting is mostly between Desjardins and Apophis. I thought that this did fit in with the story and was well thought out, yet I could not help but become disappointed after all the other minor fight scenes that led up to the big challenge.

            By and large, I was quite immersed in this book. I found the mythology and magic to be better explained than in the first book of the series and I thought the voice recording bit still fit in with the story quite nicely. The action was intense and there was just enough comedic relief. The Throne of Fire was a joy to read and the level of writing happily surprised me.

Recommended: Mhm. If you don't like mythology or fantasy then this will probably not be an exciting read for you, but if you enjoyed Mr. Riordan's other books or like this genre then I recommend it highly. 

Similar: The Red Pyramid, anything by Terry Pratchett, The Akhenaten Adventure by P. B. Kerr

The Game of Vingt Cinq

Twenty-five random facts about moi:

1. I was named Madison Lark Meyer because my mother thought I looked like a baby bird when I was born.
2. I own a butter churn and use it regularly.
3. I know the names of almost all the animals at the Maryland Zoo. 
4. I enjoy dancing in the rain.
5. I don't have a favorite genre of music. I just like good music.
6. I've taken a bookbinding class. 
7. When I was a child I loved playing imaginary games with my friends--Imaginaries, Olden Days, Fairies, House, etc.
8. I have no clue what I'm going to be when I grow up, my life feels like it could go in so many different directions.
9. My iPod is named Wilhemina. She has exactly 199 songs on her, as of now. 
10. I am a bibliophile and most of the local librarians are on a first name basis with my family.
11. My miniature schnauzer's favorite color is green.
12. I have a fear of being alone.
13. I love being onstage--whether I am in a dance recital, play, or musical.
14. I wish I could play an instrument, but I've never been musically talented.
15. I have recently discovered a love for Nutella (I'm eating a spoonful right now :D) and Glee.
16. I enjoy listening to NPR and also HCC's station.
17. I am a nerdfighter a.k.a. one who fights worldsuck.
18. My first grade class help decide my little sister's name.
19. I am a Mac. This is most likely because I learned how to use Photoshop on a Mac. 
20. Sometimes I sit on my roof.
21. I love old things.
22. I'd rather sew by hand than with a machine.
23. I've never been out the country, though I've always wanted to travel.
24. Even though my voice is nothing special, I love to sing--especially show tunes.
25. I always try to pick out the funkiest and most unusual glasses when I get a new pair.

My spirit animal and me 

A Most Delightful Safari into the Capital

Yesterday, our Honors English class visited Washington D. C. for the day. We went to the Folger Theater where we saw Bill's Buddies, an acting troupe. They performed a medley of Shakespeare scenes and taught us about them. We heard about how Shakespeare still relates to modern life in his plays and how we could understand them better. While I am pretty comfortable reading Shakespeare, I will now be reading his plays out loud more often, so that I can hear the way his writing creates sound and emotion. My favorite part of the show was probably the fight scene from Hamlet, for after Much Ado About Nothing, Hamlet is my favorite play of Shakespeare's. They were very talented actors and I enjoyed seeing their interpretation of the plays. I had a lot of fun and recommend this trip highly, though I would have liked to stay longer in D.C. considering the length of the trip there and back.

Hero-- n. 1 a. a mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability b. an illustrious warrior c. a man admired for his achievements and noble qualities d. one who shows great courage 2 a. the principle male character in a literary or dramatic work b. the central figure in an event, period, or movement 3. an object of extreme admiration and devotion

Heroic Traits:

• Brutus
• saved Mark Antony 
• is working for the greater good of Rome, even thought he is close to Caesar
• takes control of the conspiracy
• wants freedom for the Romans
• has noble intentions
• idealist
• driven by his principles
• stoic
• loves Rome and is very loyal 

• Caesar

• Brutus says that he was:
• valiant
• loving
• ambitious
• already led Rome to victory
• catalyst that makes everyone else act

sources:
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hero
http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSxvUTNz5oUDSMAewudA5EFVBIgfhlFPPYrneEayFDJpPWUjs8m1A&t=1

Tragic Flaws

Caesar

• overly ambitious
• intelligence tainted by hunger for power
• prideful
• ignores superstitions
• headstrong

