INTO THE WILD READING RESPONSES
This is typically an intense unit of reading and writing in
English III, so buckle up! However, because we are finally
reading a full contemporary work, we hope this will be a text
that you find engaging.
Why can’t we just read the book and not be required to write
and answer questions about it?
Although we addressed that question in the English III
Syllabus, this time of year—when you’re already dreaming of
the freedom of summer—it’s worth repeating the rationale.
What we will be asking you to do and why is supported by
miles and miles of research, such as the conclusions
summarized below from the 2010 Carnegie Corporation
report Writing to Read: Evidence for How Writing Can
Improve Reading:
Writing Practices That Enhance Students’ Reading
I. HAVE STUDENTS WRITE ABOUT THE TEXTS THEY
READ
Students’ comprehension of science, social studies, and
language arts texts is improved when they write about what they read, specifically when they
 Respond to a Text in Writing (Writing Personal Reactions, Analyzing, and Interpreting the Text)
 Write Summaries of a Text
 Write Notes About a Text
 Answer Questions About a Text in Writing
II. TEACH STUDENTS THE WRITING SKILLS AND PROCESSES THAT GO INTO CREATING TEXT
Students’ reading skills and comprehension are improved specifically when teachers

Teach the Process of Writing, Text Structures for Writing, Paragraph or Sentence Construction
Skills
III. INCREASE HOW MUCH STUDENTS WRITE
Students’ reading comprehension is improved by having them increase how often the write about a text.
Each reading response assignment requires you to complete some reading in Into the Wild and
answer some questions—some for homework and some in class. (Trust us; you’re getting a much
lighter load than English III students did in previous years.)
But here’s the biggest challenge: Each reading response assignment must be typed and submitted to
turnitin.com by 8:45 AM the day of class. No hard copies will be accepted. Why? That’s a fair
question.
Many students rush through homework, during other classes or lunch, the day it’s due. So for this
unit only, we’re taking that option off the table to provide you with some practice in battling
procrastination and developing planning skills. Yes, you can still procrastinate and start the
assignment at midnight. That option is still available. If access to technology is a serious issue for you,
come talk to me immediately, and we will forge a plan. 
INTO THE WILD: Reading Response Ch. 2-3
Type up and submit your answers for questions 1-3 to turnitin.com
by 8:45 am on 2/19 (A) and 2/20 (B). Unless asked to list or
answer in note-taking form, you will only receive credit for
responses written in complete sentences. Please label your answers with the numbers
and letters used on this handout. Do not make me guess which question you are
answering.
Ch. 2 – THE STAMPEDE TRAIL – NOTES (Complete sentences NOT
required.)
1. One of Krakauer’s purposes for this chapter is to help us understand just why Bus
142, the place where Chris was camping and living, is so isolated and difficult to
reach. Check the map that Krakauer includes. As you read, record answers to the
following questions.
A) In 1963, construction stopped on the Stampede Trail because it was determined
that what obstacles make it “impassable” (10)?
B) Bus 142 is how many miles west from what nearest town?
C) Krakauer points out that sometimes how many months will go by without
anyone visiting the bus?
D) What specific obstacle makes reaching the bus especially dangerous?
Ch. 3 – CARTHAGE (Complete sentences required.)
2. PARAPHRASE in your own words a SPECIFIC EXAMPLE that supports each of the
following conclusions Wayne Westerberg shares with Krakauer about Chris
McCandless. Write each paraphrase as a complete sentence and cite the page
number. Remember that paraphrasing requires using synonyms—except for
common nouns. Also, change up the author’s order of ideas. But make sure to
capture Krakauer’s specific details.
A. People were drawn to Chris’s personality.
B. Chris was “extremely ethical.”
C. Chris was “intelligent” and an active learner.
3. LIST at least THREE decisions/examples that reveal Chris’s commitment to a life
of *asceticism and his rejection of material excess. *asceticism is one of our vocab
words—so check your packet. In complete sentences, PARAPHRASE details in
your own words and cite the page number. (Focus especially on pages 20-22.)
