Krakauer believes it was mere luck that he survived and Chris did not. However, McCandless was offered many opportunities to save his own life, all of which he rejected. It was deliberation, not chance that took his life. Chris was so clearly headed on a path to destruction, when he was found, his identity was almost immediately obvious to those who had met him: "The police don't know who he is. Sounds a whole lot like Alex" (Krakauer 102). Chris caused tremendous suffering for his family, and although he had a determination to prove himself and possessed compassion as an abstract value, he could not exhibit this in real life, rather he shunned real people. Observed one of the people who tried to help: "How is it…that a kid with so much compassion could cause his parents so much pain?" (Krakauer 106)

Question 2: Krakauer as biographer

Krakauer reproaches himself...
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