What is the purpose of including biographical information about Chris McCandless's father, Walt, in the material?

• A. Shows Walt is prone to taking control and Chris pushed away
• B. Chris's intensity came from his father
• C. Walt discouraged exploration
• D. To reveal family wealth

Answer: (A)

The idea being tested is how family dynamics shape a character’s choices. Including biographical details about Walt McCandless helps readers see the tension between a controlling parent and a young person seeking autonomy. When readers glimpse Walt’s tendency to exercise control, it becomes clearer why Chris might push back, reject expectations, and strike out on his own. This context makes his drastic decisions—giving away money, adopting a minimalist life, and heading into the wilderness—feel like a deliberate assertion of independence rather than random rebellion.

The other options don’t fit as well. It isn’t simply about Chris’s intensity coming from his father, nor that Walt discouraged exploration in a blanket way, nor about revealing wealth. The more accurate takeaway is that the father’s controlling style helps explain the relational dynamic that contributes to Chris’s retreat from family and society.