Which statement best describes Walt's need for control in relation to Chris McCandless?

Which statement best describes Walt's need for control in relation to Chris McCandless?

• A. Chris's independence led to polarization; Walt needed control
• B. Walt needed control but Chris was independent -- polarization inevitable
• C. Walt fully supported Chris's independence
• D. They remained harmonious

Answer: (B)

The central dynamic is the clash between a parent's desire to control outcomes and a young person’s push for independence. Walt wants to guide Chris’s path—deciding where he goes, what he studies, and how money and safety are managed—because he equates control with security. Chris, by contrast, is determined to forge his own path, rejecting those boundaries. When these needs pull in opposite directions, conflict and distance tend to grow, making polarization likely rather than harmony or full agreement. This is why the statement that Walt needed control while Chris was independent leads to polarization as an inevitable outcome.

The central dynamic is the clash between a parent's desire to control outcomes and a young person’s push for independence. Walt wants to guide Chris’s path—deciding where he goes, what he studies, and how money and safety are managed—because he equates control with security. Chris, by contrast, is determined to forge his own path, rejecting those boundaries. When these needs pull in opposite directions, conflict and distance tend to grow, making polarization likely rather than harmony or full agreement. This is why the statement that Walt needed control while Chris was independent leads to polarization as an inevitable outcome.