A.
B.
C.
#4 , on the next page, is not due until tomorrow in class, but preview the
question.
THREE-PART LABELED SHORT ANSWER – See the model answer on the next page,
which shows you the expectation for this kind of question. *You will write your
answer for this question next class, but preview the question and be thinking about
it so you are prepared to write next class.
4. A. Krakauer suggests that when Chris left Atlanta he wanted to “wallow in
unfiltered experience” (22). What do you think he means by this? Explain in your
own words. Consider what we learn about Chris’s background and family in this
chapter. Also, think about how an “unfiltered” experience differs from a “filtered”
one? When setting up your answer, include the question stem in your answer.
When Krakauer suggests that Chris left Atlanta because he wanted to “wallow in
unfiltered experience,” I believe he means that …
B. Describe an example when you did this in your own life. Or, if you haven’t yet,
describe what you would do if your goal was to “wallow in unfiltered experience.”
When describing your personal example, make sure to be very specific. Provide
DETAILS and ELABORATION.
Template Setup: I “wallow[ed] in unfiltered experience” when I ____. (And then
describe the experience)
Or: If I were to “wallow in unfiltered experience,” I would ______.
C. Commentary: Explain why your example meets the definition you chose for
what it means to “wallow in unfiltered experience.” When comparing your
personal example to McCandless’s, weave and cite a direct quote from the text.
(No, the quote from the question does not count  .) Put your quote and citation in
bold.
Here are some templates to help you make the connection clear:
Like McCandless, when I ___________, I also wanted to “______________” (
By __________, like McCandless, I would “______________” (
).
).
SEE EXAMPLE OF THREE-PART LABELED SHORT ANSWER ON NEXT PAGE.
THREE-PART LABELED SHORT ANSWER – MODEL
A. In your own words, explain why Jim Galien believes Chris’s (Alex’s) plan to live in the
Alaskan backcountry for a number of months is “foolhardy” (5).
B. Describe an example when you were determined to do something—that looking back, may
have been “foolhardy”. (Look up this word if you’re not sure what it means.) When describing
your personal example, make sure to be very specific. Provide DETAILS and ELABORATION.
C. Commentary: Explain why your example connects to Chris or Galien’s observations. When
comparing your personal example to Into the Wild, weave and cite a direct quote from the
text. (No, the quote from the question does not count  ). Bold your quote and citation.
MS. BECH’S ANSWER:
A. Jim Galien believes Chris’s plan to live in the Alaskan backcountry for a number of months
is “foolhardy” because, given that hunting would be very difficult in the area he was
heading, McCandless had very little food in his backpack—only a large back of rice. The
caliber of Chris’s gun is not strong enough to shoot large game or defeat an attacking bear.
Additionally, he’s concerned that Chris is lacking basic supplies, such as snowshoes,
waterproof boots, an ax, compass, and insect repellant.
B. After college I was accepted into a program called Teach for America, an organization that
places college graduates in schools with teacher shortages—namely, high-poverty schools
where the students face many challenges both in and out of school. While this decision was
not “foolhardy,” looking back, my attitude and expectations definitely were. I certainly was
not prepared for the student, who during the first class, exclaimed, “You white hoe b*#^%
better let me go to the bathroom!” And I’ll always remember when a fourteen-year-old
student showed up to class beyond exhausted because he had spent the night driving his
brother to another city to purchase heroin. “I drove him, Ms. Bech, but I told him I wouldn’t
cook it for him this time,” he explained.
C. Much like Galien’s recollections of Chris’s determination and stubbornness, I think I
initially entered teaching thinking “I won’t run into anything I can’t deal with on my
own” (Krakauer 6). I could not have been more mistaken. Like Chris’s eagerness to
experience living in the middle of the wilderness, I too “couldn’t wait to head out” into
the world of teaching “and get started” (6). However, also much like Chris, I had not fully
anticipated how difficult the experience would be.
 Connection Signals - phrases in italics help make it clear to the reader that I’m connecting
my experience/outlook to Chris’s.
