1. Into the Wild Essay

2. General Rules You must follow all instructions in the prompt.
You must use 3 quotes (1 per body paragraph) from Into the Wild in your essay.
You must use MLA format, including page set-up and Times New Roman 12 point font.
You must WRITE OUT ALL CONTRACTIONS!
You must proofread your essay for spelling & grammar errors.
You MUST turn it in on the due date. If you do not, it is a zero.
You are REQUIRED to fill out and turn in the provided outline. A final essay will NOT be accepted if you do not fill out and turn in the provided outline!

3. Describe your philosophy of life and how to live the best life possible. Include information such as the key to happiness, what really is important in life, and how people can achieve their dreams. In your response, compare and contrast Chris’ philosophy of life to your own, and whether or not you agree with his life’s philosophy and “purpose of life,” using quotes from the novel to support your reasoning. You can reference Steve Jobs’ and Randy Pausch’s life’s philosophies to help strengthen your claim.
You must include at least three direct quotes from Into the Wild to develop and support your response (1 per body paragraph).

4. Introduction
Hook- Make the reader interested, surprised, get the reader’s attention. Do NOT use a quote or a rhetorical question (1 sentence):
Background Information- Introduce the title and author of the book (make sure you spell everything right. Book titles need to be italicized when typed, not underlined), then explain what a life’s purpose/philosophy/meaning means (3-4 sentences):
Thesis- Your life philosophy in comparison to Chris McCandless. Describe what Chris’ philosophy is, whether or not you agree with it, and provide at least three reasons to justify your claim (which will be your future topic sentences). DO NOT use I/me/my/you/you here! (1-2 sentences):

5. Thinking of your thesis...
What are your top 3 ways to live a meaningful life? Use the philosophy compare/contrast chart to brainstorm.
For example:
My family is important to me.
Traveling and experiencing new cultures makes life more fulfilled.
Living in service to others/making the world a better place by helping others.

6. Let’s turn these into topic sentences!
My family is important to me.
Traveling and experiencing new cultures makes life more fulfilled.
Living in service to others/making the world a better place by helping others.
DO NOT use I/me/my/you/your in your topic sentences!
Family is the most important source of support in life, whether they be blood- related or chosen family.
To live a completely fulfilled life, a person must travel and experience new and different cultures to give them a better perspective about life and the world.
In order to live a truly meaningful life, a person must do all they can to live in service to others and to provide a better world for future generations.

7. What order should I put my topics in?
In general, you want to save your strongest argument for last!
Family is the most important source of support in life, whether they be blood- related or chosen family. #2
To live a completely fulfilled life, a person must travel and experience new and different cultures to give them a better perspective about life and the world. #1
In order to live a truly meaningful life, a person must do all they can to live in service to others and to provide a better world for future generations. #3

8. Ok we have topic sentences, now what about a thesis?
To live a completely fulfilled life, a person must travel and experience new and different cultures to give them a better perspective about life and the world.
Family is the most important source of support in life, whether they be blood-related or chosen family.
In order to live a truly meaningful life, a person must do all they can to live in service to others and to provide a better world for future generations.
Thesis- Your life philosophy in comparison to Chris McCandless. Describe what Chris’ philosophy is, whether or not you agree with it, and provide at least three reasons to justify your claim (which will be your future topic sentences). DO NOT use I/me/my/you/you here! (1-2 sentences):

9. You have to shorten each topic sentence for your thesis!
Shorten each topic sentences so that each is briefly summed up in the thesis:
Chris McCandless believed that the key to happiness in life was x, x, and x. While he was right about x, and x, he did not fully appreciate the power of x. The real key to happiness in life is traveling and participating in new experiences, the love between friends and family, and living a life in service to others.
To live a completely fulfilled life, a person must travel and experience new and different cultures to give them a better perspective about life and the world.
Family is the most important source of support in life, whether they be blood-related or chosen family.
In order to live a truly meaningful life, a person must do all they can to live in service to others and to provide a better world for future generations.

10. Body Paragraphs
Topic Sentence- What is your first claim as to what makes life meaningful/how a person can live a happy and fulfilling life? (DO NOT USE I/me/my/you here! (1 sentence):
Explain- Why is this something that makes life meaningful for people? (2-3 sentences):
Evidence- Introduce a relevant quote, make sure it is embedded in the sentence and has an in-text citation (1-2 sentences):
Commentary: Connect this quote back to your topic sentence/claim. What about this quote proves your claim? What does this show about your philosophy of life? (DO NOT SAY “This quote shows.../This proves my claim because…./etc.) (4-5 sentences)
Concluding Sentence- Restate your topic sentence in different words in a way that concludes the paragraph (1 sentence):

11. Evidence-Introducing & Embedding Quotes- the right way:
Chris McCandless led a life where he focused on experiences. This can be shown in his conversations with friends, such as when he proclaimed “quote quote quote” (Krakauer 11).
Don’t just drop a quote & go!!!
Introduce it- have a relevant sentence before the quote that leads up to the quote.
Embed it- have a brief phrase that starts the sentence the quote is in.
Cite it- have an in-text citation directly after the close quotation marks that has the parentheses, author’s last name, page number, close parentheses, and the period AT THE END.

12. Body Paragraphs
At a MINIMUM, following the outline formatting for each body paragraph, your body paragraph should be 9 sentences! FOLLOW THE FORMAT!!! (In general, 9-11 sentences each, but a little over is fine).
Each needs a quote that is introduced, embedded, and cited!
Don’t forget a concluding sentences!
Write out all contractions!
Fully explain in the Explain and Commentary sections of the paragraph.

13. Conclusion Notice- the Conclusion is 5-7 sentences long!!!
Restatement of thesis in DIFFERENT words (1-2 sentences):
Summary of points made- summarize your main claims in different words (3-4 sentences):
So What? Statement- What is your philosophy of life? How can a person achieve true happiness? Etc.- Your final, concluding, takeaway statement (1 sentence):
Notice- the Conclusion is 5-7 sentences long!!!

14. Brainstorm & Outline
Use the brainstorm paper (on Google Classroom) to help think of 3 things that make life meaningful from you perspective & compare/contrast with McCandless-required and Jobs/Pausch-if you want to.
Try to make the essay positive in tone rather than negative- so, don’t just say “The meaning of life is not money or possessions,” instead say what the meaning of life IS/what IS important in life!
Make sure you rewrite your topic sentences to NOT include I/me/my/you/your.
Within your body paragraphs, be sure to compare/contrast how your viewpoint compares with Chris’.
Make sure you follow all the rules & requirements of this essay!