Brutus

• naive 
• trusting
• stoic
• unselfish
• feels guilt strongly

That Zora Sure Does Love Her Some Symbols

• The checkers stand for Janie's equality and how Tea Cake treats her.
• Janie's braid is for freedom.
• The head rag meant bondage and slavery.
• Booker T. was an example of black success.
• Mrs. Turner personified racism and all of its complexities.
• Guitars stood for the playful side of people and the life-loving atmosphere of the Muck and Tea Cake.
• Overalls were for the working class and hard, honest work.
• The packet of seeds holds new life and starting over.
• The horizon is for new beginnings, hope, and planning for the future.
• The color blue  is proof of Janie and Tea Cake's love. It also symbolizes their partnership.
• The fish were a symbol of sharing of relationship between Janie and Tea Cake
• The Muck and the dirt were for the working class and a community rich and fertile in fun and love.
• The hurricane is God's power and how it is scary and amazing.
• The rabid dog is a symbol for hatred and how it is blind to who it hurts.
• The street lamp showed a new start and a fire just being lit. It also stood for Joe's ambition.

• The spittoons were for unnecessary luxury and Joe's way of keeping Janie content.
• The Eatonville store is the meeting place and center of the community.
• Mules stand for the burden of women, especially black women.
• Guns and shooting show that Janie is being empowered.
• The pear tree is for perfect harmony and marriage. 
• The sun and the way Janie associates Tea Cake with it means that life goes on and the sun continues to rise and set. 

Quote Unquote Imagery

My favorite—“Words walking without masters; walking altogether like the harmony in a song.” Pg. 2

1.      “The sun was gone, but he had left his footprints in the sky.” Pg. 1 This describes how the sun has set, but there is still some light on the horizon. This may also be referring to the symbol of Tea Cake as the sun and saying that though he is dead Janie remembers him.

2.      “She searched as much of the world as she could from the top of the front steps, then went on down to the front gate and leaned over to gaze up and down the road. Looking, waiting, breathing short with impatience. Waiting for the world to be made.” Pg. 11 This shows how she was looking for adventure and opportunity.

3.      “It was a lonesome place like a stump in the middle of the woods where nobody had ever been.” Pg 21-22 This shows how secluded Janie is in Logan’s house and how that was boring for an adventurous and fun-loving girl like her.

4.       

a.       “Logan with his shovel looked like a black bear doing some clumsy dance on his hind legs.” Pg 31 This mental image is supposed to contrast with that of Joe Starks so that one can see the difference in the demeanor of the two men and that Joe is after something bigger.

b.      “From now on until death, she was going to have flower dust and springtime sprinkled over everything.” Pg 32 This states how happy she feels when she runs away with Joe and she believes that this feeling with never disappear.

5.       

a.       “It was just a handle to wind the tongue up with.” Pg 48 This  expression is used to say that the townspeople  talked  well about Joe just to make sure they didn’t get in trouble for the other things they say.

b.      “…he’s de wind, and we’se de grass.” Pg 49 this is used to tell of how much control Joe had over the townspeople.

6.       

a.       “Every morning the world flung itself over and exposed the town to the sun.” pg 51 This tells that even with all that was going on with her life, Janie’s world went on.

b.      “He had more spirit left than body.” Pg 56 though this is used to describe the mule, it tells that a being’s spirit and body are not the same thing.

7.       

a.       “She was a rut in the road. Plenty of life beneath the surface but it was kept beaten down by the wheels.” Pg 76 this shows that Janie had a lot of fight left in her, but Joe kept such a tight control on her that she couldn’t start fighting.

b.      “She got so she received all things with the stolidness of the earth which soaks up urine and perfume with indifference.” Pg 77 This shows that she learnt to deal with Joe quietly and indifferently.

8.       

a.       “But stillness was the sleep of swords.” Pg 81 This is saying that the stillness between Joe and Janie was only preparation for a fight.

b.      “She was liable to find a feather from his wings lying in her yard any day now.” Pg 84 This is referring to Death and saying that soon it will come for Joe and barely leave any traces behind.

9.       

a.       “It was all according to the way you see things. Some people could look at a mud-puddle and see an ocean with ships.” Pg 89 This tells of how some people are optimistic and see lots of oppurtunity while others do not.

b.      “To my thinkin’ mourning oughtn’t tuh last no longer’n grief.” Pg 93 Janie says this to indicate that it would be rude to the dead to mourn them only for public appearance, without ever grieving them.

