Literary Analysis: Into the WIld

1.       The novel Into the Wild follows the latter life of Chris McCandless as he journeys across the US and finally to his resting place although the stampede trail in Alaska. The book starts of by introducing Chris as a lifeless body found in the remote Alaskan bush. As the subsequent article in outdoor magazine is published, our author reads the piece and becomes entangled in the story of this young man. He writes the book tracing Chris’s travels and the people he meets and touches along the way. After following his trail and speaking with the people Chris held close the book ends with our author back in the place of Chris’s death.

2.       The informative novel try’s to explication the idea of the Hero’s journey and a very literal way, with this true account of Chris.

3.       The author use two distinct tones throughout the book, Narrative, and Investigative. When the author is telling the story of where Chris had gone and who he had met this is obviously when the author writes in a narrative tone. Whereas when he traces or relates stories such as, the story of the Anthropologist, he uses an investigative and almost informative tone to tie relevant knowledge to the overall understanding of Chris’s mindset.

Characterization

1.       Most of the novel used indirect characterization to describe Chris. Since it was a non-fictional piece, just as in real life we come to see Chris through his many personal relationships. For instance Mr. Westerberg often says that “the boy was very hard worker and never shied away from a dirty job.” This example of indirect characterization is not unique and actual quite prevalent. Direct characterization of the other hand is rare, the only time we have a clear picture of Chris is when we r being giving information about Chris’s running career or at his death.

2.       When it comes to the authors syntax and diction toward the character is seems as if the he almost sees himself in the young boy. There is a palpable empathy between the author and Chris.

3.       Chris is both static and dynamic, at times he is illustrated to us and this pondering wanderer just living by the wind. Other times we see Chris take a very active role in where he goes and how he conducts himself, this becomes more and more common as the novel progresses.

4.       After finishing the book Chris seemed like someone I have known for a very long time, he almost seem to embodied qualities I had in me.