Chapters 8-10:

The function of these chapters is to show that Chris is not the only one who died from "living off the land". There are other guys who also found adventure but also died from it. They show that smart guys get these ideas and then make the mistake of taking their adventures too far.
The relationship these chapters have to the rest of the text is that they explain the way that society pushes people until they break and just want to get away and then they die from the choices of life style.

The author wrote about the story in chapters 8 and 9 to show that he was not the only one who lived that way. He compared stories of others that showed how Chris was not mentally ill but just wanted to live off the land. He did this to show the people who said that Chris was crazy that maybe he wasn't crazy but just did fit into the mold society expects everyone to be in.

I was not surprised that he left trails because he did have people who loved him and that he loved back and by leaving trails he knew that they would know that he was gone.  I think he also wanted them to know where he went to show that people should be nomatic. Leaving trails were his way to still be known in society in my opinion.

I think that a name shows who you are and where you come from. I think by keeping the name you were given is giving your respects to your family. I think it is okay to change your name because it is yours after all and if you want to change you should. My name fits me and I would not change it because I love my family and where  I came from.