Into the Wild

Author: Jon Krakauer
Publisher: 1997, Anchor
Lexile Measure: 1270L
Classification: Non-fiction

Summary:
Into the Wild is Jon Krakauer’s non-fiction account of Christopher McCandless' trip into the Alaskan bush and his subsequent and starvation death only miles from civilization. The book originated from an article Krakauer had written entitled, “Death of an Innocent” for the January 1993 issue of Outside magazine.  The book was later turned into a motion picture directed by Sean Penn and released in 2007. 

McCandless was an Emory college graduate from a middle class Virginia suburb.  After graduation, he gave away almost everything he owned, adopted another name, and roamed the southwestern United States before finally embarking on his last quest, and attempt to sustain himself in the Alaskan wild. Pieced together from witness interviews and McCandless’ journal (found with him after death), Krakauer’s book explores not only the mystery of McCandless’ death, but also relationships between fathers and sons, young adult angst and disillusionment, and, always, the call of the wild.

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Language:
This non-fiction account of McCandless’ life and death contains little profanity.  When it is used, it is as part of a quote.  

Profanity includes:
h*ll (pp. 6, 26,64, 176, 190)
p*ssed off (pp. 63, 100)
f*ck (pp. 6, 64, 184, 125, 151, 154)
Jesus (pp. 17, 49, 60)
b*tching (p. 64)
dumb*ssedness (p. 71)
sh*t (pp. 26, 79, 84)
g*dd*mn or d*mn (pp. 17, 62, 110)
*ss (p. 148)
cr*pping (p. 149)

Drug and Alcohol Use:

• The book refers to smoking (pp.16, 42, 154) and drinking (pp. 7, 16, 18, 33, 50, 51, 65, 68, 108, 118).  It references drug use on p. 51.  
  
• Chris idolized Jack London, whom the book reports was a drinker and abusive philanderer, as well as Leo Tolstoy, who was a sexual adventurer (p. 122).  
  
• Krakauer discusses smoking pot (p.146).  He also discusses his father’s drug abuse (p.149).  Finally, the book discusses the teenage tendency to take risks by driving too fast, drinking too much, and taking too many drugs (p. 182).

Violence and Crime:

• A character watches cable television without paying for it (p. 19) and steals a bike (p. 30).
  

Sexual Content:

• Chris got a girl drunk and took her to his room (p. 65).
• The book also discusses Chris’ views on sex, namely that he was attracted to women but celibate, (pp. 65-66).
• The book discusses the human sex drive and fascination with it (pp. 66, 78).
• On p. 125, Chris got angry because his mother implied that he might be a homosexual.

Other

• The book discusses a character’s suicide by knife (p. 75).  Krakauer discusses his father’s suicide attempt (p. 149).
  
• Despite the fact that Chris’ parents are portrayed as generally loving and supportive, he has an increasingly strained, sometimes distrustful and disrespectful relationship with them, particularly his father.  Krakauer discusses his own strained relations with his parents.  (Examples on pp. 125-129, 147-149).
  

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Other Helpful Reviews:

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• Common Sense Media
  
• New York Times