The Dark Art of Description

I think that part of Patricia Hampl's purpose for writing about description was to show that essentially you can write about anything if you can master describing in detail. The point I think to incorporate the story of the boy who came to her office, complaining that he had nothing to write about in his autobiography, was to show that even if you feel something is unimportant, it is still possible to make it important through things like description and detail.

Into the Wild chapters

I think that it was almost necessary for Krakauer to include the chapters about his own life and Chris' father because it established Krakauer's credibility. The chapters also gave as much of an answer that anyone will get as to why Chris did the things he did. Including the chapter about Walt, showed why Chris' relationship with his father was so damaged and why he wanted nothing to do with his family. Understanding that Krakauer went through a very similar experience Chris did, except he came out alive, gives great insight into what Chris could have been thinking. These chapters supported what I already thought as to why Chris went on his journey, and it proved even more that the act was not suicidal and Chris never wanted to die.