Assignment 2- Characterization

Christopher McCandless

Direct Characterization
When the author tells us what he is like.

• “He was congenial” (5) – means nice, pleasurable
• “Something fascinating about him” (67)—He was interesting.
• “He was a smart kid” (52)
• “Alex is a nut” (71)
• “Displayed a staggering paucity of common sense” (85)—He lacked common sense.

Indirect Characterization

When we are shown what he is like. Says, thinks, effect on others, action, looks or name.

• “I asked Alex if I could adopt him, if he would be my grandson” (55)—He had a good lasting impact on people.
• “I only spent a few hours in Alex’s company, it amazes me how much I’m bothered by his death” (67)—He again had a positive lasting impact on people.
• “I’m never speaking to either of those idiots again as long as I live” (64)—He had a lot of anger towards his parents.
• “Don’t settle down. Move around, be nomadic, make each day a new horizon” (57)—He likes adventures and living in the moment.
• “Higher Laws in Thoreau’s Walden, a copy of which was also discovered on the bus” (66)—He enjoyed reading books that were deep.

Paragraph-

Chris McCandless was a man who seemed to have everything going right for him, until he ventured into the unknown of Alaska. Chris, or Alex as he liked to be known by when he was traveling the country, was an odd person. His parents wanted to pay for his law school education and buy him a brand new car, but he was steaming angry at them for some reason calling them “idiots” at one point. Chris was excelling in school and had just graduated college when he decided to disappear from existence to find peace in nature. The people he met along the way got attached to him very quickly and easily calling him “smart, and congenial” among other compliments. He was supposedly a very nice likable guy. Why did he hate his family and give up the great life that he was just beginning?