10.   

a.       “Jes lak uh lil girl wid her Easter dress on.” pg 98 Here Tea Cake is showing how pleasing and cute it is to have Janie call him by his nickname. He is also trying to break the age barrier between them.

b.      “Soon its amber fluid was drenching the earth, and quenching the thirst of the day.” Pg 99 This is talking about the moon and it means that the night finished the day and brought about love and rest.

11.   

a.        “It was so crazy digging worms by lamplight and setting out for Lake Sabelia after midnight that she felt like a child breaking rules.” Pg. 102 This shows how thrilling it was being with Tea Cake and how much younger she felt by having so much fun.

b.      “It feels jus’ lak underneath uh dove’s wing next to mah face.” Pg. 103 Tea Cake uses this description to tell of how luscious Janie’s hair is.

c.       “Janie awoke next morning by feeling Teak Cake almost kissing her breath away.” Pg. 107 This phrase is used to show the magnitude of Janie’s love and how it was different than with her other husbands.

12.   

a.       “When you see uh woman doin’ so much rakin’ in her head, she’s combin’ at some man or ‘nother.” Pg. 111 Here Sam Watson is explaining Janie’s actions to Phoeby.

b.      “ Git up on uh high chair and sit dere.  She didn’t have time tuh think whut tuh do after you got up on de stool uh do nothin’.” Pg. 114 This line is Janie talking of her grandmother and her dream for Janie. The chair symbolizes an important or cushy place in society; a honest living and a good marriage.

13.   

a.       “The train beat on itself and danced on the shiny steel rails mile after mile.” Pg. 116 Here Janie is telling of her trip to join Tea Cake.

b.      “But, don’t care how firm your determination is, you can’t keep turning round in one place like a horse grinding sugar can.” Pg. 118 Here Mrs. Hurston uses the symbol of a horse grinding sugar cane to show that you have to make progress to go anywhere.

14.   

a.       “Shining their phosphorescent eyes and shooting them in the dark.” Pg. 131 Now one of Janie and Tea Cake’s adventures is being told, making their relationship sound exciting and fun.

b.      “…but heah, we ain’t got nothin’ tuh do but do our work and come home and love.” Pg. 133 This is where Janie is telling of how she enjoys her working life with Tea Cake and comparing it to her old relationships.

15.   

a.       “A little seed of fear was growing into a tree.” Pg. 136 Mrs. Hurston uses this phrase to describe how Janie and Tea Cake’s relationship is starting to have flaws.

b.      “You done hurt mah heart, now you come wid uh lie tuh bruise mah ears!” Pg. 137 Janie is trying to stop Tea Cake from hurting her further after she gets jealous of Nunkie.

16.   

a.       “She was an ironing board with things thrown at it.” Pg. 140 Here Mrs. Turner’s posture is being commented on.

b.      “He was a vanishing-looking kind of a man as if there used to be parts about him that stuck out individually but now he hadn’t a thing about him  that wasn’t dwindled and blurred. Just like he had been sand-papered down to a long oval mass.” Pg. 144 Mr. Turner is being described here.

17.   

a.      “She got ninety-nine rows uh jaw teeth and git her good and mad, she’ll wade through solid rock up to her hip pockets.”  Pg. 148 This is what a man says when comparing his wife to Janie and how his wife would never stand him hitting her.

b.      “…broken dishes and crippled tables and broken-off chair legs and window panes and such things. It got so that the floor was knee-deep with something no matter where you put your foot down.” Pg. 152 Mrs. Hurston describes the scene in Mrs. Turner’s after the riot.

18.   

a.      “The winds, to the tiniest, lisping baby breath had left the earth. Even before the sun gave light, dead day was creeping from bush to bush watching man.” Pg. 155 The premonitions of the hurricane are talked of.

b.      “…and the monster began to roll in his bed. Began to roll and complain like a peevish world on a grumble.” Pg. 158 The hurricane is symbolized as a monster.

19.   

a.      “He stood once more and again in his high flat house without sides to it and without a roof with his soulless sword standing upright in his hand. His pale white horse had galloped over waters, and thundered over land.” Pg. 168 Death is personified for a better effect after the hurricane.

b.      “Some dead with fighting faces and eyes flung wide open in wonder. Death had found them watching, trying to see beyond seeing.” Pg.170 Mrs. Hurston talks of the dead and the aftermath of the storm.

