Heroes are ordinarily portrayed as life-savers, triumphant soldiers, or self-sacrificers, but Into the Wild tells the story of a different kind of hero. Chris McCandless may not inherit the typical heroic traits that many would expect, but through his courageous travels, Chris changed the perception of modern society on a global scale. While some argue that he was nothing more than a rebellious fool, there is no denying he made an impact on the hearts of the few he met along the way and the numerous readers of the novel. Chris McCandless is a hero because he reminds the world to value the joy of true simplicity, authenticity over materialism and falsehood in his inspiring journey into the wild. People from many backgrounds and fields may dispute that Chris was simply rebellious and foolish to go out on a dangerous journey alone, but others argue it was more heroic than foolish. The …show more content…
To leave everything behind and challenge everything he’s lived for is beyond rebellious, it is heroic. Chris descends from the comforts of modern society and steps into the unpredictable world of survival to find out who he truly is, which not many people are inclined to experience. Chris’ major flaw in his adventure was his lack of preparedness for Alaska and the absence of common sense in the wild. Krakauer mentions this fault, but rebuttals it, “Although he was rash, untutored in the ways of the back country...he wasn't incompetent—he wouldn't have lasted 113 days if he were” (Krakauer 85). He acknowledges that Chris impressively had the skills to last three months in the wilderness with his scarcity of preparedness. He knew that Chris was not an idiot, but rather an explorer searching for the true meaning of life. Life varies in definition depending on the individual, and Chris’ definition is reveling in nature's wonders away from the business of big cities, or