 Elaboration – the parts of my sentences that are underlined provide context for what
specifically about Chris’s experience/outlook I am referring to in my connection.
 Quote fragments in bold are details from the text I am weaving into my sentences
to help make the connection between Chris’s and my experience strong and clear
for a reader. The page citations are also in bold.
Ch. 4 Reading Response
Ch.4–THE DETRITAL WASH (Questions 1-2 DUE DATE: Mon. 2/23 (A)
Tues. 2/24 (B) 8:45 AM to turnitin.com)
5. A. Describe, in your own words, what happens to McCandless’s Datsun and why he does not
attempt to get help. (Include elaboration. Where is he? How did he get there?)
B. Krakauer points out that Chris’s emotional reaction to the events involving his car are not
what we might expect. Describe Chris’s surprising emotional reaction, the symbolic
“gesture” he chooses to perform, and why he makes this decision. Weave and properly cite
at least one direct quote detail from the text in your answer. Bold any direct quotes and
citations. *If you need to see an example of quote weaving, look at the model example on p.
4.
2. In your own words, describe Jan and Bob and explain Jan’s impressions of Chris (Alex). USE
AN APPOSITVE PHRASE IN ONE OF YOUR SENTENCES FOR THIS ANSWER AND UNDERLINE
THE APPOSITIVE PHRASE. *Remember, an appositive phrase is a noun phrase that
renames/describes another noun. Google an example if you’re still unsure.
YOUR TURN TO PLAY TEACHER – You will type up this question in class and submit it to
schoology, but be thinking about a good question as you finish reading Ch. 4
3. Based on your reading of p. 31-37 of Ch. 4, write up your own three-part question
that follows the format we used for question 4 in the Ch. 2-3 RR. Make sure your
question contains the following elements:
 Part A should require students to paraphrase details (specific evidence) from the
text (pp 31-37) to answer the question you pose. Don’t ask a question that is just
a simple fact, such as What was Chris’s favorite drink? Craft a complex question
that requires thinking, close reading, and inferences.
 Part B should ask students to describe a personal experience or example that
connects with the ideas in Part A and/or addresses the same conflict, question, or
dilemma in the part of the text you are focusing on.
 Part C should ask students to explain why or how their example connects to
Chris’s ideas or experiences, Krakauer’s observations, or even Chris’s parents.
(Depending on your question.) This part of your question must require students
to weave and cite a direct quote detail in their answer. Ask students to bold their
direct quote detail and citation.
*Feel free to use any of the language from the A,B,C directions to help you craft your
question.
Ch. 5 & 6 Questions 1-3 DUE: 2/25 (A) and 2/26 (B) to
turnitin.com by 8:45 AM
Ch. 5 – BULLHEAD CITY
LIST QUESTION
1. Though living a more conventional life, while working at a McDonald’s, list at least FOUR
examples of behaviors and decisions that reveal Chris seems to be “off in his own universe”
(40). (Paraphrase details in your own words but cite the page numbers.)
SHORT ANSWER
2. Would you like to live for a few weeks at the “Slabs” described in this chapter? Explain why or
why not and make sure to include specific details about this location and its regulars in your
answer. Show me that you read. 
Ch. 6 – ANZA-BORREGO
D&E Question – AT LEAST THREE COMPLETE SENTENCES
3. Find details from the text that you would use to support the following thesis statement:
Ronald Franz felt a deep level of 1affection and 2respect for Chris “Alex” McCandless. (Basically,
pretend this was the first thesis sentence of a short analysis).
Notice there are TWO parts of the thesis to prove. Find one direct quote to support part 1
(affection) and one direct quote to support part 2 (respect). Your third direct quote detail can
support either part of the thesis. Weave and cite the direct quote details into your own
sentences. Make sure to include ELABORATION (Who/What/Where/Why/When/How). Bold
your direct quotes and citations.
You will write question #4 in class, but be thinking about it as your read Ch. 6.
