Into the Wild Test
Due: Wednesday, January 13th
This test is a take home test. I am allowing you to take it home so that you have the time needed to complete it fully and
thoroughly. Remember that this is a test! If I, or any other person, hear you talking about this with ANY other student,
it is an automatic 0 – no questions asked!! You are to complete this ENTIRELY on your own. You cannot talk to
teachers, friends, or family members. Quotes must be used in each paragraph or points will be deducted. Accurate quote
attribution and integration using MLA format is expected. Formatting: Each new paragraph will begin with a bolded
heading. (See model on reverse side.) Work MUST be typed with 12pt. font and formatted with 1.5 spacing and 1’’
margins. (Points will be deducted for not following the format.) Work MUST be submitted to turnitin.com by 3pm on
Wednesday, January 13th. If the hard copy or electronic copy is submitted late, there will be a letter grade
deduction for each day the assignment is late. If you do not submit your test to turnitin.com, you will receive a 0
for the assignment. I will not accept any work after 3pm on Friday, January 15th.
Compare and Contrast. Below is a list of various characters from the book. You must choose one set of people
from the list. Then, in ONE paragraph you are to compare and contrast these 2 using textual support. Quotes
used may be from character dialogue, interviews, and / or Krakauer’s narration from various chapters in the
book. (180 word limit)
- Jon Krakauer and Chris McCandless
- Chris McCandless and John Waterman
- Wayne Westerburg and Ronald Franz
- Lewis Krakauer and Walter McCandless
Themes. Below is a list of themes that develop in the book. Select one theme and in ONE paragraph make a case,
using the text for support, as to why this theme is the most prevalent and significant theme of Into the Wild. (200
word limit)
- Always be prepared for the unexpected.
- Communication is the key to healthy relationships.
- The bond between a father and son is highly influential to the decisions of the son.
- Family provides an important structure for how you will live your life.
- A person’s pride often leads to his or her fall.
- Happiness is only real when shared with loved ones.
- An ordinary person can affect the lives of others in a profound way.
Transcendentalism. Choose one of the texts below. Write a paragraph explaining how Chris’s life and Into the
Wild support transcendentalist philosophies. You will need to use your class notes, textbook, and Into the Wild to
write your paragraph. Make sure you clearly attribute quotes to the proper text. Write one paragraph using
textual support, as well as your own ideas and connections, to answer the question. (200 word limit)
- Henry David Thoreau – from Walden Pond or from Civil Disobedience
- Ralph Waldo Emerson – from Nature or from Self-Reliance
Text Connections. Below is a list of the various supplemental texts that we read in class. Select one of the articles
below and write a ONE paragraph rationale on how the article connects to Into the Wild. (180 word limit)
- “Divorce – The Bigger Picture” by Brett A. Magbee published in Perspectives. July 2000.
- Outside magazine’s article, “The Solitary Way,” by Jack Turner
- Outside magazine’s article, “The Hard Way”
- Time magazine’s article “Looking for a Life of Thrills”
- “To Build a Fire” by Jack London