An Emory Eagle Chris McCandless grew up in Virginia, just west of Washington D.C. There, his parents raised him and supported his studies until he graduated from high school and was accepted at Emory University. McCandless studied hard at Emory, was never seen anywhere other than the library, had top grades, and wrote editorials for the school paper. He was a child full of accomplishments that any parent would have been proud to own. Chris hated that. He hated the thought of his parents, especially his dad, having had near total control over him. He never showed any signs of it, but by the end of college, Chris McCandless was dying to get away. Throughout the story, Chris showed he had a determination to get to Alaska. On his trip he meets various people who care for him. Often times, these people that Chris builds relationships with, will recommend that he do something before he heads into the wild. However, Chris’ arrogance caused him to leave behind his new friends with ease in order to reach his intended goal. Chris’ dad Walt understands that Chris is a knowledgeable young man, but Chris would always refuse to listen: “Chris was good at almost everything he …show more content…
It was clear that his relationship with his parents were far from close. He didn’t want anything to do with them and wanted to forget about them entirely. He needed some space for himself, so he looked to the forests of Alaska for a place where he could achieve his own peace and quiet. After having spent time by himself, disconnected from the rest of society, Chris felt that he had had a sufficient experience and that it was time he leave his refuge in Alaska. He states that he had moved beyond his need to separate himself from his parents and that “Maybe he was prepared to forgive their imperfections; maybe he was even prepared to forgive some of his own. McCandless seemed