Into the Wild Group Work, Ch. 4-7
Kennedy Clark & Jonas Tarkka
Step #1:
Observation 1- He wants no government and a better one at the same time
Observation 2- Henry is frustrated with the government because he believes we don't actually live in a free
country
Observation 3- he believes that the government has no conscience and sense of reality
Question 1- Who really determines right from wrong? The government, people themselves, their religion?
Question 2- Do citizens have any actual power over the government?
Connection- Henry doesn't wanna pay his tax because he feels like it's the government controlling him just
like Chris doesn't want to get a hunting license because he doesn't want the government controlling what he
kills and eats.
Step #2:
Class Quote
“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you’ve always imagined.”
- Henry David Thereau
I think this quote means that you should do what you have always wanted and imagined to do because life is
short and you should be happy with what you do. I think Chris McCandless would be attracted to writers
with ideas like this because he took the risk in his life to do what he wants. With ideas like this he can easily
relate to people with similar ideas.
Step #3:
In Thoreau's essay Civil Disobedience, he speaks about his feelings on the government and law, which
are similar to Chris McCandless’s feelings about authority and being controlled by others. In Thoreau’s
essay he says “ This people must cease to hold slaves, and ti make war on Mexico, though it cost them their
existance as people.” This statement shows feelings of being upset or his belief that the government is full of
bad people. Throught Thoreau’s writing he expresses that he believes the government tries to control
everything and that they shouldnt have that ability or control over the public. This is very similar to
McCandless’s reason on why he won't get a hunting licence while being out in nature. McCandless doesnt
want to get a hunting license because he believes that the goverment shouldnt have any control over what
he kills and what he eats. McCandless has made it apparent many times throughout the book that he does
not like authority or to be controlled, especially by the government. These two people both have very similar
beliefs about the government and rules. Chris went and “fell off the grid” because he would be in freedom
and wouldnt have authority over him from his parents, bosses, government officials, or others. They both
want freedom and what they consider to be justice and human rights, which means not having everything
they do watched by the goverment because it seems wrong to them.