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Chris Mccandless Character Analysis

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There are several relationships that reveal about Chris's personality. “He always wore shoes without socks- just plain couldn’t stand to wear socks. But McDonald’s has a rule that employees have to wear appropriate footwear at all times. That means shoes and socks Chris would comply with the rule, but as soon as his shift was over, bang!-the first he’d do is peel those socks off.”(40) Here George Dreeszen, the assistant manager at McDonald’s where McCandless used to work, describes how McCandless had strong distaste for wearing socks. He also describes how Chris would only wear the socks as long as absolutely necessary and then take them off. Chris McCandless’s distaste for socks and other such societal “norms” shows his dislike to conformity. …show more content…

Furthermore,“He also turned the tables and started lecturing the grandfatherly figure about the shortcomings of his sedentary existence, urging the eighty-year old to sell most of his belongings, move out of the apartment, and live on the road.” (51) Here Ronald Franz recalls how McCandless would lecture him about the ills of following a traditional sedentary lifestyle. McCandless would encourage Franz to adopt his form of nomadic existence. Here McCandless shows his distaste for materialism and sedentary lifestyles. McCandless talks about the “shortcomings” of settled life implying that he feels that sedentary life is incomplete and not fully satisfying. McCandless encourages Franz to adopt his nomadic lifestyle because McCandless feels that the only true way to live is to become one with nature. Besides,“so many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism…but in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future.” (57) Here in a letter to Ronald Franz from McCandless, McCandless talks about how scheduled structured lifestyle prevents man from embracing his wild and adventurous

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346 Words | 2 Pages

McCandless sought social interactions despite his primary introverted demeanor. Psychological Safety: “McCandless distrusted the value of things that came easily. He demanded much of himself- more, in the end, than he could deliver.” (Krakauer 184) Although subconsciously, McCandless was rather strict with his lifestyle, contradicting his seemingly appearing care-free attitude.

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561 Words | 3 Pages

Based on the evidence in Patrick Shanley’s play, Doubt: A Parable, I conclude Father Flynn is guilty because of his desire to help boys and his ability to hide his past. Father Flynn has a strange liking of boys. He is the basketball coach at the school and loves spending time teaching kids how to play basketball. Although he is suppose to be teaching the boys about basketball, He tends to boys how to be men. When talking to the boys Father Flynn says, “I’ve noticed several of you guys have dirty nails.

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1365 Words | 6 Pages

Born in A Different Life Life on the road is an idealistic way to escape from societal problems. There is no denying that it grants individuals satisfaction by allowing them to fulfill their goals, as well as providing immense freedom and control over one’s life; however, it is a fundamentally illogical path to take due to nature’s malevolence. In Into The Wild, Krakauer writes a biography about a young man named Chris McCandless, in which he illustrates the similarities between himself and McCandless’s overly ambitious journey to accomplish feats in the wilderness. Coinciding with their similarities, they also faced an oppressive father figure at home, which lead the both of them to believe that their journey will provide them an answer to their problems at home. McCandless planned to survive in Alaska by living off the land while Krakauer wanted to be the first one to climb the Devil’s Thumb.

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765 Words | 4 Pages

In a letter penned to Wayne Westerberg, McCandless writes, “My days were more exciting when I was penniless” (Krakauer 33). He gets a thrill out of not knowing what will come his way each day. Being “penniless” furthers the sense of uncertainty. He even argues that, “Nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future” (Krakauer 40). In a way, everyday is a new adventure for Chris.

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642 Words | 3 Pages

If Pat Conroy is just one thing, it's tough. " Invictus" by William Ernest Henley is all about being tough and never giving up when facing adversity; Pat Conroy has faced adversity his entire life, but in the face of it all, he has never given up and shown why he truly is unconquerable. Throughout Pat Conroy's childhood, he was beaten and abused, and put through an incredibly difficult and violent lifestyle. He took both physical and verbal abuse from his father and was constantly told he was weak and he had no talent.

