Chris McCandless was introduced to the magic of nature at an early age although he was raised in a family that chose to live off their riches rather than their land. One of the largest influences to McCandless would have been his grandfather. “The old man’s backwoods savvy, his affinity for the wilderness, left a deep impression on the boy,” (Krakauer 109). Many of those who question McCandless’s dedication to the wilderness, had not understood his personal influences. McCandless had an interest for nature from a young age that flooded into his adolescent years that explains why he had such a fascination for leaving his home for Alaska. McCandless was raised in an era where his parents had money and were guilt free for using their earnings relentlessly. The …show more content…
As wonderful as his family seemed on the outside and in the novel by Krakauer, there was a certain instances that “compared to [Carine’s] reality, the book and film were extremely kind to [the audience],” (McCandless 15). McCandless and his sister Carine were three years apart but endured the same horrors in their childhood homes. More often than not, the two of them would have to witness their parents brawl physically and “waited in fear of what would happen-not just to [their] mom but also to [themselves]- if [they] left before given permission,” (McCandless 15). McCandless’s abusive father was one of the largest influences on why he chose to leave home. Walt McCandless felt it was necessary for his children to watch him hurt their mother, constantly pointing out how much he valued her. The boss had a “look of sadistic pleasure that lit up [their] father’s eyes and [a] terrifying smile-like an addict in the climax of his high,’ (McCandless 17). McCandless saw his father as a product of his wealth. Frightened by the idea that he would end up like his parents, McCandless was justified to leave the poisonous environment that he grew up