Just as Jesus and Muhammad spent time isolated in the deserts gaining wisdom, Mccandless will too experience the clarity and perception that comes from the wilderness. This is an appropriate intro for chapter 4 because chapter 4 begins Mccandless journey into the wilderness. In Shepard’s excerpt, he mentions how religious leaders also sought spiritual refuge in the desert. Krakauer opens chapter 4, Detrital Wash, with an excerpt from Paul Shepard’s, Man in the Landscape, where Shepard describes the desert as the ideal environment for isolation, meditation, reflection. This juxtaposition of his need for money to survive and his neglect of material items shows the controversy of the worth of worldly possessions. However, when he realizes that he will not be paid for his job with Ernie, he immediately jumps ship. Another irony is the abandonment of his car its only problem is a wet engine, yet he stills leaves it behind and burns all his cash. This demonstrates irony: a man who left his family to live a life of solitude and will die alone is exceptional at making friends.
McCandless earlier struck up a relationship with Wayne Westerberg and Jan Burres, as well as Jan’s boyfriend Bob. The motif of “friendship” is becoming more and more prevalent throughout this chapter. He appears to be very carefree, but very risky. His rescue symbolizes his reliance on luck and other people. This description serves to help the reader understand exactly how famished and desperate he must have been to accept a ride from someone. The author also utilizes visual imagery by describing how Chris hitchhiked around the lake before accepting a ride from a man named Crazy Ernie. When his engine gets wet, he abandons the car there this demonstrates his impatience and recklessness. This demonstrates his selfishness and how his journey was ultimately going to be self destructive. After this, Krakauer explains how the car came to be by this lake McCandless ignored street signs and went into a restricted area. The mystery of its sudden, unexpected appearance represents his mysterious manner of staying below the radar and turning up in unexpected locations. This suggests that he is absent minded and irresponsible, and, over time, is beginning to “rust” or weaken.
The author presents the beat up car’s condition as symbolism for Chris’s physical and mental state. Krakauer starts the chapter by describing how McCandless’s car was found by local park rangers, abandoned by a lake.
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