4. A. In this chapter, Chris strongly advises Ronald Franz to change the way he is living—
especially in the letter he sends from Carthage, South Dakota (read this very closely). Explain
two of the arguments that Chris makes. When describing one of his arguments, paraphrase it in
your own words. When describing a second argument, weave and properly cite a direct quote
detail when describing another argument. Bold your direct quote detail and citation.
B. Pick a specific argument that Chris makes in his letter to Franz and explain why you
agree or disagree with his idea. Offer a real or hypothetical example to support and
explain and support your opinion.
Possible Sentence Templates:
Although Chris advocates ___________, I disagree with this advice because _______.
Chris suggests that we should _________. I agree that living this way is essential because
________.
CHAPTER 7 – CARTHAGE
(ALL
QUESTIONS DUE:. 2/27 (A) and MON.
3/2 (B) at 8:45 AM to
turnitin.com)
1. Paraphrase in your own words examples
that prove the following conclusions
about Chris reported by Wayne
Westerberg: *Remember, paraphrasing
requires using synonyms and changing the order of ideas so we do not plagiarize the
original writer’s choices. Cite the page number where you found the each detail.
A. Chris sometimes lacked common sense.
B. Chris was determined to get to Alaska—and not by an easy route.
C. In some ways Chris was tough—not a complainer. But in other ways, perhaps he was
too sensitive and needed to toughen up.
2. Paraphrase in your own words why, according to Krakauer, the relationship between Chris
and his father Walt was strained. Cite the page number where you found the information.
3. Find, list, and cite direct quote details from the text and prove the following conclusions
about Chris reported by Wayne’s mom, Mary Westerberg:
A. Chris (Alex) seemed mature for his age.
B. Chris was musically talented.
C. Chris knew that he would be taking big risks on his Alaskan adventure.
SHORT ANSWER
4. Read pages 65-66 very closely. What information does Krakauer include to report and
observe about the role that chastity played in Chris’s life? Look up the word “chastity” if you
do not know its meaning. Consider how Chris’s choices reflect the ideas of
Transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau. Weave and cite a direct quote details in your
answer. Include elaboration. Bold the quotes and citations.
Ch. 9 – DAVIS GULCH
DUE: FRI.3/3 (A) * 3/4 (B)
*IN-CLASS OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT* EVERYONE NEEDS TO READ THE
CHAPTER, BUT COMPLETING THIS RR IS EXTRA CREDIT. IT CAN
REPLACE A RR ZERO OR CAN ADD POINTS TO A RR IN WHICH YOU
EARN A LOW GRADE. 
SHORT ANSWER
1. Krakauer identifies three main ways in which Everett Ruess and Chris McCandless are
similar. In your own words, explain them.
A.
B.
C.
2. A. Everett Ruess carved a nom de plume into places he visited. What was it?
B. If you were going to change your name or create a nom de plume for yourself,
what would it be?
3. What does Ken Sleight find to be both impressive and rare about Ruess and
McCandless?
THREE-PART SHORT ANSWER
4. A. At the end of the chapter, Krakauer describes how the Irish monks—the papar—
endangered their own lives with high-risk voyages, but not because they were
seeking money, fame, or land. In your own words, explain—according to Nobel
laureate Fridtjof Nansen—what the monks were searching for?
B. Describe where you would go to accomplish the same goal as the papar…or…if
there is already a place in your life that serves this purpose, describe that.
C. Explain why this place or experience would provide you with what the papar were
seeking. (Weave and cite at least one direct quote detail from the paragraph about the
papar in your explanation.) Bold your quote and citation.
Possible Template for Part C
Like the papar, ______________ would enable me to “__________” because
_____________.
If I were to _________, similar to the papar, I might find ________ because I would
“___________”.
INTO THE WILD CH. 11-13 GRADED DISCUSSION Thurs. 3/5 (A) and Fri. 3/6 (B)
You will be assigned to Group A or B. Because this is a “discussion,” if you don’t discuss, you will earn a zero.
