How did the death of McCandless affect Ron Franz emotionally?

• A. He started a new family
• B. He wrote a memoir
• C. He donated his possessions
• D. He went out and drank, hoping the alcohol would kill him

Answer: (D)

The death of McCandless triggers overwhelming grief and despair in Ron Franz, showing how deeply he connected with the young man and how losing him leaves a void he can’t fill. The emotional weight pushes Franz toward a self-destructive coping method: he turns to alcohol and hopes it will end his life. This moment reveals the intensity of his sorrow and the sense of meaninglessness he feels without Chris. The other options don’t fit his emotional state: starting a new family would signal a fresh direction, writing a memoir or donating possessions isn’t tied to his immediate grief in this scene, whereas the drinking reflects his acute despair and the extreme way he tries to cope with the loss.