Into Thin Air Lesson Plan

How does the first chapter establish our expectations for the rest of the book?

It is tempting to romanticize the idea of climbing the world's tallest mountain. By opening the narrative at the summit and describing his experience, Krakauer quickly dispels any notion the reader might have of romanticizing the moment. He describes the pain, dread, and danger that brought him to this point, explicitly framing the story as a struggle rather than a great triumph. In fact, much later, Krakauer will devote only a paragraph or two to his summit ascent, only allowing the smallest bit of linguistic flourish to mark the moment.

The reader may immediately question what value this...