20.   

a.       “Love is lak de sea. It’s uh movin’ thing, but still and all it takes its shape from de shore it meets, and it’s different with every shore.” Pg. 191 Janie says this after everything, when she has returned to Eatonville.

b.      “And listenin’ tuh dat kind uh talk is jus’ lak openin’ yo’ mouth and lettin’ de moon shine down yo’ throat.” Pg. 192 This is the comment Janie makes when talking to Phoeby about the porch-sitters.

Their Eyes Were Watching God: Scrutinized

Object of Exmination: Their Eyes Were Watching God
Written by: Zora Neale Hurston
Pages: 240
First line: Ships at a distance have every man's wish on board.
Rating out of 10: 8
Synopsis: Goodreads
Review: Overall I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I found the plot to be interesting and the twists in the story were unsuspected and realistic. The action scenes were a little hard to follow--the sentences were too long and too flowery. In some cases, Mrs. Hurston did not describe a few vital details. I loved the language and the imagery and symbols. The writing would lure me into a trance and I would just keep on reading. I grew to enjoy the cultural factor that the phonetic dialogue added. The symbols added so much meaning and reverance to the story and brought out some of the hidden conflicts. While the characters were well-developed and easy to relate to, Janie was a little annoying at times with her inner conflicts and how she couldn't decide what she wanted. Readers would be more sympathetic if Janie was not so hypocritical at the beginning and gathered up her strength more quickly. I really liked this book and recommend it to anyone who likes romances, historical fiction, or gorgeous writing.

Good day to you too, sir!

Zora Neale Hurston was an excellent writer and prominent figure in the Harlem Renaissance. She has received much criticism and praise for her works, especially Their Eyes Were Watching God. I do think that the dialect of the dialogue was a little challenging and threw me off at first, but I quickly got used to it and saw the culture that it added to the story. "In case there are readers who have a chronic laziness about dialect, it should be added that the dialect here is very easy to follow, and the images it carries are irresistible," said Lucille Tompkins in a New York Times Book Review. I love this  book so far and find it interesting and very well written. One must delve beneath the surface of the novel to really enjoy it--the symbols are deep and rich with emotion and the themes are definitely there, but hidden under the gorgeous imagery.
Richard Wright was probably Zora's biggest critic. He said that her novel did not show the racial injustice and was also very mad at her for writing black men that physically abused the main character, Janie. Truly, the racial injustice of slavery and of the Jim Crowe laws is included in the story, though it is not bluntly obvious. In a review by George Stevens for the Saturday Review of Literature it was written that, "...there is an undertone, never loud enough to be isolated, of racial frustration." I agree that she does include it, but not so prominently because it is not always prominent in real life. Sheila Hibbon stated that "...there is a flashing, gleaming riot of black people, with a limitless exuberance of humor, and a wild, strange sadness," in The New York Herald Tribune Weekly Book Review.
I have enjoyed this book immensely so far and I cannot wait to finish reading it. I love Zora's style of writing and I like hearing about Janie's quest for love. I especially like Zora's symbols and her well-developed characters. 
http://people.virginia.edu/~sfr/enam854/summer/hurston.html
http://blogs.davenportlibrary.com/pr/wp-content/2009/02/their-eyes-were-watching-god-movie.jpg

Too prepared for my own good

I have already researched Zora Neale Hurston and so I'll tell you about another great writer of the Harlem Renaissance instead.
 Langston Hughes

• He was born in 1902 in Missouri. 
• He was known for using the rhythm of common African American speech and other parts of their culture into his poetry.
• He was the first writer to realistically portray urban black life.
• He got famous when he was busing on Vachel Lindsay in a restaurant and left three of his poems next to Lindsay's plate.
• Hughes published his first work, Weary Blues, in 1926.
• As a prominent figure in the Harlem Renaissance he was often referred to as Poet Laureate of Harlem.
• Mulatto, his famous drama, was performed on Broadway a total of 373 times. 
• He used his poetry to protest social and political causes.
• Langston wrote a newspaper column that expressed the thoughts of many black Americans. This aired in the Chicago Defender and the New York Post in the 1940s.
• He died May 22, 1967 with over 50 published works.

