In Jon Krakauer's "Into the Wild," the quote "The trip would be an odyssey in the fullest sense of the word, an epic journey that would change everything" refers to the protagonist Christopher McCandless' journey into the Alaskan wilderness. The quote is significant because it highlights the transformative nature of McCandless' journey and the impact it had on his life.
The word "odyssey" has several meanings, most notably as a reference to Homer's epic poem, "The Odyssey," which chronicles the adventures of the hero Odysseus as he travels home from the Trojan War. Similarly, McCandless' journey into the Alaskan wilderness is an epic adventure, full of danger and discovery, as he tests his limits and explores the natural world.
The phrase "in the fullest sense of the word" emphasizes the profound and all-encompassing nature of McCandless' journey. It suggests that the
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He was intensely private but could be convivial and gregarious in the extreme. And despite his overdeveloped social conscience, he was no tight-lipped, perpetually grim do-gooder who frowned on fun”(115 from Jon Krakauer's "Into the Wild" is an excellent example of the author's skillful use of tone, word choice, and writing style to capture the reader's interest and convey a complex characterization of the book's protagonist. The tone of the passage is curious and contemplative, as the author is attempting to reconcile seemingly contradictory aspects of McCandless's personality. The use of the word "puzzling" conveys a sense of intrigue and mystery, as if the author is uncovering a complex puzzle. The phrase "convivial and gregarious in the extreme" suggests that McCandless had a capacity for socializing, while the phrase "intensely private" highlights his tendency to withdraw from social interaction. The use of these contrasting phrases adds depth to McCandless's character, making him a more complex and multifaceted
Mia Pegher Mr. Maggs Honors English 9 January 8, 2023 Into the Wild The golden rule, or “treat others the way you want to be treated,” is one of the most cliche statements of life, but is an example of how Chris chose to live his life. Chris McCandless, a twenty-one year old from Virginia, the son of Walt, his father, and Billie, his mother, spent his life trying to live life freely, not bound to materialistic objects. He travels to Alaska in hopes of finding purpose and meaning behind life, but unfortunately dies a few months into his excursion due to reasons unknown. His experiences on his journey are illustrated in the book, Into the Wild, by Jon Krakauer.
Jon Krakauer makes various claims about how Chris McCandless is a very noble person. Krakauer’s bias is throughout the book Into the Wild. The book is about Chris McCandless and his adventures across America. The book is his life story covering how he died and how he came to the point of his death. Krakauer uses his bias and various claims to show what type of person Chris really was and to show some of how Chris thought about the world and government.
McCandless had some controversial ideals and flaws, but the lessons and inspiration he left behind cannot be denied. His unwavering commitment to his ideals is a testament to his inspiring mindset. The unique life he led serves as an inspiration to many but also as a reminder of the importance of considering the impact of one’s actions on others. Everyone can learn a great deal from McCandless’ life and should strive to live with a similar goal: To pursue a life with the freedom to be one’s true self. Works Cited Krakauer, Jon.
The type of life McCandless lived is shared by few and understood by even less, inviting negative judgment for his lack of conventional life. Krakauer, however, illustrates McCandless’s journey as a monumental change, “At long last he was unencumbered, emancipated from the stifling world of his parents and peers, a world of abstraction and security and material excess, a world in which he felt grievously cut off from the raw throb of existence" (Krakauer 22). The tone in which Krakauer displays McCandless’s reasoning invokes a sense of understanding as to who McCandless was as a person and the disposition he presented throughout his life. While the statement is neither negative or positive, the descriptive language used implies an undercurrent of joy and the thrill of adventure, all of which McCandless had expressed to others and mentioned in his personal journal. However, the wording can be considered flowery, supporting the claim that Krakauer glamorizes “…the poacher Chris McCandless…into some sort of poor, admirable romantic soul lost in the wilds of Alaska” (Medred 1).
That puts an emphasis on his opinion that McCandless really dared to differ. Due to our own reasoning, we often judge too soon, and think negative of those who tried to different. We often assume that they might actually be crazy and need some mental help. It’s not true all the time though. Krakauer added, “He wasn’t a nutcase, he wasn’t a sociopath, he wasn’t an outcast,” (85).
To conclude, Krakauer uses three valuable techniques to capture the meaning behind Into the Wild and McCandless’s journey itself: narrative structure, epigraphs, and tone. Chris McCandless was an intelligent young man who sought adventure far from his dull stable life. He essentially went off the grid to capture what he wished for the most, which was ultimate freedom and happiness. It was like a tag on a shirt that keeps bothering the tenderness of one’s skin. It was the reason why the tag was ripped off.
John Krakauer wrote the book Into the Wild about Christopher McCandless, who takes a wild journey. This book tells of his crazy adventures of him being in the wild. This book contains personal information on what might have led McCandless to go on his own and live the lifestyle that he lived. Chris is a figure both admired and criticized in the years following his death. Some believe McCandless to be a noble, determined, brave, and extraordinary adventurer worthy of admiration for living his life to the fullest.
For McCandless, traveling to the west coast was no different, and as Chris was a fan of poets similar to Henry W. Longfellow who wrote The Psalm of Life. It is certainly possible that Chris could agree with the phrase: “Lives of great men all remind us We can make our lives sublime, And, departing, leave behind us Footprints on the sands of time”. McCandless was someone who enjoyed the literature of authors and poets such as Longfellow. He would follow the paths and preachings of his
The two epigrams can perfectly describe McCandless’ need for exploration and to always be on
Nonetheless, McCandless was able to find refuge in this foresighting. In page 182 of Into The Wild, the author, Jon Krakauer well describes why
Chris McCandless, the protagonist of Jon Krakauer's book "Into the Wild," was a young man who sought solitude and adventure in the wilderness. He was deeply inspired by two literary works: "To Build a Fire," a short story by Jack London, and "On the Duty of Civil Disobedience," an essay by Henry David Thoreau. These works had a profound impact on McCandless's worldview and ultimately contributed to his decision to embark on a journey into the Alaskan wilderness, where he tragically lost his life. "To Build a Fire" is a story about a man who becomes stranded in the Alaskan wilderness during a cold winter day. Despite his best efforts, the man is unable to start a fire to keep warm and eventually freezes to death.
McCandless did something in his life that impacted him the best way possible. He followed his heart and was not constricted to anything, he was happy until the very end. McCandless lived the true philosophy of Transcendentalism and can be referred to as a modern transcendentalist. He lived a simple life in nature, he was optimistic and relied on himself. He had no need for relationships or conforming with society.
He was a bright student and had a bright future ahead of him. But McCandless felt like he needed to experience life in a different way. He wanted to live a simple life and experience nature. McCandless felt like he was living in a world that wasn't really living and he needed to get away from the materialism and greed that was all around him. He also didn't want to be controlled by his parents or society.
For this, McCandless should be admired for his views for allowing him to live his best life. In conclusion, McCandless is not a reckless individual who perishes due to arrogance. Instead, he is admirable because his ideals have allowed him to live with true happiness. He waits long years and even breaks his values temporarily in order to achieve his goals.
Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer is a biography that follows Chris McCandless and his journey through the wilderness while finding himself along the way. Chris McCandless died in the August of 1992 after a four month journey through places like Mexico and Alaska. Krakauer investigates his actions and analyzes his identity after his death, trying to find meaning within his seemingly unnecessary expedition. Chris McCandless constructs his personal identity as a man who wanted to be challenged and inspired by his actions and interests with people he met on the road, and his beliefs and values as a stubborn person. Chris McCandless’s actions are unusual in many ways; for one, he graduates college with honors, but instead of pursuing a career,