Noticing that Chris McCandless lacks proper footwear to survive in the Alaskan wilderness, Jim Gallien gives the young man his pair of rubber boots, which Chris reluctantly accepts. That McCandless does not think about acquiring proper boots for his “Alaskan odyssey” when he has spent so much time planning for it is emblematic of his absentminded, dreamy, and stubborn nature.
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Boots Symbol Timeline in Into the Wild
The timeline below shows where the symbol Boots appears in Into the Wild. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 1 - The Alaska Interior
...carrying a ten-pound bag of rice, Gallien observes that the quality of the boy’s hiking boots is poor for the wintry weather and his rifle—.22 caliber—is too small to take down...
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...loose change, but Gallien implores “Alex” to take his leftover lunch and pair of rubber work-boots, so that his feet will stay warm and dry. Chris reluctantly accepts these gifts and...
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