March 2

I think that it would be a good idea to escape civilization for a little you can regain a sense of who you are. Society can pressure us to become different people. I think their adventures were worth it because it helped them find themselves.  I also think that they were running away from their problems.  It isn't good to run away from your problems because then they will never be solved.  If i were to take a "wilderness retreat", I would not want to go to Alaska because it is very cold there.  I also would not want to be alone for that long.  I also would be very bad at finding the right food to eat to survive.

February 20

If I was going to design my own leather belt I would include many different symbols.  First, I would include a crab because I have lived in Maryland my whole life.  Second, I would include a basketball because I have played basketball for 8 years and it is my favorite sport.  Third, I would include ocean waves because I love the beach and I go to Ocean City every year.  Fourth, I would include either skis or a snowboard because I like to ski and snowboard.  My family and I go skiing every year.  Fifth, I would include a longboard because in the summer my friends and I longboard at the beach. Sixth, I would include sneakers because I like to run and I ran track last year.  Seventh, I would include a dolphin because it is my favorite animal.  Last, I would include a surfboard because I love surf shops and the beach.

Famous Quotes

Wallace Stegner

Wallace Stegner

The Big Rock Candy Mountain

Crossing to Safety

Beyond the Hundreth Meridian

Where the Bluebird Sings to the Lemonade Springs

Angle of Repose

"It should be denied... that being footloose has always exhilarated us.  It is associated in our minds with escape from history and oppression and law and irksome obligations, with absolute freedom, and the road has always led west." Chapter 3 page 15

This quote relate to Chris because he felt exhilarated when he left society and went to the woods.  He also enjoyed leaving the pressures of society and having total freedom to do what he wants.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wallace_Stegner

Jack London

Jack London

The Call of the Wild

White Fang

The Sea Wolf

To Build a Fire

The People of the Abyss

“The land itself was a desolation, lifeless, without movement, so lone and cold that the spirit of it was not even that of sadness.  There was a hint in it of laughter, but of a laughter more terrible than any sadness – a laughter that was mirthless as the smile of the Sphinx, a laughter cold as the frost and partaking of the grimness of infallibility.” Chapter 2 Page 9

This quote relates to Chris because he went to a place that is very cold and desolate.  It has very few animals and it is lonely.  

http://www.enotes.com/topics/jack-london

Leo Tolstoy

Leo Tolstoy

War and Peace

What Men Live By

Anna Karenina

Childhood
A Confession

“I wanted movement and not a calm course of existence.  I wanted excitement and danger and the chance to sacrifice myself for my love.  I felt in myself a superabundance of energy which found no outlet in our quiet life.” Chapter 3 Page 15 

This quote relates to Chris because he wanted to experience excitement and danger but he wanted to do it on his own terms without being told what to do.  Chris wanted to experience freedom.  

http://www.biography.com/people/leo-tolstoy-9508518

"Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible."

- Francis of Assisi
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/f/francisofa121023.html?src=t_inspirational

This quote relates to Chris because he did what was necessary and went to school.  He then left society, which many people consider impossible, and went to Alaska.  Chris was then doing the impossible.

Puerto Rico

Flamenco Beach; Culebra, Puerto Rico

If I could go to any place in the United States, I would go to Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico is about a 3 1/2 hour plane ride from Washington D.C. There are many different things to do in Puerto Rico. You can go to the beach and see all of the tourist attractions.  I like to zip line and you can do that in Puerto Rico.  Puerto Rico has a hot, tropical climate. You don't need your passport to go there if you are a US citizen. I think it would be a lot of fun and it would be a great experience.  Trip Advisor ranks San Juan, Puerto Rico as the third best place to visit in the Caribbean. Trip Advisor also says that Flamenco beach in Culebra, Puerto Rico is ranked third in the world for vacation spots.    

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g147319-Puerto_Rico-Vacations.html

Jon Krakauer

Jon Krakauer was born on April 12, 1954 in Oregon. He went to Hampshire College and graduated in 1976. After Jon Krakauer graduated, he decided to become an author.  He spent much of his childhood outdoors so he wrote stories about nature and outdoor adventures. He is an American author known for his books about the outdoors.  He has received many awards in Literature.  Some of his best known books are Into the Wild and Into Thin Air.  He is still writing books today.   

http://www.randomhouse.com/features/krakauer/author.html

Into the Wild Introduction

Into the Wild is a story about a man named Christopher McCandless.  Christopher decides to travel into the wilderness with only a 10 pound bag of rice and some hunting gear,  He does this because he says he wants to leave society and live off of the land for a few months. His body was found on September 6, 1992 in an old, abandoned bus in Alaska. Some people thought that he was crazy.  Others thought he was a hero.  Jon Krakauer retraced Christopher's steps and later wrote the book Into the Wild.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Into_the_Wild_%28book%29