But—if this is something that causes you anxiety—remember, above all, this is simply you and your classmates
having a conversation about the book. To prepare, you need to read these chapters very closely (including the
epigraphs) and take notes. You might also find it helpful to use sticky notes to mark important examples that
apply to your central topic. The goal is that you know these chapters so well that you can discuss any part. You
also need to craft TWO excellent questions that connect to your assigned topic.
GROUP A - Central Topic
A) In Chapters 11-13, consider Chris’s rejection of authority and rules—both when it comes
to his parents as well as society. Evaluate his attitudes and decisions and be prepared to
voice your opinion of Chris based on evidence from the text.
Write two questions related to your central topic that could generate thoughtful discussion
among your classmates.
GROUP B - Central Topic
B) In Chapters 11-13, consider Chris’s affinity for taking risks. Evaluate his attitudes and
decisions and be prepared to voice your opinion of Chris based on evidence from the text.
Write two questions related to your central topic that could generate thoughtful discussion
among your classmates.
HOW TO CRAFT EXCELLENT QUESTIONS:
Method One – Start with a specific detail (example, evidence from text) and encourage your classmates
to make an inference about that text.
Ch. 7 Example: Why does Krakauer include Wayne Westerberg’s story of Chris cooking chicken in the
microwave? Follow Up: What’s surprising or, perhaps, not expected about what this story reveals about
Chris?
Method Two – Start with an inference you made from details in the text and create a question that
encourages your classmates to think about the specific evidence that proves that inference.
Ch. 3 Example: What details about Chris’s final year in college show that he is committed to leading a life
of simplicity and asceticism?
Ch. 7 Example: What details in the text show that Chris values reading?
TYPES OF QUESTIONS TO AVOID:
Questions that just ask for a simple fact
Ch. 7 Example: What instrument do we learn Chris plays?
Questions where you have done all the thinking and leave nothing for others to discuss
Ch. 7 Example: Do you think Krakauer begins the chapter with the Anthony Storr quote about how a
person can have meaning in his or her life without being “dependent upon interpersonal relationships”
because he’s trying to show that Chris did not always need to be close to people to feel his life had
purpose?
Questions that merely restate the group topic or that are too general or informal
Example: So why does Chris take risks? OR How does Chris act like a rebel? OR What’s Chris’s deal with
acting all, like, crazy and stuff? OR Who, like, really is this dude Chris McCandless?
CHAPTER 14 & 15
(ALL QUESTIONS DUE: MON. 3/9 (A) * TUES. 3/10 (B) 8:45 AM
to TURNITIN.COM)
Ch. 14 – THE STIKINE ICE CAP
1. Describe, in your own words, the specific obstacles and setbacks Krakauer faces as he
attempts to climb the Devils Thumb. And, in the end, what final obstacle forces him to
change his plans.
Ch. 15 – THE STIKINE ICE CAP
2. When recalling his experience climbing the Devils Thumb, Krakauer now believes that as a
young man he “mistook passion for insight” (155). Using your own words, interpret
Krakauer’s quote and explain what he means. Make sure to look at it within the context of
the entire paragraph.
3. At the very end of the chapter, in your own words, explain the argument Krakauer makes to
point out that neither he nor Chris made the decisions they did because they “want[ed] to
die” (156)?
THREE-PART “YOUR CHOICE” SHORT ANSWER - CHOOSE ONE of the following questions
below to answer:
4. A. In his youth, what philosophy of his father’s did Krakauer rebel against? (147-8)
(Weave and cite at least one direct quote from the chapter in your explanation.) Bold any
direct quote details and citations.
B. Describe a specific goal or belief that a parent/guardian/adult has attempted to
instill in you that you disagree with.
C. Explain why you disagreed and what you did (or didn’t do) to resist following or
conforming to this goal or belief.
OR
5. A. Krakauer claims that his father “never understood that the Devils Thumb was the
same as medical school, only different” (150). Explain this quote and its context.
(Weave and cite at least one direct quote from the chapter in your explanation. Obviously,
the quote in the question cannot count as your quoted detail. ) Bold any direct quote
details and citations.
