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Hunger and Starvation
During his travels, Chris primarily lives off of rice, carrying pounds of it in his backpack. Rice thereby represents Chris’ devotion to living a simple, yet dangerous life, always on the edge of hunger and starvation.
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Rice Symbol Timeline in Into the Wild
The timeline below shows where the symbol Rice appears in Into the Wild. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 1 - The Alaska Interior
...for an extended camping trip. While Chris admits to only carrying a ten-pound bag of rice, Gallien observes that the quality of the boy’s hiking boots is poor for the wintry...
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Chapter 4 - Detrital Wash
...abandoned in the Detrital Wash, near Lake Mead. Some loose change and twenty-five pounds of rice are left in the car with the keys in the ignition. Another ranger starts the...
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McCandless paddles south and camps along the coast, subsisting upon five pounds of rice and the fish and other marine life he catches. On a “very fateful day” in...
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Chapter 16 - The Alaska Interior
...enters the Alaskan bush alone, carrying nothing else but his rifle, his backpack filled with rice, and a small collection of books.
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