what is the function of chapters 7-9? what is their relationship to the rest of the text?

In this section, many of the important themes of the book become apparent. In Ronald Franz we see another example of Chris becoming close to someone and then abandoning them. We also start to see some of the reasons for McCandless’s estrangement from his family. Although in some ways it seems like his choice to cut himself off from his family is an important part of his plan to have true freedom, it becomes clear in this section that in some ways it is intended specifically to punish them. He tells Carine soon before he disappears that he intends to cut his parents out of his life completely, because he resents their values, and their attempts to impose those values on him.