How does the author describe McCandless at the moment Franz dropped him off in Colorado?

How does the author describe McCandless at the moment Franz dropped him off in Colorado?

• A. He was relieved that he had avoided human intimacy and baggage
• B. He longed for deep human connection
• C. He felt overwhelmed by society
• D. He planned to rejoin his family

Answer: (A)

This moment shows McCandless leaning into solitude and independence, shedding the weight of emotional ties and expectations that come with ordinary human relationships. When Franz drops him off in Colorado, he experiences relief at being free from intimacy and baggage—the kind of attachments that would anchor him to conventional life. This aligns with his recurring pattern of valuing self-reliance and minimal commitments over connection. The other possibilities don’t fit because they imply a desire for closeness, a sense of being overwhelmed by society, or a plan to return to family, none of which matches this scene’s sense of relief at avoiding deeper social entanglements.

This moment shows McCandless leaning into solitude and independence, shedding the weight of emotional ties and expectations that come with ordinary human relationships. When Franz drops him off in Colorado, he experiences relief at being free from intimacy and baggage—the kind of attachments that would anchor him to conventional life. This aligns with his recurring pattern of valuing self-reliance and minimal commitments over connection.

The other possibilities don’t fit because they imply a desire for closeness, a sense of being overwhelmed by society, or a plan to return to family, none of which matches this scene’s sense of relief at avoiding deeper social entanglements.