This piece is my best work because I did a good job of gathering my thoughts and providing enough text to support my claim.
Alkeisha Davis
Ms. Evelyn Beck
English 102
10 March 2007
Compare and Contrast Scott Fischer and Rob Hall
In “INTO THIN AIR ” written by Jon Krakauer, the author makes several comparisons of two of the characters, Scott Fischer and Rob Hall. These differences include their businesses,personalities , and leading their expeditions.
Rob Hall and Scott Fischer both had successful businesses that were obtained for different reasons and in different ways. Rob Hall had earned recognition when he and his longtime friend and partner Gary Ball ascended the seven highest summits on each of the seven continents in seven months. Even with this and other tremendous accomplishments behind him, Hall was still looking for ways to make sure that his career was concrete. This is when he and Ball started Adventure Consultants. His services carried a hefty price tag to the tune of sixty-five thousand dollars, but this did not hurt his business,:” Thanks to Hall’s phenomenal success rate he had no trouble filling the roster for this, his eighth expedition to Everest “ (37). "Despite his inexperience, Fischer had decided to attempt the coveted first ascent of a difficult frozen cascade called Bridal Veil Falls, in Utah’s Provo canyon”(67). Subsequently Fischer took a plunge of 100 feet before he hit the ground. He injured his leg leaving a hole "big enough to stick a pencil through”(67) and continued to climb for the next six months with this “hole” in his leg.These are different examples of how Fischer would push the envelope and Hall put more thought into his climbing. Until a certain point in Fischer’s career he had received recognition locally,” but celebrity in the world climbing community had eluded him” (68). This is what prompted him to launch his company, Mountain Madness. Fischer had earned only twelve thousand dollars in 1995, so he with the help of his level- headed business partner Karen Dickinson decided that “if he could emulate Hall, it would quickly catapult Mountain Madness to profitability” (70).
Secondly, the two were well liked by all who met them, but their approach to climbing was different. Hall was a more serious climber when it came to planning. He was said to have “impressive organizational skills” (34), and once the groups were at base camp, “Nobody commanded more respect on the mountain than Hall” (65).While Fischer operated more by a “seat-of-the-pants, what-worry-me modus operandi”(70). Apparently, Fischer had survived some mishaps that should have ultimately taken his life. Fischer is a little arrogant when it comes to what he is able to control.He made a statement to a reporter:” When accidents happen, I think it’s always human error. So that’s what I want to eliminate” (69). It seems that the names of their companies really gave light to their approach to climbing and to their personalities. Adventure Consultants, Hall’s business, is a “straight laced” name. it “mirrored his methodical, fastidious approach to climbing” (66). Mountain Madness, Fischer’s business, gave birth to his more exuberant manner of climbing.
Last, but definitely not least, was how both men led their expeditions. Rob Hall was more careful with his group. He mandated that everyone climb as a group. No one was able to climb alone. Scott Fischer allowed members of his group to climb alone. It did not matter if they were experienced or not. This became a problem for Fischer because on more than on occasion he found himself more mentally and physically drained during an ascent because he had to rescue stranded clients.Fischer felt strongly regarding his clients climbing alone and being independent. Once again his free spirited demeanor translated into how he led his groups.
Rob Hall and Scott Fischer were two talented men that loved to climb for a living. It is sad that the thing that they loved to do the most is what also led them to their demise.Given these two men's differences, the last thing that they had in common was taking the harsh, unpredictable mountain for granted.
Works Cited
Krakauer, Jon. Into Thin Air. New York: Anchor, 1997.
