The first Chapter tells the readers about Jim Gallien, a union electrician, and his encounter with a hitchhiker. The hitchhiker introduces himself as Alex from South Dakota, although his real name is Christopher Johnson McCandless, originally from Virginia. Chris tells Gallien that he “want[s] a ride as far as the edge of Denali National Park, where he intend[s] to walk deep into the bush and “live off the land for a few months”” (Krakauer 4). Gallien admits that he believed Chris would be another “of those crackpots from the lower forty-eight who come north to live out ill-considered Jack London fantasies” (Krakauer 4), but he soon realizes that Chris knew exactly what he was letting himself in for.
Chris always felt more at home in nature then he did in his parents house. In the documentary, Into the wild ́ Chris' sister Carine said that “ever since his first trip into the wild he loved nature and how he would always strive for an adventure” and he said “if you know how an adventure ends then is it really worth it.” Chris liked nature so much he even wrote a book before he ended up dying. Last reason is that he wanted to find himself.
Zoe Engel 6-19-23 Mr. Selfridge Period: 2 Stepping Into the Wilderness The work of nonfiction Into The Wild, by Jon Krakauer, tells the true story of Chris McCandless, an adventurous young man, who leaves home to travel around the continent eventually setting foot into the Alaskan wilderness on a journey that becomes fatal. Highlighted throughout this work of nonfiction is the true story of McCandless’s life, along with bits of Krakauer’s personal life as it relates to McCandless’s. Each chapter begins with at least one epigraph that shares common themes with the following chapter. The focus in this paper will be on chapter 14, “The Stikine Ice Cap,” in which Krakauer shares his experience climbing the Devil’s Thumb in Alaska, and the second
He had met so many new people, and was in the place he loved, nature. P.37 In his journal he says “It is the experiences, the memories, the great triumphant joy of living to the fullest extent in which real meaning is found.” Chris really was happy in this experience he had, that I do believe most people wouldn’t do. He liked nature so much he actually went out and lived in it, and never would have hurt it.
All these attributes, whether good or bad, brought him to this conclusion of his life. When Chris was younger, according to the movie and his sister, he was instinctively leaving out on his own without warning. One time, he had been found in a neighbor's house three blocks away. This shows anyone who can conceive a proper thought, that he was an extremely adventurous person, and that he would take risks for what he wanted. He also showed that he loved being playful and outdoors when he was younger, due to how he would be as a teenager.
In the Non Fiction book Into the Wild, By Jon Krakauer, a man's journey of a lifetime is described and looked at by many. This is not something written for information, or even entertainment, rather it is written to for anyone who can connect on a spiritual level of what McCandless was doing. Although he was a great scholar with an exceptional lifestyle, he did not believe he was living to his full potential. Something he came to understand when he finds out one that he loves, his father, isn’t who he thought he was. Living a double life with his old wife, which infuriated Christopher and ultimately led to him denouncing his father, and literally forging his own path.
Five weeks earlier he’d loaded all his belongings into his little car and headed west without an itinerary. The trip was to be an odyssey in the fullest sense of the word, an epic journey that would change everything.” (22). This quote demonstrates to us that Chris had planned out his trip to an extent but wanted the wild to guide him. This way he could find what he truly needed to find which was himself and
He wanted to go in there without really anything so that he can make things that were in the nature. “Chris didn’t think twice about risking his own life…”(Carine McCandless 128). I absolutely think that this quote about Chris is very true because he was so into finding new adventures to take, to enjoy and be happy with
He never wanted to settle down and get a job and have a family. Chris wanted to go travel and see everything he could. He wanted to do what was abnormal and do anything and everything his heart desires. In the book Chris was talking about going on his trip to Alaska and said “I was dimly aware that I might be getting in over my head. But that only added to the scheme’s appeal.
1. John Krakauer’s tone in the first couple of chapters of the book was of curiosity and sympathy. He was constantly wondering how Chris McCandless died and why he would put himself into that situation of extreme danger while also feeling sorrowful; almost as if he felt like Chris was in over his head and didn’t deserve what had happened to him. “Gallien offered to drive Alex all the way to Anchorage, buy him some decent gear, and then drive him back to wherever he wanted to go. ‘No, thanks anyway,’ Alex replied, ‘I’ll be fine with what I’ve got.”
That is why when ever he seemed to have fallen in love with a place he is visiting; It seemed it made him quicker to leave. Books such as Into The wild have greatly inspiring stories that draw people to discover different parts of the story. such as why they are doing exactly what they are doing. This leads to questions such as the means of Chris going into the wild even though he knew the dangers. Some people will argue that he was brought to his death because he thought of himself as better than he truly was, or that he had a desire to live life on the edge at all times.
Chris Mccandless was not your typical person living in a society that people obey the government rules. He had his own beliefs on what he wanted to do in his life. Out of all the places he could have gone, why did he choose the wild? When Chris entered the wilderness he was searching for independence and freedom.
With Chris being such a young man with a set future, choosing to trek into the wilderness romanticizes those who seek the true beauty within
“Into The Wild” by Jon Krakauer is the story of Chris McCandless’s life and journey. In 1992, this young man, Chris, from an average family in the East Coast decided to cut off contact with his family and give up all his possessions so that he could hitchhike into the Alaskan bush. A main reason many believe Chris went into the wilderness was because he was in search of his identity. From reading this book I have come up with my own opinion of what type of person he was. The conclusion I have reached about Chris is that he was a distant and ill-prepared person who had a very strong will.
In Penns movie, Into the Wild, He left his parents, and multiple people he met along his journey. People would grow attached to Chris, like the free spirited couple he met on the road and the old man who loved him so much he wanted to adopt him, but Chris was selfish and left. He wanted to go to Alaska so badly that he just wanted to leave his whole life behind. Chris trying to leave society makes his disregard the rules and laws that society put in place. To kayak down a river Chris needed a license but when he applied the waitlist was too long so he disregarded the waitlist and went kayaking down the river.
