Analysis Of Chris Mccandless Into The Wild

McCandless sought out on his journey because of his love and passion for nature. He set out to experience life on life’s term, not the terms he felt that were being hypocritically dictated for him.

In the novel Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer, Chris McCandless takes a wild journey. Although some believe that his journey and thought process was noble and courageous, he was actually extremely fatuous throughout his journey. Many people that Chris met along the way made remarkable attempts at making him aware of the dangers that he would surely face in Alaska. Chris McCandless knowingly stepped into the treacherous wild without being prepared for what reality would throw his way.

In his novel, Into the Wild, Jon Krakauer recounts the true tale of Chris McCandless, a recent college graduate who decided against a professional career and instead opted for a life of adventuring and self-reliance. Readers of Into the Wild have shared differing opinions of McCandless. Some view him as passionate, courageous, and admirable while others view him as reckless, arrogant, and “unworthy of the considerable media attention he received.” (Author’s Note) Though McCandless’ courage and steadfast dedication to his beliefs are admirable, I believe that his hubris, naivete, and his inadequate preparation should be the most important points in any discussion of his trips and subsequent death.

He took the things he needs with him and got rid of the rest. He lasted a hundred days in the wild, it takes at least twenty eight days to break an old habit. He told his friend Jan Burres where he was, and if he didn’t have common sense he wouldn’t do that. “ In September he hitched down U.S Highway 101 California, then headed east into the desert again. And by early October he had landed in Bullhead City, Arizona.” (pg.39) When Callarman says “ He has no common sense he has no business going to Alaska...” McCandless had every right to go to Alaska. He didn’t want his parents to know where he was going, because he was of age and he doesn’t have to everything by his parents. That's why he changed his name. He wanted to start over by going to Alaska and learning new things along the way. You learn from your mistakes, that's what makes us human. McCandless couldn’t live up to his father expectations anymore. He always saw his father as a liar because he was living a double life with another family. Yes, he did have every right to go to Alaska, a person can only take so much. When it get to a certain point, it drive someone to do something they will either regret or a great feeling. He found what he was looking for freedom and happiness. He was a brilliant person, he wrote things in his letters and journals that was really

Into the Wild is a novel about Chris McCandless who left everything, and everyone he knew after college and essentially disappeared into the wild. A commonly asked question at the end of Into The wild is why did Chris McCandless do this, why did he abandon his college education and everyone he knew. Many have tried to figure out just this question but with the help of the memoir Walden, a book that heavily inspired McCandless, it is easy to see why McCandless left his conventional life. These reasons are that He wanted to be more like nature, to go with the flow and not let every little thing throw him off, Chris took this to the extreme and literally joined nature to get a better understand of it. He also wanted to live a simpler life, Chris again took this to the extreme by leaving everything that was extra or unneeded in his life. The final reason is that he wanted to see what reality and real life must offer, he didn’t want to see and live with the reality that other people imposed on things.

Another one of the reasons Chris left was to pursue a life of adventure. Chris liked the wilderness he probably thought that it was peaceful and a spiritual enlightenment just a quiet place to reflect on life and think or not think at all. Life of adventure was where he can live life differently and explore the wilderness. This adventure made McCandless think about life in a different perspective and when he was in the woods he lived more traditionally, with no gadgets, no making his life simpler. “McCandless was thrilled to be on his way north, and he was relieved as

First things first, Chris Mccandless followed his dream to escape society and live in nature. Once he got out of society and was on the road he delighted, "McCandless was thrilled to be on his way north, and he was relieved as well—relieved that he had again evaded the impending threat of human intimacy” (Krakauer, 55). Chris had the capability of escaping the society where he could go off on a journey to find himself. Chris is one of the few people out there that has the mindset of doing whatever it is to achieve his dream. Not many people in this world are able to do that especially if it is going out into the wild to fulfill your dream, maybe they will swim 50 miles in an ocean