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959 Words | 4 Pages

His persistence carries him through his journey into the wild, but also gives him trouble in later life when he gets a job at McDonald’s but leaves because they want him to wear socks while working (Krakauer 39-41). However, although McCandless has a few good morals, he lacks the belief of valuing family. This is evident when he states that, “I’m going to completely knock [my parents] out of my life… and never speak to either of those idiots again as long as I live” (Krakauer 64). McCandless’s beliefs give him a platform for his identity as a stubborn person that is hungry for something challenging, but also provides him with hardships and trouble along the

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1376 Words | 6 Pages

Into The Wild portrays a man who went on a fatal unforgettable journey through the alaska wilderness. Chris McCandless was a man with great courage and the ability to live on his own made him more of a hero going on his fatal journey. Many would say he was foolish or not thinking right, but that is not the case. The case here is simply a man with courage wanting to fulfill is beliefs through his journey. One may ask what is courage.

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1125 Words | 5 Pages

Chris McCandless abandoned the modern world and chose the wild because he believed that he could improve himself through living in the wild, and found the true happiness of the life. McCandless abandoned his wealthy family because of his complicated relationship with his father, and he was ashamed with his father’s adultery. Therefore, McCandless believed that human relationship was not the only thing that forms happiness, instead a man’s connection with the nature brings joy as well. He also believed the habitual lifestyle was not what people were meant to do, and people shouldn't have more possessions than what they need. For this reason, McCandless traveled with little effects.

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717 Words | 3 Pages

McCandless’s death was surely sad, having known that someone starved and freezed to death. However, there were multiple things that could have been done to more than likely prevent what happened. Even at the chance to increase his odds of survival when other people offered to help, McCandless didn’t want more of an advantage. Not being prepared in an environment like this can kill you. Being as knowledgeable about the wild as he is, you would know that being unprepared will die, and McCandless probably did.

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521 Words | 3 Pages

Introduction When Chris Hadfield was a young boy, he watched on the neighbors TV Neil Armstrong walk across the moon and from there on his journey of becoming an astronaut had began. During this passage through life he reveals his physical development, cognitive development and social development changing as he comes into his later adult years. Chris Hadfield ran into many different cultures growing up, which impacted him to be his own kind of person.

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319 Words | 2 Pages

I played a lot of monopoly growing up. like most players i loved drawing the yellow community chest card and discovering a bank error in my favor-collect 200! it never occurred to me to not take the cash. after all, all banks have plenty of money and if one makes an error in your favor, why argue? i haven’t played monopoly in twenty years but i would still take 200$ today.

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663 Words | 3 Pages

Connor Quiney always knew who he was; funny, friendly, and in his own words, “lit.” Many impacts that came from his childhood has shaped him into the person we know today. To elaborate, Quiney’s athletics have played an immense role in his current personality. Quiney has been involved in a vast variety of sports, such as swimming, tennis, lacrosse and football, but out of all of them hockey is the sport he wants to continue with in life, including college.

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783 Words | 4 Pages

If he were living normally, he would most likely become bored and depressed. In a letter to his brother, McCandless writes, “I know that I could not bear the routine and humdrum of the life that you are forced to lead. I don’t think I could ever settle down. I have known too much of the depths of live already, and I would prefer anything to an anticlimax” (Krakauer 87). This means that McCandless would rather live an exciting life and would hate to live a normal one.

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664 Words | 3 Pages

What really drove Chris McCandless into the wild? I believe the top three of the countless reasons that drove McCandless into the wild was the emotional damage from his parents, rebellion of the youth & risk taking tendencies, and his hubris and detestation against authority and/or someone telling him what to do. Some may believe that Chris McCandless went into the wild because of his literary heroes Leo Tolstoy, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau , and Jack London but the real reason he left everything was because of those reasons. In this essay I will elaborate on why I believe those are the reasons that drove McCandless into the wild.

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882 Words | 4 Pages

When McCandless graduated from college, he found the possibility to go away for a while, “He had fled the claustrophobic confines of his family” (Krakauer 55). McCandless could finally go away looking for a journey full of adventures, but he wasn’t going to five stars hotels or luxurious places. His journey was precarious and wild, that was exactly what he was looking for. Places that were difficult for someone to reach and loneliness was abundant, the only interaction was with nature and savage animals. Happiness engulfed McCandless when backpacking anywhere, it was his joy.

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