Synopses & Reviews
Social Issues in Literature meets the need for materials supporting curriculum integration. Each title in this distinctive new series examines an important literary work or body of work through the lens of a major social issue. Each volume presents biographical and critical information on the author, viewpoints on the social issue portrayed in the book, and contemporary assessments of the social issue as well as a chronology of important dates in the author's life, discussion questions, a guide to additional literary works that focus on the same social issue, a bibliography for further research and a thorough subject index.
Synopsis
The subject of endless speculation, Chris McCandless abrupt journey into the American wilderness and his subsequent mysterious death play a central role in Jon Krakauer's 1996 nonfiction book Into the Wild. This comprehensive edition provides an in-depth analysis of the life, work, and career of author Jon Krakauer, focusing particularly on the theme of coming of age as it relates to Into the Wild. Readers are presented with a series of essays that tackle questions about McCandless' death, the substantiality of Krakauer's theories, and the parallels between McCandless' story and other travel-based coming of age stories. Modern perspectives on coming of age and travel narratives are also discussed, allowing readers examine concepts such as self-actualization, the relationship between travel and gender, and the dangers of inexperienced traveling.
Synopsis
•This series brings together the disciplines of sociology and literature in a unique format designed to support cross-curricular studies.
•Each volume explores a work of literature through the lens of the major social issue reflected in it, and features carefully-selected content representing a variety of perspectives.
•All volumes in the series contain biographical and critical information about the author; secondary excerpts offering both historical and contemporary views of the highlighted social issue; a timeline of the author's life; a "For Further Reading" section of other works on the issue; and a detailed subject index.