Into the Wild Ur Essential Questions Journal Over this unit, we will read a range of texts to build a world around Jon Krakauer’ Into the Wild, we will read short stories, poetry, philosophy, journalism, excerpts from works of non- fiction, and more. As we read, you will be expected to keep track of the ways each of these texts relates to the essential questions that guide our thinking. Those questions are: How do we construct identity through our actions, interests, values and beliefs? ‘What is the relationship between nature and American identity? What does it mean to be a rebel? ‘What is the relationship between self and society? ‘What is success? To what extent is community essential to happiness? For each text, you will choose at least two passages (sentences or paragraphs) that you see relating to one of the essential questions. For each passage you choose, you will write out the passage and the page number on which it appears, note the essential question to which it relates, and write a paragraph exploring the ways in which the passage guides your thinking about the essential question, Your journal entries will serve as the basis for a group activity toward the end of the unit and will provide you with evidence to use when you construct your synthesis essay. An entry for your Essential Question Journal might look like this: ith Essential Question | Passage ‘My Thoughts “Survivor Type” | Whatis success? | “I played football in | This passage tells me a lot high school, Iwas | about Richard Pine: he’s the best damn determined to reach his football player my | goals, and he must be school ever very hard-working to produced. have been so successful Quarterback, 1 on the football field ("T made All-City my | made All-City my last last two years. I. | two years” shows his hated football. But | dedication and skill). But if you're a poor wop | he also sounds bitter. from the projects | When he says, “Butif and you want to go | you're a poor wop from to college, sports are | the projects... sports are your only ticket. So | your only ticket out,” the Tplayed, and I got | way he uses an ethnic slur my athletic to describe himself makes scholarship” (407- it sound as though he 408) didn’t like having to sueceed on someone else’s terms, 14