B. At this point in your life, what is your “Devils Thumb”? Be specific.
C. Explain why your “Devils Thumb” is significant in your life and why your passion for
it is accepted or misunderstood by others.
Ch. 17 RR IS DUE TO TURNIIN.COM at 8:45 AM by
Wed. 3/11 (A) and Thurs. 3/12 (B) **CH. 16 RR IS Due the same date
but is AN OPTIONAL EXTRA CREDIT RR. Everyone needs to read the
chapter, but completing the RR will replace a RR zero or a RR low
grade.
Ch. 16 – THE ALASKA INTERIOR
1. Explain, in your own words, how, according to Krakauer, Chris was naïve about the
following:
A. The remoteness/surroundings of his location:
B. The best season for traveling in the Alaskan bush:
C. Hunting and preserving meat in Alaska:
D. The Teklanika River:
SHORT ANSWER
2. Why does Chris consider shooting the moose “[o]ne of the greatest tragedies of [his]
life” (167)?
THREE-PART “YOUR CHOICE” SHORT ANSWER - CHOOSE ONE of the following questions
to answer:
3. In the message he carves into a piece of plywood in the bus, Chris suggests that he
hopes his experience in Alaska will serve as the “climactic battle to kill the false being
within” (163).
A. In your opinion, what is the “false being” he hoped to kill? Weave and cite a direct
quote detail in your answer. Bold your direct quote details and citation.
B. What is the “false being” within you that you’d like to conquer?
C. Explain what you could do to conquer it. [If you don’t think you have a “false
being” within you that needs conquering, then answer question #4 instead.]
OR
4. A. Considering both what he was preparing to do when he finished reading Tolstoy’s
“Family Happiness” as well as the particular passages he chose to mark, in your
opinion, how might Chris’s attitudes and goals have changed? Weave and cite a
direct quote detail in your answer. Bold your direct quote details and citation.
B. Describe the speaker’s “idea of happiness” in the Tolstoy novel. Be specific.
C. Explain how the Tolstoy idea compares with your future vision of happiness for
your own life.
Ch. 17 – THE STAMPEDE TRAIL *EVERYONE COMPLETES!
SHORT ANSWER
1. Why does Krakauer believe that McCandless made a deliberate decision to not
acquire a topographical map of the Stampede Trail and the surrounding wilderness?
Weave and cite direct quote details in your answer. Bold your direct quote details
and citation.
THREE-PART SHORT ANSWER - CHOOSE ONE of the following questions to answer.
Weave and cite direct quote details in your answer. Bold your direct quote details and
citation. When describing your personal example, make sure to be specific.
2. A. According to Krakauer, what was Chris McCandless’s belief about challenges?
(Paraphrase his philosophy in your own words.)
B. Describe a specific example of a time when you or someone you know felt the
same way about a challenge.
C. Explain how or why your example connects to Chris’s philosophy. (Read 182-183
closely) *Also note—there is A LOT of tricky vocab in this section. Use a dictionary. 
OR
3. A. Explain what Roman Dial admires about Chris McCandless and why he thinks
Alaskans were so critical of him.
B. Decode Everett Ruess’s father’s statement into simple everyday language: “The
older person does not realize the soul-flights of the adolescent” (186).
C. Describe a specific example from your life where a person, because of his or her
age, did not understand your adolescent “soul-flight”.
Ch. 18 – THE STAMPEDE TRAIL
YOU DON’T HAVE TO WRITE THESE, BUT MAKE SURE YOU CAN ANSWER THESE
QUESTIONS AFTER READING CHAPTER 18:
1. What observation/realization does McCandless record in his copy of Doctor Zhivago?
2. What are the three main theories/scenarios Krakauer addresses when explaining
Chris’s demise and journal recording that notes his weakness is “FAULT OF POT.
SEED”.
3. List the evidence/reasons that Krakauer uses to refute and counter the claim that
vandalized and destroyed the Denali National Park cabins.
4. What final act does Chris choose to complete before his death?