Analysis Of Into The Wild, By Jon Krakauer

Psychoanalysis is a psychological lens in which the mental processes that influence one’s behavior are studied as a result of not having a full awareness of the processes. In On Being Zac Morris, Chuck Klosterman writes about what the popular TV show, Saved by the Bell, means to him, by revisiting past memories and events in his life and how they affect the way he behaves. In Selections from Into the Wild, Jon Krakauer writes about the story of Chris McCandless, as he retraces the steps of McCandless’ journey with his friends, demonstrating the effects, not only on McCandless’ behavior, but their behavior as well.

Klosterman proves that external factors affect his self-construction, and his behaviors through a psychoanalytic lens. Some

In the beginning of his work, he references McCandless’ trip as an “Alaskan odyssey” and he describes McCandless’ departure from South Dakota (Krakauer 203). In doing so, he shows what factors may be affecting McCandless’ behaviors throughout his trip. Later on, Krakauer says, “It is hardly unusual for a young man to be drawn to a pursuit considered reckless by his elders; engaging in risky behavior is a rite of passage in our culture no less than in most others. McCandless, in his fashion, merely took risk-taking to its logical extreme (219). In this, he is analyzing the behaviors of men in modern times through psychoanalysis. At the end of his work he quotes his friend Roman, explaining Roman’s thoughts, “I guess I just can’t help identifying with the guy… When I first started coming to Alaska, I think I was probably a lot like McCandless: just as green, just as eager. And I’m sure there are plenty of other Alaskans who had a lot in common with McCandless when they first got here, too including many of his critics. Maybe McCandless reminds them a little too much of their former selves” (Krakauer 221). This is an example of psychoanalysis because Krakauer writes about Roman’s reflection of his own life in comparison to McCandless’. A final example of psychoanalysis in Krakauer’s work is when he and his friends Roman and Andrew decide not to sleep in the bus at the conclusion of their trip. They do not sleep in Fairbanks 142 out of respect for McCandless because that is where he passed away (Krakauer 222). Through those examples, Krakauer’s psychoanalytic lens is