Epilogue

"Though the epilogue in Into the Wild was very short, it was also extremely important. How did the epilogue change your opinion or attitude toward Christopher's family after their reactions to visiting the bus in Alaska? Also, if you were in the parents situation, would you also want to visit the bus? Why or why not?"

Visiting the bus was a necessity, no doubt about it. It provided a sense of closure to the parents that cannot be understated. Knowing where their boy lived for the last few months of his life may seem like a trivial piece of information, but the text on page 202 shows that it gave them insight into why he came out to where he did and how he took care of himself.

My own opinion wasn't changed. I had considered Chris's tale to be inspirational from about midway through the book. However, reading about his parent's journey to his final resting place helped connect me emotionally to the story. It made his father a much more sympathetic character, and redeemed any negative thoughts I held over from the revelation of his double life.