Final answer:
Alex McCandless's birthday is February 12, 1968, as detailed in Jon Krakauer's 'Into the Wild'. The book explores McCandless's journey into the Alaskan wilderness and reflects on similar themes to Thoreau's 'Walden'.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Jon Krakauer's narrative nonfiction Into the Wild, the character based on the real-life individual Chris McCandless celebrates his birthday on February 12, 1968. This detail serves to give readers a sense of the time period in which McCandless embarked on his journey, as well as providing a personal element of his background. Chris McCandless's adventure is a modern reflection of themes similar to those found in Henry David Thoreau's Walden, with both works exploring the idea of withdrawing from society to seek a more meaningful existence.
McCandless's intense and ultimately tragic experience in the Alaskan wilderness is chronicled by Krakauer with a blend of sympathy and journalistic detachment, making Into the Wild a poignant study of idealism, survival, and the quest for personal authenticity.