What motivated the author to include John Waterman's story? What parallels exist with Chris McCandless?

• A. Similar life to Chris - why added
• B. Waterman was Chris's longtime friend
• C. Waterman was a fictional character
• D. Waterman and Chris shared a career path

Answer: (D)

The idea being tested is how the author uses Waterman’s story to draw a concrete link between McCandless and someone who also pursues the wilderness as a profession. By including Waterman, a real climber who made extreme expeditions and wrote about them, the author shows that McCandless isn’t just an isolated case but part of a pattern of individuals who treat bold exploration and self-reliance as a kind of calling or career. That shared path—pacing life around challenging, nature-centered endeavors—is the strongest tie, making it the best explanation for why Waterman’s story is included.

The other options don’t fit as well. Waterman wasn’t described as Chris’s longtime friend, and Waterman is a real person, not a fictional character. The point isn’t merely that their lives were similar in a vague sense, but that they exemplify a career-like pursuit of the wild.