   

Sources:

"Langston Hughes." Microsoft® Student 2009 [DVD]. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Corporation, 2008.

http://globalfusionproductions.com/fbl/langston-hughesfebruary-1-1902-%E2%80%93-may-22-1967-prolific-wordsmith-rest-in-power/
http://langstonhughesfacts.com/
http://receivinghairline.tumblr.com/post/2150540541/langston-hughes

A Journey Into the Harlem Renaissance

• The Harlem Renaissance movement happened in the 1920's and early 1930's. 
• It was a cultural movement of African American art, literature, theater, politics, and music.
• It was centered in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City.
• It is also known as the New Negro Movement, the New Negro Renaissance, and the Negro Renaissance.
• It was the first time that publishers and critics took African American literature and art seriously.
• There was no common literary style or political ideology--this movement was held together by commitment to getting African American art recognized.
• Also, racial pride and desire for social and political equality bound them.
• During this movement about 16 writers published over 50 volumes.
• The literature from this period was read not only by the African American middle class, but the white book-buying public too.
• The successful black entertainers even moved downtown so that more white people could come visit. 

Josephine Baker

• She was a singer and dancer.
• She moved to Paris, France.
• There she introduced many Europeans to African American culture.
• She became famous for a dance called the banana dance.
• She was the first African American to star in a major motion picture.

Claude McKay

• Claude was a poet and writer.
• He was one of the first black authors to be popular among white people.
• His poems that told of injustice towards African Americans were sonnets.
• He traveled to Russia and France.
• His work was mostly at the beginning of the Harlem Renaissance--inspiring others and setting the tone for it.

Zora Neale Hurston

• She was a writer, anthropologist, and folklorist.
• Zora was the more significant and successful black woman writer for the first half of the 1900's. 
• She grew up in the African American society in Eatonville, where she experienced a lot of culture that would want her to give that to the rest of the world.
• She did not go to school as a teenager, but went back at age 26 and pretended to be 16 and born in 1901. She pretended this was her real birth date for the rest of her life.
• She wrote the famous novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, which my English class will soon start reading.

Sources:

http://www.zoranealehurston.com/biography.html

http://www.cmgww.com/stars/baker/index.php

http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/25

http://www.literaryhistory.com/20thC/Hurston.htm

https://filipspagnoli.wordpress.com/2008/07/18/human-rights-poem-48-the-white-house/

http://thesavvysistah.com/savvy-sistahs-soar/savvy-sistahs-soar-josephine-baker/

Wintz, Cary DeCordova. "Harlem Renaissance." Microsoft® Student 2009 [DVD]. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Corporation, 2008.

Into the Wild Final Project

Chris McCandless Characterization chart

Chris was quite something. He was very genuine and sincere in his love for nature and he wishes for peace and happiness. He was not perfect--he could get very angry and upset at times. While at the beginning of his journey I thought that he was sane, I'm not so sure more towards the end of the book. As a reader I see his mind deteriorating as he goes on his journey. It was not necessarily a bad thing, but I do not believe that he was of a right mind when he died. If he was sane he would have come to the conclusion that he could focus his efforts on something that would help others and through that he could find spiritual awakening. I feel that his character at the beginning of the book would have done this, yet the effects of a few mistakes he made slowly, but surely wore on his mind. He was not a worse, or less amazing person at the end of the book--the sincere and caring thoughts were still there, he just could not realize what he really had to do.

A Trip to Change My Life

I think backpacking around Narnia would  be fun and would change my life. I would experience many medieval customs and see a lot of magic. I would meet Aslan and become best friends with Lucy and Susan. Peter and me would  be in love at first sight and get married to have little princes and princesses. I would go on trips to Aslan's  land and Archenland. I would meet many talking animals including: Bree, Hwin, Mr. Tumnus, and Reepicheep.  I would never leave. This would   make me disappear from our world, even though it would take people here a while to notice I was gone.

