Table of ContentsRhetorical Analysis of Literary Devices Used in "Into the Wild" Adding the Lens of Pathos to Allow the Reader to Connect with the CharactersConclusionWorks CitedChris McCandless's Story Captivated the American public for years. While it's unclear exactly what happened during his trip to Alaska, there's a lot of speculation going around. In the search for evidence to determine the events that occurred during his journey, Jon Krakauer developed a compelling theory in his book "Into the Wild." Through investigative journalism, he was able to understand Chris's character and his motivation for venturing into the Alaskan bush. In order to convince the audience of his theory about what happened to McCandless, he uses various strategies and rhetorical devices. Say no to plagiarism. Get a custom essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay Rhetorical Analysis of Literary Devices Used in “Into the Wild” Krakauer uses the strategy of logos by providing reasoning using the evidence that he had acquired, from testimonies on documents. For example, he had mentioned that the advanced books Chris had read may have fueled his defiance towards society; he was passionate about the works of Jack London, an author with anti-capitalist and pro-nature views that reflected Chris's beliefs. Ironically, as Krakauer stated, "McCandless conveniently overlooked the fact that London himself had spent only one winter in the North and died by his own hands." In addition to his interest in anti-societal views, his motivation to distance himself from humanity may have increased based on his own experience; an entry in his personal journal from his time in Mexico described how he was able to live on a "five-pound sack of rice and whatever marine life he could pull from the sea" for over a month. Jon Krakauer pointed out that since Chris overcame the harsh sea conditions, he might have thought that he would have been able to feed off the lands of Alaska. However, McCandless's plausible prediction turned out to be wrong, because conditions in Mexico had nothing to do with the frigid climate of the North. Therefore, by using logic to draw conclusions, Krakauer was able to present enough evidence to prove why McCandless developed the motive to venture to Alaska. Add the lens of pathos to allow the reader to connect with the characters In addition to using logic, Krakauer appeals to logic. the audience's emotions to make them feel a connection with McCandless' story. He mainly used sympathy to show how Chris' death affected not only his family but also the people he met on his journey. For example, Ronald Franz, an elderly man whom Chris had inspired to take his own journey, was deeply shaken by the news of his death; in response, he had turned into an alcoholic and “hoped it would kill him.” The author also amplifies the audience's sympathy by using the method of narration; While it is natural to sympathize with the loss of a family, Krakauer's retelling of the McCandless family's story in chapter eleven gave them enough characterization for the reader to feel a heightened sense of attachment to them . Additionally, for audiences to believe Krakauer's version of Chris' story, they had to understand his character. People were skeptical of Krakauer's theory, as observed when he initially published his article regarding his account of what happened; most readers had considered, 42(2), 81-102.