Into the Wild

Chapter 8 is about three "marginal characters" who "marched off into the Alaska wilds" and who have become "lodged firmly in the state's collective memory." Briefly describe each of these three men and include what ultimately happened to each of them?

The three men are John Mallon Waterman, Gener Rosellini, and Carl McCunn. Krakauer writes about these men both to draw parallels between them and McCandless and also to show that McCandless was different from them. Specifically, how was McCandless not like these men?

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John Waterman was a climber from the Washington D.C. area. Over time, he chooses climbs that are increasingly dangerous. In the end, he embarks on an assent of Denali. He is never heard from again.

Gene Rosellini was an intelligent, wealthy man, who decided he wanted to live as a primitive man. He lived this lifestye for more than ten years before deciding his experiement was a failure. In the end, he took his own life.

Carl McCunn was an amateur photographer. He hired a pilot to drop him off in the wilderness, where he intended to spend five months photographing the wildlife. Unfortunately, his careful planning didn't include a return flight. After his rations ran out, Carl took his own life.

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Into the Wild