“Seven weeks after the body of his son
turned up in Alaska wrapped in a blue sleeping bag that Billie had sewn for
Chris from a kit, Walt studies a sailboat scudding beneath the window of his
waterfront townhouse. ‘How is it,’ he wonders aloud as he gazes blankly across
Chesapeake Bay, ‘that a kid with so much compassion could cause his parents so
much pain?”(Krakauer 103-104)
Topic: Dynamics of Family
This quote speaks deeply to McCandless’s
core problem, he seems to be a very compassionate person throughout the story
and while on his journey but full of anger. This anger toward his parents fueled Chris's journey, but by keeping the sleeping bag the Billie made showed that
the love for his parents was still there. Although, selfishness and greediness
were present while taking this trip, he caused pain to the people that loved
him the most just because he wanted to get his parents out of his life. He didn’t
let his parents or anyone know where he was at or where he was going which
shows the risky behavior that he displays. This behavior closed the doors of
communication to all the people he met and allowed for no one, especially his family
to help him. I think the question Walt demonstrates in this quote is something
that we the reader and the author try to answer throughout the book.
Correct Citation (Period @ the end): “Seven weeks after the body of his son turned up in Alaska wrapped in a blue sleeping bag that Billie had sewn for Chris from a kit, Walt studies a sailboat scudding beneath the window of his waterfront townhouse. ‘How is it,’ he wonders aloud as he gazes blankly across Chesapeake Bay, ‘that a kid with so much compassion could cause his parents so much pain?” (Krakauer 103-104).
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