Chapter 3, Carthage Summary and Analysis

A quotation from Leo Tolstoy about the love of danger opens this chapter. The author notes that McCandless had underlined this particular passage in Tolstoy's Family Happiness, one of the books found with his remains. The title of the book, Family Happiness, also sets the stage for Krakauer to discuss McCandless's family. This book will be quoted in later chapters as well, when Krakauer delves into the McCandless family history in greater detail.

Carthage, South Dakota is a small town on the northern plains with 274 inhabitants. In its lone bar, the Cabaret, Wayne Westerberg meets with the author to reflect on the young man he knew as Alex. Westerberg drinks a White Russian, Alex' favorite drink, and speaks fondly of Alex. Westerberg first met "Alex McCandless," when he offered the young hitchhiker a lift. Something in Alex' demeanor caused...