ITW First Half Questions

 1.What is the personal history of Chris McCandless? He came from a well-off family that lived in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. He was a good student and athlete graduating from Emory University. (Author’s Note)

2.       2.What themes does Jon Krakauer introduce in the “Author’s Note”? The themes are how Americans love the wilderness and want to explore it, the high-risk adventures that appeal to teenage boys, and the bond between father and son. (Author’s Note)

3.    3.   What is the purpose of the quoted material at the start of Chapter One? The purpose of that material is to give some background and foreshadow his death. (p. 3)

4.     4.  Who is Alex? Alex is Chris McCandless’ alias. (p. 4)

5.    5.   Who is Jim Gallien, and how did he meet McCandless? Jim is a union electrician who picks up McCandless, when Chris is hitchhiking and happens to pick him up. (p. 4)

6.      6. What was Gallien’s assessment of McCandless? Gallien thinks Chris is young and unprepared. (p. 4)

7.      7. What kind of advice did Gallien give McCandless? Gallien told Chris that he is not ready to go into the wilderness and that he should become better prepared before he tries to do something so dangerous. (p. 6)

8.    8.What was McCandless’s response to Gallien’s offer?  Also, what gift did Gallien give to McCandless? McCandless turns down Gallien’s offer to take him to get better gear and to drive him wherever. Then Gallien gives Chris some rubber work boots. (p. 6-7)

9.   9.Why did Gallien decide not to alert the authorities about McCandless? Gallien did not alert the authorities because he figured that McCandless would run out of food and give up and go home. (p.7)

1010.   Gallien’s statement that McCandless would “probably get hungry pretty quick and just walk out to the highway.  That’s what any normal person would do,” is an example of the literary device of irony of situation.  What is ironic about the statement? It is ironic because he did not do the ‘normal’ thing and give up. He did exactly what Gallien had not expected. (page 8)

1111.  Why would Krakauer include a quote from another author such as Jack London as the heading for this chapter? Krakauer used a quote from Jack London at the beginning of the chapter to set the scene. Also, it foreshadowed the mood of the chapter. (p. 9)

1212.  What is the purpose of the detailed descriptions of Mt. McKinley, Denali, and the Stampede Trail? The purpose of detailed descriptions in this chapter is to tell a bit about where Chris had traveled and how harsh these places were. (page 10-11)

1313.What was considered to be the cause of Chris McCandless’s death? The cause of his death was said to be starvation because there were no major injuries and Chris was only 67 lbs. (page 12)

1414. Who is Wayne Westerberg and how do Wayne and Chris get along? Wayne is a grain elevator owner, a farmer, welder, businessman, machinist, mechanic, and much more. He is like a father to Chris and they get along very well. (page 19)

1515.  Local color is introduced when a writer uses regional or colorful terms to present an image of a distinct area or culture.  The terms “leather tramp” and “rubber tramp” qualify as examples of local color.  What culture do they describe, and what is the difference between rubber tramps and leather tramps? They describe the nomadic culture. Leather tramps are hitchhikers and rubber tramps are bums with cars, sometimes in need of gas money. (page 17)

1616. Why did the author say that McCandless found a “surrogate family in Westerberg and his employees”? Krakauer said this because he did not come from a home with a stable family life. He got so close (page 18)

1717.  Why did McCandless leave Carthage? There was no more work so Chris left Carthage. (page 19)

1818.  How does the reader know that War and Peace was important to McCandless? He keeps talking about it. Furthermore he gives a copy to Wayne. (page 19)

1919.  Describe McCandless’s early years and family life. Chris was very smart and did well in school, as well as being a good athlete. He came from a big family, but they were well off. (page19 and 20)

2020.  What clues did McCandless give that he was out of step with the commercialism of contemporary society? He didn’t want a nice car nor any gifts. He did not think that titles were important. Also he was a loner. (page 20)

2121.  What change did McCandless make that symbolized the new life he expected to build after he left Athens? He makes up a new name.  (page 23)

2222.  The head note to this chapter concludes that people go to the desert “not to escape but to find reality.” How does this statement apply to Chris? He travels away from his hometown and off across the country and eventually to the barren land of Alaska in hope of finding out how to make his life more realistic. (page 25)

2323.  Who is Jan Burres, and how did she figure into Chris’s travels? Jan is a rubber tramp who selling trinkets. She figured into Chris’s travels when she saw him on the side of the road and offered him a ride. (page 30)

2424.  Describe the trip that Chris took in the old metal canoe that Chris bought in Topock, Arizona. Chris bought a canoe in Topock, Arizona and traveled from there to the Gulf of California on the Colorado River. (page 32)

2525.  This chapter contains numerous excepts from the journal Chris kept.  What is noticeable about the writing in his account of his Mexican adventure? He talks in third person. Also he writes of his emotions along with what happens to him. (page 34 and 35)

