Final answer:
Although Samuel Walter McCandless Jr. does not ask a question in the provided text, the subject concerns the solitary lifestyles and philosophical inquiries of individuals like Henry David Thoreau and Chris McCandless, as explored in American literature.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student has shown interest in the topic of individuals in American life who have chosen to live a solitary existence away from the influences of society. Samuel Walter McCandless Jr. does not explicitly ask a question in the given text; however, one can interpret the provided excerpts as thematic inquiries into the nature of societal detachment and solitary living, as exemplified by historical and fictional characters in American literature.
Characters like Henry David Thoreau and Chris McCandless are exemplars of this narrative — Thoreau’s experience living alone at Walden Pond and McCandless’s Alaskan wilderness adventure in Jon Krakauer's Into the Wild reflect on the depth and implications of such life choices. Both represent a critique of society and an experimentation with living rooted in the personal and philosophical belief in simplicity and independence.
In summary, the query pertains to the philosophical and existential questions posed by individuals like Thoreau and McCandless through their actions and the subsequent nonfiction narratives that document their lives.