Chapter 6 and 7

Vocabulary

39.  Arroyos – dried creek beds

40.  Bajada – plain, open land

41.  Creosote – a desert plant with a thick, sticky resin

42.  Desiccated – dried out

43.  Geothermal – heated by the temperature of the earth

44.  Hegira – a pilgrimage

45.  Ocotillo – a flowered dessert plant

46.   Snafu – a disaster

47.  Grubstake – money and/or supplies for a trip

48.  Maw – a large, intimidating opening

49.  Succor – aid and comfort

50.  Surfeit – an excess  (Remember Shakespeare’s use of this word in MND)

Reading Interpretation Q & A

31.  Who was Ron Franz, and how did he enter the story?  What does Krakauer think about the relationship between Franz and McCandless?

: Ron Franz is an eighty year widower.

32.  What is Anza-Borrego?: Anza-Borrego  is a desert nature reserve, primarily within the Colorado Desert region of San Diego County in United State. Anza-Borrego is a desert park.

33.  What was the tragedy of Ron Franz’s life?: His son and wife passed  away forty years earlier while away in Japan for the military, leaving him an empty man.

34.  How did he feel about Chris and what request did he make of Chris? :  Franz was thought Alex was  lonely and Alex didn’t have a car ; Franz took Alex’s advice and sells everything he owns, buys a camper and takes Alex’s former camping spot outside the city.

35.  What role did leathermaking take in their relationship?

:  Franz bought him a meal at a local steak house, and McCandless stayed with him for a day, after which Franz drive him to Colorado.

36.  The author gives a brief character analysis of McCandless after recounting that Franz dropped him off in Colorado.  What does the author say about McCandless?

  The author described Franz as a healthy man who had spent the time following Alex’s death in nature.

37.  When Chris sent Franz a letter from Carthage, what advice did Chris give to Franz and how did Franz respond to this letter?

: Chris told to Franz :  “ When I  arrived in Alaska, I will die in the bus in Alaska.”

38.  How did Ron Franz learn that McCandless had died and how did this death change Franz’s life?  Franz heard two hitchhiker arrived in Alaska and died.  He promptly drains a bottle of whiskey in an attempt to die  quits his church and denounces religion.

39.  Why was Wayne Westerberg annoyed at the beginning of chapter Seven?

Because Wayne Westerberg  didn’t know where is he and  worried about  him. 

40.  What is the author’s analysis of the relationship between McCandless and his father?  How did Chris feel about his sister Carine?

His father’s hubris in expecting such perfection, Chris could no longer deal with life. His sister, Carine, she has much better relationship with her parents now and having forgiven them. Chris is able to share his feeling with her.