Style Analysis #2: Quotes

Krakauer begins every chapter of Into the Wild with a quotation from a renowned author, such as Tolstoy, Thoreau, and Jack London. On a few occasions, Krakauer quotes McCandless himself. The quote chosen always pertains to the upcoming information in the chapter.

One of the objectives of these quotes is to clarify that the desires and drives which pushed McCandless to the edge of his endurance were not unique to him. Krakauer uses quotations from the inspirations behind McCandless’s adventures, the majority being from Tolstoy, whose writings profoundly resonated with McCandless.

Chapter 2 begins with a quotation from McCandless himself:

"Jack London is King"
Alexander Supertramp
May 1992

Krakauer explains that this was carved into a piece of wood where McCandless's body was found. He then follows this with a quote from Jack London's White Fang:

"...It was the masterful and incommunicable wisdom of eternity laughing at the futility of life and the effort of life..."

Krakauer uses the quotations to illustrate and explain the passionate drive which compelled McCandless to push himself so far into the inhospitable Alaskan wilderness.

Through quotations, Krakauer foreshadows the upcoming events of the chapter. For example, a quote from Tolstoy's Family Happiness opens chapter three. He uses this quote because it was found underlined in McCandless's copy of the book that was discovered with his remains. The quote is about the love of danger, which obviously pertains to McCandless. This quote also leads Krakauer to talk about the McCandless family.