2626.  Existentialism is a philosophy that emphasizes the individual’s responsibility and free will to direct the course of his/her life.  What existential conclusion does Chris reach when leaving Las Vegas?  (Look at end of chapter 4 for ideas.) He realizes that that you must live your life to the fullest in order for it to be worthwhile. (page 37)

2727.  What kind of life did Chris lead in Bullhead City? Chris led a non-nomadic life of normality and convention in Bullhead City. (page 39)

2828.  Describe the conditions and the residents of the Slab.  Note some of the local color that makes this community memorable.  The Slab was an abandoned navy air base. (page 43)

2929.  What character traits and skills does Jan Burres recount about Chris in chapter 5?   Jan talked about Chris as helpful, a bibliophile, social, playful, good with animals, and entertaining. (page 44 and 45)

3030.  What was Jan Burres’s assessment of Chris’s ability to survive in Alaska? (end of chapter 5) Jan thought that even if he was well equipped, Chris was smart enough to survive Alaska. (page 46)

3131.  Who was Ron Franz, and how did he enter the story?  What does Krakauer think about the relationship between Franz and McCandless? Ron Franz was a widower and a eighty year old. He enters the story with a letter to the magazine that published the story about Chris. Krakauer thinks that the relationship between Franz and McCandless was strong and Franz got very attached to Chris. (page 47-49)

3232.  What is Anza-Borrego? Anza-Borrego is “desiccated, phantasmal badlands”. (page 49)

3333.  What was the tragedy of Ron Franz’s life? Ron Franz lost his wife and son in a car accident. (page 50)

3434.  How did he feel about Chris and what request did he make of Chris? He became very fond of Chris and asked if he could adopt him as a grandson. (page 55)

3535.  What role did leathermaking take in their relationship? Ron taught chris everything he knew about leathermaking. (page 51 and 52)

3636.  The author gives a brief character analysis of McCandless after recounting that Franz dropped him off in Colorado.  What does the author say about McCandless? Krakauer says that Chris had succeeded in keeping everyone at an arm’s length and had escaped to Alaska without any deep emotional ties. (page 55)

3737.  When Chris sent Franz a letter from Carthage, what advice did Chris give to Franz and how did Franz respond to this letter? Chris told Franz that he needed to reject his stable life and sell his possessions to live abroad in his letter. Surprisingly Franz followed the advice and got out of Salton City. (page 56-58)

3838.  How did Ron Franz learn that McCandless had died and how did this death change Franz’s life? Ron learned that McCandless died when an Indian hitchhiker told him. His death made Ron resort to drinking and it eliminated his belief that there was a God. (page 60)

3939.  Why was Wayne Westerberg annoyed at the beginning of chapter Seven? Wayne was annoyed because there was a lot of work to do and because he is missing Chris. (page 62)

4040.  What is the author’s analysis of the relationship between McCandless and his father?  How did Chris feel about his sister Carine? McCandless and his father do not get along very well because his father was always trying to insert his power over Chris who was very independent-minded. Chris was close to his sister Carine. (page 63 and 64)

4141.  What is the purpose of including the full story of Gene Rossellini? The purpose of including Gene Rossellini’s whole story was to give an example of another man who is similar and yet different from McCandless. (page 73-75).

4242.  What motivated Krakauer to include the story of John Waterman? Krakauer was motivated to include the story of John Waterman because he wanted to show us that McCandless while somewhat similar to John, was not crazy. (page 80)

4343.  Finally, what is the purpose of including the story of Chris McCunn in the narrative? The purpose of adding McCunn’s story to the narrative is to show the reader that McCandless was not expecting anyone to save him. (page 85)

4444.  Summarize the story of Everett Ruess and his fascination with the American West and natural beauty. Everett Ruess was kicked out of college and wandered the American West. He lived out of his backpack and often went hungry. One day he disappeared on an expedition. He had been entranced with the beauty of the American West and felt that it became part of him. (page 90-91)

4545.  What Ken Sleight’s conclusion about Ruess and McCandless? Ken concludes that Ruess and McCandless will need human contact even though they like to be alone often. He says they keep leaving only to come back when they are lonely. He also says that they are some of the few people who actually tried to follow their dreams (page 96)