Chapter 11 Question 39

Chris McCandless
1. "In third grade, after receiving a high score on a standardized achievement test, Chris was placed in an accelerated program for gifted students." Pg. 106
2. When Chris was little, he always had friends, he was never anti-social. Pg. 107
3. Chris had loved to go on camping trips when he was younger. Pg. 108
4. Chris' grandfather left a big impact on him. Pg. 109
5. Chris and his father climbed Old Rag mountain almost every year starting at the age of eight. Pg. 109
6. Chris reached the 13,000-foot elevation on Longs Peak in Colorado.
7. Chris was fearless when he was little, stated by his father. Pg. 109
8. Chris had only gotten a grade lower than a B once in physics. Pg. 109
9. Chris was a high achiever in almost everything. Pg. 109
10. Chris played the guitar, piano, and French horn. Pg. 110
11. Chris loved Tony Bennett and was surprisingly good at singing his songs. Pg. 110
12. Was a member of the American University Symphony, but quit. Pg. 110
13. Chris and Carine had music rivalry, but not bad enough to effect their relationship. Pg. 110
14. Chris and Carine were close, best friends, ever since they were really little. He was protective over his little sister. Pg. 110
15. Chris inherited Billie's "angelic" features, like her eyes. Pg. 110
16. Chris was strong for his size and well coordinated. Pg. 110
17. Chris was the shortest person in his class most of the time. Pg. 110
18. Chris was not good at sports, he did not have patience for them. Pg. 110-111
19. Chris had natural talent, but only if he was taught how to do something he'd catch on. Pg. 111
20. Chris tackled things head on, he did not like strategy or method.

Walt & Billie
1. Walt is tall and solidly proportioned, he wears wire-rimmed glasses making him look professional. Pg. 103
2. Walt was NASA's project manager for the pioneering Seasat launch. Pg. 104
3. Walt is referred to as brilliant. Pg. 105
4. Walt grew up in Greeley, Colorado. Pg. 105
5. Walt won an academic scholarship to Colorado State University. Pg. 105
6. Walt and Billie are very close.
7. Walt and Billie started a consulting firm of which they worked on all day and all night. Pg. 107
8. Billie's childhood home was Iron Mountain Michigan. Pg. 108
9. Billie had 5 other siblings. Pg. 108
10. Billie's father did not fit in society, like this and many other ways, Loren, and Chris were very much alike. Pg. 108

   This chapter slightly confuses me on my views between Chris and his parents. I feel like they should have understood him more. Billie's father loved being out in the wild and raising wildlife. Billie should have picked this up and accepted Chris for being like her father. And Walt would always take Chris out on hiking trips, and Chris would be stubborn and want to climb more, he did not want to give up and turn back, Walt even states on pg. 109, "The route above looked slabby, exposed, dangerous. 'I'd had it, OK," Walt explains,"But Chris wanted to keep going to the top. I told him no way. He was only twelve then, so all he could do was complain. If he'd been fourteen or fifteen, he would have simply gone on without me." Walt should have already known, that Chris had been an adventurous person. I really think when Chris listened to his parents in High School it was just to satisfy them, I feel that he knew when he had turned old enough he would do as he pleased. He originally stated that he did not want to go to college, his parents did not understand what he felt his purpose in life was. His parents told him that he needed to go to college, so he did, but as soon as he finished he was ready for his own journey.