What is Sleight's conclusion about the two young men (Ruess and McCandless)?

• A. They tried to follow a dream
• B. Like companionships but can't stand around people too long, get themselves lost, and then come back and then leave again
• C. They grew up in the city
• D. They lost faith in their families

Answer: (B)

Sleight emphasizes the tension between needing companionship and craving independence. Ruess and McCandless clearly sought connection with others on their journeys, yet they couldn’t stay with people for long. That restlessness often left them feeling adrift or “lost,” wandering away from social ties and obligations. But this wasn’t a permanent retreat from others; they would return to some human connection or routine, only to be drawn away again by the call of the wild. So the best description captures both the urge for companionship and the repeated pattern of leaving and returning.