Final Exam Study Guide

What does the word 'congenial' mean?

Friendly.

What is an 'escarpment'?

A steep slope.

What is 'antimony'?

A metallic element.

Define 'anomaly'.

A glitch or inconsistency.

What does 'contumacious' mean?

Rebellious.

What does 'visage' refer to?

Face.

What does 'amiable' mean?

Good-natured.

Define 'convivial'.

Sociable.

What does 'plebeian' mean?

Crude or common.

Define 'mien'.

Appearance.

What does 'onerous' mean?

Troublesome.

What is a 'hegira'?

Flight.

Define 'creosote'.

An oily liquid.

What does 'desiccated' mean?

Dried.

What does 'phantasmal' refer to?

Ghostly.

Define 'destitute'.

Poor.

What is 'serape'?

A poncho.

What does 'harangues' mean?

Sermon.

Define 'fulminate'.

To verbally attack.

What does 'endemic' mean?

Widespread.

What does 'unalloyed' refer to?

Pure.

Define 'unbidden'.

Not asked.

What does 'idiosyncratic' mean?

Distinctive or individual.

What is a 'reverie'?

A dream.

Define 'sanctimonious'.

Self-righteous.

What does 'sullen' refer to?

Brooding or angry.

What does 'incorrigible' mean?

Uncontrollable or incapable of being reformed.

Define 'wanderlust'.

A strong impulse to travel.

What is 'monomania'?

Being obsessed with one idea.

What does 'castigated' mean?

To punish.

Define 'obliquely'.

Indirectly.

What does 'extemporaneous' mean?

Impromptu.

Who is Samuel Walter McCandless, Jr.?

Chris’s father who had a tight relationship with Chris but their relationship soured during his college years.

Who is Wilhelmina Johnson (Billie)?

Chris's mother whose relationship with him deteriorated after he discovered his father's affair.

What was Loren Johnson's relationship with Chris?

He is Billie’s father and got along well with Chris.

Describe Carine McCandless's relationship with Chris.

She is the closest family member to Chris and understood his feelings.

Who is Jim Gallien?

The person who gave Chris a ride while hitchhiking and later became empathetic toward him.

How did Wayne Westerberg meet Chris?

They met at a bar called the Cabaret and developed a friendship.

Who is Jan Burres?

She was a traveling vendor who became friends with Chris.

What role did George Dreeszen play in Chris's life?

He hired Chris at McDonald's and thought he was a nice and dependable kid.

Who is Lori Zarza?

The second assistant manager at McDonald's who assumed Chris quit because of her.

What did Charlie do for Chris?

He let Chris sleep in his trailer for free.

Who is Ronald Franz?

An old man who gave Chris a ride and became emotionally attached to him.

Describe Gail Borah's relationship with Chris.

She was the love interest of Wayne Westerberg and had serious conversations with Chris.

Who is Gaylord Stuckey?

A man who gave Chris a ride along the Alaskan Highway.

What did Ken Thompson do?

He discovered McCandless’s body while on a moose hunt.

Who is Gordon Samel?

An employee of Ken Thompson who also found Chris's body.

What was Ferdie Swanson's role?

He was a friend of Samel and Thompson who found McCandless’s body.

Who is Butch Killian?

A hunter who was suggested to transport Chris’s body.

What did Peter Kalitka do?

He was a private investigator hired to find Chris but was ultimately unsuccessful.

Describe Gene Rosellini's background.

He was wealthy, athletic, and believed that humans had devolved.

Who is John Mallon Waterman?

A climber who disappeared during an expedition to Mt. Hunter.

What happened to Carl McCunn?

He died in the mountains due to not being able to signal for help.

Who is Everett Ruess?

A legendary figure who disappeared while exploring nature in Utah.

What connection does John Krakauer have to Chris McCandless?

He relates to Chris through his similar adventurous experiences.