Annotation Targets: Into the Wild
Annotation Guide
While reading, annotation is one of the best ways to interact with the text on a deeper level. Obtain your own copy of
Into the Wild and annotate directly into the margins of the text. Include the following in your notes:
 New/challenging vocabulary
 Evidence of major themes:
1. Allure of the wilderness (NATURE)
2. The relationship between self and society
3. Constructing identity : actions, interests, values, and beliefs
4. Connections between Krakauer and McCandless
 Patterns of organization within the book
 Examples of ethos, pathos, and logos
 Examples of excellent writing: imagery, diction, etc.
 Evidence of Krakauer’s purpose
 Your own questions/observations about McCandless, Krakauer, or
the story itself
 Significance of the text/quotes at the beginning of the chapters
In the Author’s Note, look for and note:
 Startling Chris McCandless Information
 Hints about the author’s opinion of Chris McCandless
In Chapter One, look for and note:
 Jim Gallien’s perspective on Chris/Alex
 Chris’s level of preparedness
In Chapter Two, look for and note:
 Exposition (background information) about the
Stampede Trail
 The discovery of Chris’s body
In Chapter Three, look for and note:
 Wayne Westerberg’s perspective on Chris/Alex
 McCandless family background & contrasts with
Westerberg
In Chapter Four, look for and note:
 The mystery of the yellow Datsun
 Chris’s feelings about the government and possessions
 The hitchhiking ticket & Hiking adventures
In Chapter Five, look for and note:
 Chris vs. Ronald McDonald, aka “authority”
 Charlie’s perspective on Chris/Alex
 Life in the Slabs w/ Jan Burres
In Chapter Six, look for and note:
 Ronald Franz’s perspective on Chris/Alex
 Ronald Franz background
 Chris/Alex and his effect on others
In Chapter Seven, look for and note:
 Gail Borah’s perspective on Chris/Alex
 Chris’s issues with his father and his sister
In Chapter Eight, look for and note:
 Outside readers’ views on Chris McCandless
 Gene Rosellini, John Waterman, and Carl McCunn, aka
the Three Wierdos
In Chapter Nine, look for and note:
 Everett Ruess and the possible parallels to Chris
In Chapter Ten, look for and note:
 How people in Chris’s life found out about his death
In Chapter Eleven, look for and note:
 McCandless family background
 Chris’s social activism in his youth
In Chapter Twelve, look for and note:
 Details of Chris’s early adventures across the country
 Conflicting personality traits (of Chris)
 SECRETS and LIES
 Chris’s continues separation from his family
In Chapter Thirteen, look for and note:
 Comparisons and contrasts between Chris and Carine
 Familial reactions to Chris’s death
In Chapters Fourteen & Fifteen, look for and note:
 Jon Krakauer’s adventure on The Devil’s Thumb and his
connections to Chris
 Why young people do dangerous things
In Chapters Sixteen & Seventeen, look for and note:
 Jim Gallien and Chris McCandless, new details
 Chris’s successes & struggles in the wilderness
 Characterization revealed in diary entries
 The moose controversy
 Sir John Franklin and his relation (or not) to Chris
In Chapter Eighteen, look for and note:
 Chris’s life lessons learned in the wild
 Cause of death?
 Cabins controversy
In the Epilogue, look for and note:
 Familial reactions to the site of Chris’s death
Vocabulary
In each of the reading assignments you should ANNOTATE the words you are not familiar with. However, just marking
words you don’t know doesn’t help you learn. You will need to look up these words and try to incorporate them into
your own writing.
 You will be responsible for at least three words for each chapter and will be given points for correctly working with
these words.
 Vocabulary will be due periodically throughout the unit.
 There will also be pop quizzes assessing your “vocabulary in context” skills.
Here’s what you need to do for vocabulary:
 Annotate within the chapter
 On a separate sheet – turned in to me
o Label the Chapter(s) and page(s)
o Write the words - numbered
o Write the sentence the word is in within the text
o Look up the definition (for words with more than one definition – think about context!)
o Identify the part of speech
o Words will be collected every THREE chapters (for a total of nine words every three chapters).
Essential Questions
 After working through the text and supplemental information, students should be able to answer these essential
questions with detail, depth, clarity, and examples.
Essential Questions:
 What is the relationship between nature and the American identity?
 What does it mean to be a rebel?
 What is the relationship between self and society?
 To what extent is community essential to happiness?
 What is success?
 How do we construct identity through our actions, interests, values and beliefs?