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Graduation @ Emory University
In 1990 Chris McCandless graduated from Emory University with almost perfect scores in all his subjects. His parents had assumed that he was was going to head off to law school, but his life took a sharp turn soon after. Chris decided to donate all his money to charity, get rid of his materialistic items, and unofficially change his name to Alexander SuperTramp. The changing of his name is a symbol of how he has divorced his parents and become his own person, a slave who has escaped his master. -
Arrives @ Lake Mead
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Abandonment of Datsun
Chris McCandless abandons his precious 1982 yellow Datsun after a flash flood damaged the engine. This prompts him to rely on the kindness of strangers more often, which leads to him unintentionally forming interpersonal relationships. The abandonmen of the Datsun reveals his reckless nature and independent nature. Refusing to seek help, he burns his pocket cash, leaves his belongings, and carries on with his quest. -
Meets Crazy Ernie
Chris McCandless goes to work on Crazy Ernie's ranch in Northern California. He works there for 11 days and then leaves after he realizes Crazy Ernie isn't going to pay him. Despite denouncing money and burning his pocket cash when he abandoned his car, his traditional view of working to receive payment still stands true. This undermines his disdain for materialistic items. -
Arrives @ Carthage, South Dakota
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Meets Wayne Westerberg
During his time with Westerberg, Chris displays a strong work ethic. He always finished what he started, and worked harder than all the other workers at the grain elevator. Wayne recalls Chris as "extremely ethical". With Wayne, Chris had found a surrogate family, although at the time he didn't realize it. This is a sharp contrast to the lonely lifestyle Chris had been following up until this point. -
Bud Walsh recovers Datsun
When the police recovered the yellow Datsun, they didn't just let it go to waste. In fact, they used it to "make undercover drug buys that led to numerous arrests in the crime-plagued nation recreation area, inculding the bust of a high-volume methamphetamine dealer". This is a minor example of how Chris's legacy continued to live on after his death. -
Arrives @ Colorado River
At the Colorado River, Chris McCandless grows to adore nature and the comfort it brings him. He seemed to be at peace in nature, or at least more peaceful than he has been at home, surrounded by his family. -
Arrives @ Morelos Dam
At the Morelos Dam, Chris starts to get hit by the reality of his situation and the curveballs nature tends to throw at people. He continuously gets lost attempting to find the Gulf of California in his canoe. -
Arrives @ Las Vegas
Not much information on what happened to Chris here. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. -
Arrives @ Bullhead City, Arizona
Here, Chris worked at McDonald's and lived in a RV owned by Charlie. At McDonald's, Chris succumbs to capitalism due to his will to survive, but is constantly showing his resentment to the system by removing his socks the second after his shift is over and refusing to listen to his coworkers. We also get another picture on Chris's warped view of money. Even though he doesn't believe in materialistic items, Chris is willing to be compliant only because he needs, not wants, money to survive. -
Arrives @ Slabs
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Reunites with Jan and Bob Burres
At Slabs, Chris meets up with Jan and Bob Burres again, and we get a deeper view at their relationship. Chris appeared to view Jan Burres as his surrogate mother, and Jan viewed Chris as a replacement for her estranged son. This is yet another example of Chris's failure to avoid interpersonal relationships as he had planned too. -
Meets Tracy
Also at Slabs, Chris meets a 17 year old girl named Tracy who falls in love with Chris during the week. Chris all but rebuffed Tracy's advancements. The reason he avoided Tracy was because he simply did not want the direct commitment yet. Also, Chris tended to gravitate towards maternal relationships over romantic ones. He was trying to find what he had always wanted as a child but never had, and romantic relationships were not it. -
Arrives @ Salton City
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Meets Ronald Franz
Chris and Franz quickly fall into a comfortable father-son relationship, again contradicting his belief in the avoidance of interpersonal relationships. Franz had lost his son and wife in a car accident years ago, so he quite enjoys Chris's company. Chris enjoys Franz's company as well, but not with the same emotion Franz did. In fact, Franz had asked Chris if he would legally be his grandson, but Chris dodged the question. -
Arrives @ Carthage, South Dakota
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Leaves Ron Franz
The way Chris McCandless is able to befriend someone so quickly and abandon that person within a short amount of time is astounding. Chris praises himself, saying he's "slipped out painlessly out of Ron Franz's life as well". Painlessly for Chris maybe, but Chris's death took its toll on Franz's wellbeing. A former alcoholic, he turned back to the bottle again and turned his back on God, blaming the Lord for Chris's death. -
Meets Gail Borah
While in Carthage, Chris gets to know Gail Borah, Wayne Westerberg's on off girlfriends. Wayne and Borah also tend to meet the maternal/paternal requirements Chris was unconsciously looking for in his companions. He got along very well with Borah, claiming that "he could tell her things that he couldn't tell the others". -
Chris walks into the wild
Chris hitches a ride with Jim Gallien to the Stampede Trail. Here, in Alaska, I believe Chris learns how incredibly smart but stupid he is. He jumped into a situation that he was no where near prepared for and now has to suffer the consequences of his daft actions. -
Death of Chris McCandless
It is unknown whether or not Chris lived a happy life, but what we do know is that Chris McCandless died happy. He died having done what he wanted to do and knowing what he wanted to know. Although it was unaware to him, he had a heavy impact on those he interacted with, and his death took a toll on them. Chris's legacy lives on, and he lived the life he wanted to, rather than the life his parents laid out for him. He truly was Alexander Supertramp, master of his own destiny.
