Summary

The excerpt from Jon Krakauer's book Into the Wild consists of Christopher McCandless’ letter to Ronald Franz, a lonely 80-year-old man McCandless met while hitchhiking. McCandless tells Ron that he is currently working in South Dakota, where he arrived after he and Ron parted ways in Colorado. McCandless lets Ron know that he will be leaving for Alaska soon and asks for future mail to be sent to a new address.

McCandless continues by telling Ron that he hopes they will meet again someday, if his Alaskan hiking expedition turns out well. He then gives Ron advice, suggesting that he should change his lifestyle and start traveling. McCandless states that the safety of a lifestyle of conformity hurts one's spirit and that adventure is the only source of happiness ...