Brittany Hoffer
03/22/2014
Journal 11th
Chapter 16, 17, 18 and epilogue
Chapter 16
April 15th, 1992, Chris started his journey for Alaska after leaving Carthage, South Dakota. He
crossed the Canadian border at Roosville, British Columbia, and thumbed north through Skookumcheck
and Radium Junction, Lake Louise and Jasper, Prince George and Dawson Creek. Almost to Fairbanks he
caught a ride with a man named Gaylord Stuckey where he was dropped off at the University of Alaska
campus. So Chris could study up on plants for his adventure. He then left to start his walk on the
George Parks Highway where a man picked him up to take him to the Stampede Trail. Which the drivers
name is Jim Gallien who was the last to see Chris. During his adventure through the Stampede Trail he
came across a bus where it had a stove heater and a bunk. In the summer of May, he had to stalk
animals and kill them in order to eat. Before Chris left for his whole trip he was lean, but still healthy
and well fed. On July 3rd, he is too skinny with sunken cheeks. He made an attempt to leave Stampede
Trial, but he thought of it as too risky so he walked back to the bus.
Chapter 17
The narrator talks about how he adventured a few liked-trips of his own as Chris did. The
narrator Jon stood by the river Teklanika where Chris was unable to cross in the summer of 1992. Now
he says the water is much lower for someone to cross. Being more prepared than Chris, Jon and three
other friends went to visit the Stampede Trail. The three friends are named Dan Solie, Roman Dial, and
Andrew Liske. Once they made it to the bus where McCandless died, they searched around for clues or
just remains of Chris. Jon thanks for not being alone and soon understands that McCandles was not
smart when he entered his expedition for the Stampede Trail. McCandless story was similar to others
like Sir John Franklin, John Muir and Thoreau all who didn’t really get a concept of the meaning of
accepting the nature of the land.
Chapter 18
Near the end of his journey around the end of July toward August he begin writing in his journal about
how he became starved. Chris was thought to be poisoned by seeds. He bought a bag of wild potato
seeds and so he went around his area to search for some more. There is a possible way where he might
of mistake a wild sweet pea seed from a wild potato seed. The Wild sweet pea is extremely dangerous
to us humans. McCandless also could have made the mistake of eating the seeds instead of the wild
potato roots. So people thinking he was stupid for going out there wasn’t, because he didn’t fully
understand the nature and how it can affect us humans but that he only made the mistake by accidently
eating a seed pod instead of the root. Chris needed help through August, but he only wrote on a paper
hoping someone would just walk by and help him. Being unsure why he didn’t just start a fire since he
had almost two gallons of stove gas. When Jon and his buddies went on the trail they didn’t see one
airplane anyways. Chris died on August 18th with 112 days since he walked in to the wild. Also, 19 days
before spotted by travelers.
Epilogue
Jon, Billie and Walt go to Alaska to take a look at the bus 142 where Chris died. Billie wanted to
walk as Chris did, but the wilderness was much too worse to walk. So they took a helicopter and landed
near the bus. As Billie takes a look she understands how beautiful the place was and how it reminded
her of where she grew up. Billie is the first to enter the bus followed by Walt. As she picks up his things
that reminds her of Chris she starts to think how brave he was to not do himself in. Later they make a
memorial for him around the bus. As they leave Billie could see how proud she would have been of him
and how she is still. They left looking over the bus smiling.
This chapters all kept me guessing like I needed to know why he died. Chapter 18 was the most
interesting, because I loved that I was reading it then the next sentences explained maybe it didn’t kill
him. Then I was just mad, because I just wanted to know what happen not well maybe that but then
there this too. Then again I liked that I kept reading it just too fully understand why and in which he
died from eating seeds when he was supposed to eat the roots. Epilogue really got to me, because I like
how the mom and dad went to visit the site where he died just to get their closure. Now the parents
understand the beauty of their sons mind when he was trying to explain how he wanted to get the
meaning of life.
This image is of my cousin Jason Lawson, he is so brave, because he signed up for the army to
help fight for our country. He has been deployed and haven’t heard from him since last year at the
beginning of my senior year. I hope he is okay, but I am sure he is because he has always taught me to
be brave no matter and to face your fears because that’s how you will overcome them and will be able
to over anything. I try and write him, but I hate that I sometimes forget and then I am usually busy with
my life. I wish I could just stop and write to him but trying to find out how is really hard when you are
unsure where he is at in this world.