Not only did Chris McCandless sacrifice so much for the future that he wanted, but he remained focus on his goal and he never ever regretted a minute of it. Even close to his death he was always smiling in the pictures he took and he never looked for a way out. He came into the wild and learned to be one with it. He respected it and learned from it all while staying at his peak of happiness. Chris McCandless’ did not necessarily have a bad life, but it was clear that he was not always happy. When he was truly happiest, he was alone. His disapproval of modern day society is evident throughout the book; “I told him ‘Man, you gotta have money to get along in this world’ but he wouldn’t take it” (46). He realized he needed to be separated from these people and live on his own. He decided to change his course for the future into an isolated lifestyle all without notice to the people that loved him. He was set up for a great life, but he ended it all to follow his dreams and fulfill his purpose. Not

He insisted on living in the harshest conditions with as little help as possible. Surrounding hunters often tried to help prepare McCandless for his dangerous trek into Alaska but all of the tips went in one ear and out the other. His supplies were severely inadequate and useless. The heaviest item in his pack was his “library: nine or ten paperbound books.” (162) All handouts were politely declined because he wanted to do everything alone. For example, Jan Burres gave Chris warm clothes for Alaska to which he pretended to accept, only to later find them discarded under her car seat. His fixed reservation left others pretty skeptical and confused, but before they could even mention anything about it, he was already far too

The book about Chris McCandless’s journey into the Alaskan bush, Into The Wild by Jon Krakauer, received a lot of criticism about Chris being foolish for being unprepared. From the articles that I have read, most of the sources do believe that he was poorly prepared for his journey. But there are a few people who believe he was prepared mentally, and an even smaller amount believe he was fully prepared. I believe that Chris only knew what he was doing mentally. He did not have the correct tools or the developed skills to survive, for an extended period of time in the wild. But, he did know what he was about to get himself into. He planned out the trip and knew exactly what his risk factors were. Chris McCandless was either prepared

McCandless once again misunderstood what Thoreau said in “Walden” about leaving society. As stated in Into The Wild, “Near the end of his trip, it turned out, Chris had gotten lost in the Mojave Desert and had nearly succumbed to dehydration” (Krakauer 118). Chris had been too stubborn to believe he could not achieve something since he had proven to be good at everything he tried. Chris’ hubris would have to be his arrogance in believing he could do anything he wanted to. By McCandless going into the Mojave Desert was absurd because it was too far from society. Being too far from society can have consequences especially if you need help. Chris’ mind was too clouded to see or think that throughout his entire life. Chris McCandless misinterpreted Thoreau’s writing and he was crazy to shun society, which also help build on the idea that McCandless misunderstood “Self Reliance” and he made actions that ended up being hypocritical later on in his life.

This is one reason why he decided to leave home; he wanted to experience the life of not having anything to his name, this is also shown through out the book during his journeys, however this not the only reason why he left home. The ultimate reason why he left home was because of what his father had done. A cab driver name Stuckey whom helped McCandless reach Alaska elaborated that McCandless said that he found out that his father was living a bigamist life and that it went against Chris’s beliefs (159). This was ultimately one of the reasons why Chris left home and had no feelings towards his parents. This exhibits the hatred and no remorseful attitude McCandless had through out the book towards his parents, especially his father. However, this attitude towards his father and civilization is justified completely when he decided to leave home and take on the wilderness.

The tale of McCandless is read over high schools everywhere. Classes discuss who he really was. Most critics state that he was ignorant, by not being properly equipped with knowledge and tools. However, this shouldn’t make him innocent. Personally, I believe McCandless was arrogant, but not selfish.

It has been very perplexing reading this novel and trying to truly understand the motives one would have to have to make the decisions McCandless made. I am questioning Chris’ motives for cutting ties with his family and travelling all around the country. I think that he truly had a deep love and spiritual connection with nature. It began as a young child when Walt McCandless (Chris’ father) took Chris on many excursions in the outdoors, such as hiking in the mountains. Chris immediately fell in love with nature and all of the pleasures it had to offer. Also, Chris was motivated by his withering relationship with his family. Early in his life his parents worked tirelessly and it was difficult for Chris to spend time and build a solid relationship with them. Throughout his young life he had disagreed with his parents about many aspects of life. It was said that he

Chris Mccandless was a man that many would call crazy or maybe even immoral. He left everything to live in the wild and become “one with nature”. He had determination, a strong mindset, fearlessness and courage. I believe that my life and the life of Chris Mccandless are not similar in any aspect. In fact I wish that my life was more like his and that I had the drive and determination to do what he did.