Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Climax first?

In almost everything that I have read by Krakauer, he begins the narrative with the conclusion of the journey, letting his readers know exactly what happened before they barely have a toe in the water.  It is something that I have learned to love and hate about his writing, but in this case I like it very much.  It is like a forewarning to anyone who decides to take a risk of any kind, especially one like climbing Everest.  It is like the warning post in the ground that says "enter at your own risk".  I feel that he does this to show that mountain climbing is no joke, and no amount of money in your pocket is going to get you up the mountain by itself.  The most frustrating part about this book then, it the fact that some of the climbers are so needy and dependent on the guides to get them up the mountain.  It seems like a violation of natural, self sufficient law that they endangered themselves and everyone else around them with their inexperience and lack of ability.  And as easy as it is to be frustrated with them, we cannot and will not because so many of them lost their lives.  Is it their own fault? Yes, it is, but that is no reason not be remorseful for what they lost.

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