Chris creates a new name for himself during his adventures and seems to be a new person with his name. Do names really define a person? Does your name define who you are? What’s in a name? Does it matter that we have the name we were given by our parent

Names define a person to a point. Chris had a personality that was larger than life. His pseudonym Alexander Supertramp personified his spirit. It is only after we get to know Chris within the pages of Krakauer's novel that his nickname begins to make sense. There must be a connection between the man and the name to make the identity authentic. Chris was, if nothing else, an authentic person and his pseudonym fit with his vitality and adventurous spirit.