An Analysis of Language in into the Wild

In the book "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer the author uses language that really serves a purpose in the story. Krakauer uses objective and dispassionate language. Objective language is when the protagonist or antagonist of the story is trying to achieve a goal or making progress throughout the story. Passionate language is when the writer uses barely any emotion or biased in their writing style. Jon Krakauer uses objective and passionate styles in his writing techniques, for example on page 4 of "Into the Wild" Alex the main character says he'll "live off the land for a few months." By saying this so early in the book, the author gets his points across and uses objective writing techniques to show the goal that the protagonist wants to achieve by the climax, or the resolution of the story.

Throughout the whole book, Alex constantly keeps reminding himself of the way he will achieve his goal of getting to Alaska. By doing this, he meets a bunch of people that will pick him up and give him rides to certain places and sometimes go eat dinner with him. Everyone that he comes across to, he is constantly telling them no matter what happens, he is getting to Alaska even if somebody becomes so attached to him and will get in his way. On page 55, a character named Ron Franz asked Alex if he will be able to adopt him. "So I asked Alex if I could adopt him, if he would be my grandson." Then, with one goal on his mind, Alex responds "We'll talk about it when I get back from Alaska, Ron." By saying all this objective language helps the purpose of the book and gives it a storyline. 

The author also uses passionate language in his writing. By being biased in this story, he is able to explain a life like Alex's. In the story, Krakauer describes everything in Alex's favor. Throughout most of the book, we hear the side of Alex and how great this man is but looking at what he really did, he doesn't seem like the perfect boy that the author makes him. Alex left his family just to go on an adventure that he ends up dying in. That's what makes Krakauer biased because of the way that Alex is displayed. Jon Krakauer uses passionate language and objective language to show the purpose of the story and why it is so important.

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