Coming of Age in Jon Krakauer’s Into the Wild

The subject of endless speculation, Chris McCandless abrupt journey into the American wilderness and his subsequent mysterious death play a central role in Jon Krakauer’s 1996 nonfiction book Into the Wild. This comprehensive edition provides an in-depth analysis of the life, work, and career of author Jon Krakauer, focusing particularly on the theme of coming of age as it relates to Into the Wild. Readers are presented with a series of essays that tackle questions about McCandless’ death, the substantiality of Krakauer’s theories, and the parallels between McCandless’ story and other travel-based coming of age stories. Modern perspectives on coming of age and travel narratives are also discussed, allowing readers examine concepts such as self-actualization, the relationship between travel and gender, and the dangers of inexperienced traveling.