Mistake
|
Type
|
Reason for Mistake
|
Consequence
|
Alex refuses ranger's offer of a park map. | Judgment | Alex's overconfidence; he seeks to impress Jenn with his woodcraft. | Jenn and Alex become lost and have no guidance out of the woods. His behavior could endanger their lives. |
Alex secretly leaves Jenn's cell phone in their car | Judgment; deceit | The lack of a prevents Jenn from communicating with others, focusing her attention on camping trip (and on Alex). | Without a phone, Alex and Jenn have no way to call for help. His behavior could endanger their lives. |
Alex leaves Jenn alone when he goes to chop wood. | Judgment | Unclear | The stranger, Brad, who happens upon Jenn could be dangerous: he might have raped or killed Jenn. His behavior could endanger their lives. |
Alex does not tell Jenn about the presence of a bear in the area. | Judgment; deceit | Alex wants their trip to continue. He hopes to impress Jenn with his woodcraft and intends to ask her to marry him. | Jenn has bear spray and a traffic flare that they could use against the bear, but she is unaware of its presence. The bear could (and, later, does) kill someone. His behavior could endanger their lives. |
Although he is uncertain of the correct path to the lake, Alex continues their trek through the forest. | Judgment; deceit | Alex wants their trip to continue. He hopes to impress Jenn with his woodcraft and intends to ask her to marry him. | Alex and Jenn may be lost. His behavior could endanger their lives. |
Alex does not leave the woods after seeing a bear print. | Judgment | Alex wants their trip to continue. He hopes to impress Jenn with his woodcraft and intends to ask her to marry him. | Jenn has bear spray and a traffic flare that they could use against the bear, but she is unaware of its presence. The bear could (and, later, does) kill someone. His behavior could endanger their lives. |
Without investigating, Alex tells Jenn sounds she hears are merely acorns falling from the trees, onto their tent. | Judgment; possible deceit | Alex wants their trip to continue. He hopes to impress Jenn with his woodcraft and intends to ask her to marry him. He may believe the sounds are the effects of falling acorns, as he says, or he may not want Jenn to think the sounds are caused by a bear, whether to keep her from being afraid or to prevent her from wanting to leave, in which case he is also being deceitful. | Jenn has bear spray and a traffic flare that they could use against the bear, but she is unaware of its presence. The bear could (and, later, does) kill someone. His behavior could endanger their lives. |
Even after hearing the sounds of what might be a bear, instead of falling acorns, Alex refuses to leave the park. | Judgment | Alex wants their trip to continue. He hopes to impress Jenn with his woodcraft and intends to ask her to marry him. | His behavior could endanger their lives. |
Even after seeing a broken tree branch indicative of a bear's nearby presence, Alex refuses to leave the park. | Judgment | Alex wants their trip to continue. He hopes to impress Jenn with his woodcraft and intends to ask her to marry him. | His behavior could endanger their lives. |
Even after seeing the carcass of a dead deer indicating the presence of a bear—and of a bear that is both starving (bears, otherwise, don't eat meat—and predatory)—Alex refuses to leave the park. | Judgment | Alex wants their trip to continue. He hopes to impress Jenn with his woodcraft and intends to ask her to marry him. | His behavior could endanger their lives. |
Even after the bear visits their campsite, Alex refuses to leave the park. | Judgment | Alex wants their trip to continue. He hopes to impress Jenn with his woodcraft and intends to ask her to marry him. | His behavior could endanger their lives. |
Alex leaves his axe outside the tent. | Carelessness | With his axe inside the tent, Alex would have had a weapon with which to fight off the attacking bear; without it, he has nothing but his hands and feet. His behavior could endanger their lives. |
Mistake
|
Type
|
Reason for Mistake
|
Consequence
|
Jenn did not insist that Alex accept a park map from
the ranger or accept one herself.
|
Judgment
|
Jenn probably did not want to embarrass Alex by
casting doubts on his knowledge of the park.
|
Alex and Jenn may be lost. Her behavior could
endanger their lives.
|
In Alex's absence, Jenn invites Brad onto their
campsite.
|
Judgment
|
Jenn is being friendly.
|
Since she does not know Brad, Jenn could be
endangering her and Alex's lives and could be putting herself in
danger of being raped.
|
Jenn does not insist that Alex make sure the
“acorns” he says are falling on their tent really are
acorns.
|
Judgment
|
Jenn probably did not want to embarrass Alex by
casting doubts on his knowledge of the park.
|
Her behavior could endanger their lives.
|
Jenn does not insist that Alex take her home after
she sees evidence of the nearby presence of a bear.
|
Judgment
|
Jenn allows Alex to persuade her to stay because
she has feelings for him and may feel sorry for him.
|
Her behavior could endanger their lives.
|
Jenn returns to their campsite after the bear has
killed Alex so she can retrieve the engagement ring he has shown
her.
|
Judgment
|
Jenn, who had feelings for Alex, wants a memento of
his love for her.
|
Her behavior could endanger her life. lives.
|