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Birth of Chris McCandless
Billie and Walt McCandless give birth to Christopher McCandless in El Segundo, California on February 12th, 1968. At the time, Walt still has a relationship with his ex. -
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Chris McCandless Goes To School
Chris McCandless excelled academically and athletically, being on top of his class for the majority of his years in school. Chris preferred to participate in individual-based sports and refrain from team-based sports as he felt that he could not control the skill and abilities of others. His determination and talent gave him the position of captain of the cross country team. As captain, he urged others to treat the sport as a spiritual exercise rather than simply physical. -
The McCandless Family Moves
After being offered a position in NASA as an antenna specialist, Walt McCandless and his family moved to Annadale, Virginia. Billie McCandless becomes a secretary and continues working at Hughe's Aircraft -
High School Graduation
Chris McCandless graduates from W.T. Woodson High School in Fairfax, Virginia on 1986 -
Family Ties
Chris discovers his father's secret relationship with his first wife, Marcia after visiting his relatives in Southern California. This revelation would have severe consequences on Chris' life and his perspective on it. Besides being reportedly abused, this is what finally caused Chris to snap. He continued to act is this information was unknown until he saw them for the last time after graduation as he would leave them forever. -
College Graduation
Chris graduates from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, majoring in both history and anthropology, earning a bachelor's degree in both subjects. -
Donation
After graduating from college, Chris donates the rest of his college fund ($24k) to OXFAM. This would mark the start of his new lifestyle and his detachment from society. -
Detachment from Society
After the donation, Chris sought out to explore the wild and travel to wherever he desired. Taking only what was required, Chris prepared for "the trip" -
Into the Wild
Beginning his travels, Chris McCandless drove through several states such as California and Arizona before a flash flood had incapacitated his old and beloved Datsun. Knowing that if he continued with it, it would become a liability, Chris abandoned the car and all the belongings he could not take with him. Burying them along with the license plate, he attached a note stating that the Datsun is "abandoned and free to be taken. The car would later be used as an undercover cop car -
Identity Change
Chris McCandless changes his name to Alexander Supertramp and begins to document his life experiences in a third-person narrative, seemingly exaggerating the events -
Crazy Ernie
After hitching a ride from a man called "Crazy Ernie", Chris worked for him on a ranch in Northern California. However, he discovered that Ernie was a con artist which led to him fleeing on a stolen bike. -
Lake Mead
Attempting to explore more of the land before departing for Alaska, he travels to Lake Mead. However, unforeseen consequences would soon arise as the temperatures reached high levels. Suffering from a heat stroke, he fled from the area, serving as a reminder to be more careful -
Jan Burres
A pair of drifters find Chris's fragile state while he was examining some berries for his studies. Because Jan had a son around the same age as Chris, she felt sympathy and felt the need to assist him. For Chris, he saw her as kind of a mother figure and was grateful for what she had done for him. They became close and he sent her postcards once in a while -
Westerberg
Chris meets Westerberg after hitchhiking for a while. He takes Chris in and offers him a job in a grain elevator. They become close friends but he gets arrested and Chris heads to Mexico in search of adventure once again. -
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Series of Travels
Attempting to explore the Gulf of Mexico, Chris sets out to cross the border and actually succeeds in this by obtaining a cheap kayak and sneaking through the open floodgates of the dam. He then gets lost as the river turns into a "maze of irrigation canals, marshland, and dead-end canals" (34). However, he is saved as duck hunters pick him up and drop him off at a village near the Gulf at which he continues his path. After escaping arrest, he makes his way back to Los Angeles. -
Retrieval
Chris returns to the site where he buried his belongings and left hi now impounded Datsun. -
Bullhead City
After being on the road for such a long time, Chris figured that he would go back to a semi-stable lifestyle around Bullhead City, Arizona. He took up a position as a fry cook at a McDonald's while living in an old RV trailer. His co-workers find him eccentric and odd but the manager describes him as hardworking and diligent. After this brief period of order, he reconnected with Jan Burres and sought out to meet her -
Reconnection
Chris McCandless reconnects for a period of time with Jan and Bob Burres. He assists her with her book stand and explains to them his vision of exploring the wildlands of Alaska. He then takes off in pursuit of his dreams, making a brief stop at Carthage -
Ronald Franz
At Salmon City, California, Chris met an elderly man named Ronald Franz. Over time, they became very close, so far as Franz gave up drinking as he listened to the advice Chris gave him. Prior to meeting Chris, Franz had lost his grandson which caused him to see Chris as his grandson. They both learned new things from each other as Chris made himself a belt. This bonding caused Alex to delay his final trip to Alaska once again. However, he would eventually continue a few weeks later. -
Jim
On his way to Alaska, Chris meets Jim Galien on the road and asks him to give him a ride to the Stampede trail. The pair, as almost every other person he's met, bond as Chris shares his aspirations and goals. Jim, a veteran hunter shares his concerns for Chris's plans but Chris is stubborn and determined. He lets him go, but not before giving him advice and a pair of boots, and some food for the trip -
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Into the Wild
Everything Chris has worked for has led up to this moment. During these months, Chris had enjoyed hunting and exploring the wildlife and plant life that Alaska had to offer. In one incident he had killed a moose but maggots infested it before he could consume it. After 2 months, he decided to return to society but the freezing waters deemed it "impassable. Setting up base in a bus, he continued to survive off small meals until he committed a fateful mistake -
The End of the Road
Chris McCandless had finally died due to a combination of starvation and poison. It is thought that he had eaten poisoned berries in a desperate attempt to stay alive. This caused Chris to become so weak that he would not be able to hunt anymore, thus, leading to his demise.