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Into the Wild: Chris McCandless as Role Model Essay

Decent Essays

There had never been and there would never be someone exactly like Chris McCandless. Chris has a middle class background and stands out from his peers because he believes that society restrains his independence. He leaves his past life and wanders America heading toward the lonely Alaskan wilderness to find who he really is. He discovers ways of moving to Alaska despite leaving behind all of his possessions and social status. Chris’s sincerity and integrity earn the respect of the people he meets. He inspires people leave behind their old life and explore the country by documenting his experiences. Chris loves to challenge himself and after succeeding academically he finds purpose through self deprivation. Chris chooses Alaska because its' …show more content…

All three help Chris reach Alaska after initially discouraging him because Chris earned their friendship with his values and not theirs. Much like a father Ronald questions Chris on his decision to leave home but while Chris is happy being independent Ronald's life is empty. He loses his family while serving his country and lives alone. Believing in duty to his country has left him with no relationships. Ronald wants happiness so after receiving a letter from Chris Ronald changes his life, emulating Chris’s transient lifestyle by living out of a trailer. Ronald is grateful to Chris for persuading him to cast off his self-imposed bonds and find happiness in new experiences. When Ronald finds out about Chris's death he, "[renounces] the Lord, [he withdraws] church membership and [becomes] an atheist" (60). Ronald thinks there must be no God if someone like can die from starvation. The strength of Chris’s belief in his world view made him an inspiring and magnetic person. Chris is ambitious and motivated, after Chris excels academically he inspires himself to carry out the more difficult goal of surviving in the Alaskan wilderness with as little equipment as possible. When Chris leaves his life in Annandale after graduating Emory University he makes the decision to succeed on his own terms. Chris did not travel to

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