Jack London was one of Chris McCandless’ favorite authors. After reading “To Build a Fire,” consider the following elements, or themes, from the story and explain why each one might have appealed to McCandless: 4. Pride/”ego”/hubris

Hubris is one of the chief criticisms about Chris, especially with native Alaskans. I think Chris was an idealist and perhaps a naive idealist. His romantic notions of living a Thoreau-like life in the wilderness were at odds with the reality of the situation. Chris didn't realize what he was getting into and when he finally did, things had gotten out of hand. I think, however, that Krakauer was trying to say there was more to Chris McCandless than his ill-fated trip into the Alaskan wilderness. Similarily the man To build a fire held a hubris about his ability to outsmart and outlat nature. The man believes his own abilities can outsmart and outlast anything that nature could throw at him. It is this hubris that causes his downfall.