Rhetorical Devices In Into The Wild

F. Scott Fitzgerald once wrote “With people like us our home is where we are not … No one person is necessary to you or me,” (This Side of Paradise). This quote describes how some people can become consumed with a feeling called wanderlust, or the overwhelming feeling of needing to travel to new places. In his nonfiction book “Into The Wild” (1996), Jon Krakauer constructs Chris McCandless’ character into that of an wanderlusting alter ego. Krakauer completes this idea by implying throughout chapter three that Chris McCandless was idealistic with his nonconformist philosophy, unprepared for hardships before he disappeared, and by indicating McCandless had a secret sociopathic nature. He illustrates rhetorical devices in order to give insight into why McCandless’ death was important, and to crucially build his character. Krakauer aims his book towards an audience who is interested in exploring or adventuring, or anyone McCandless-esque who may aspire to pull off a stunt like lone traveling to Alaska with no money or supplies. From the start, a quote by Leo Tolstoy opens chapter three
Throughout chapter three, Krakauer touches on how Chris had a relatively normal, cookie cutter childhood, stating “In truth McCandless had been raised in the comfortable upper-middle-class environs of Annandale, Virginia” (19). McCandless, being a successful graduate with “a history and anthropology major with a 3.72 grade-point average,” (20) had a list of endless opportunities he could pursue. But, the ‘American dream’ seemed a little too conforming to McCandless, so he decided after graduating to leave for Alaska. After his graduation, “his exact words were ‘I think I’m going to disappear for awhile.’” before he departed on his trip to the Alaskan Odyssey. Pulling on the heartstrings of the audience, Krakauer uses McCandless’ lack of conscious and the worry of his parents to appeal to