McKenna Vargas Mr. Cagley ERWC-Period 3 08 December 2015 Module 4: Life on the Road In the biographical book, Into the Wild the author, Jon Krakauer, reveals the journey of the late Chris McCandless. McCandless chose to leave his privileged life for a much more rugged life in the Denali Borough of Alaska. McCandless’s ill-preparedness led to his journey’s end after only 113 days resulting in death. McCandless’s story begs the question, Is life on the road suited for everyone?
Chris McCandless made the mistake of failing to communicate with his family while on his journey to Alaska. He spent moments with people in different parts of the nation while hitchhiking, most of them whom inferred that McCandless kept his background “hidden”. One such person whom Chris associated with was a man named Wayne Westerberg, who lived in South Dakota. Although Westerberg was not seen too often throughout the story, nevertheless he was an important character. Introducing himself as Alex, McCandless was in Westerberg’s company for quite a while: either for a few days or several weeks.
Your Name: Viviana Garcia Garcia Mrs. Moffat English 5-6 11 January 2023 Was Chris Justified? Chris McCandless was justified in leaving his family without a trace because his home was abusive, especially his father. Also he didn't like the rules in society, he loved nature and living by no rules, In a letter sent to Wayne Westerberg he said, “I've decided that I'm going to live this life for some time to come. The freedom and simple beauty of it is just too good to pass up.”
A trait simply described as the overestimation of oneself can be a quintessential element in understanding a character’s downfall. People such as Chris McCandless, Oedipus and Tiger Woods are key examples when trying to relate, understand, and analyze what we know today as “Hubris”. The connections that can be made between each of these characters describe the very nature of how a hero will ultimately meet their bane as a result of being blinded by their own flaws. The death of Chris McCandless was an extremely controversial subject that involved many different people. The justification of his death can be argued in a way .
Krakauer’s Into the Wild gives readers a spontaneous urge to toss our cell phones into a shredder and pursue a life deprived of apples, not the edible ones. We often forget that such a “Flintstone-like” life even exists because our dependence of technology consumes us. Chris McCandless, the main character, serves not only to make us aware of this nomadic alternative but also presents that happiness exists without owning the latest cell phone or a vehicle with a dumb peace sign or crown. Evidently, the power of technology is far greater than we imagine; our dependency on technology has made us materialistic individuals that base our happiness on luxury items. Technology can be an ideology meant to advance or improve our lifestyles.
My first impressions of Chris McCandless were that he was delusional and a very resentful person, because we differ greatly in personality. McCandless was portrayed as a misfit in his own family, which attributed to his wanting to escape into the wild. In a letter to Carnie, his sister, he wrote" I 'm going to completely knock them out of my life. I 'm going to divorce them as my parents...and never speak to either of those idiots again"(Krakauer 64). McCandless left to where he thought that he belonged, in the wild, he never contacted his family again.
I find this passage to be significant because he refered himself as Chris McCandless rather than the invented identity he was using during his trip. I think McCandless decided to use his real name because he knew that his “Alexander Supertramp” life was over, and the only way for people who rescue him was to know his real name. Though, when McCandless was writing it, he was not expecting anyone to see this note and come to rescue him because he knew that he was the only person on the mountain. However, I think that it is ironic how Chris McCandless still went outside the bus to collect some berries when he was injured in critical condition.
In August 1992, a decomposed body, presumably died of starvation, was found inside an abandoned bus beside the Sushana River in Alaska. Shortly thereafter, the dead person was identified as twenty-four-year-old Chris McCandless, who was from an affluent family in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. A tragic story, with a mix of a young man, his well-off background, and happening in the most precarious but highly noble place, always had an emotional pull on people’s minds and stirred up people’s curiosity and perplexity. The question, often asked by the people with desire to grasp the truths, was why Chris with a privileged life would have gone to Alaska’s wilderness to face the ultimate challenge of his life. Was he in search of something
Some would say “Life on the road is suited for everyone”, others such as for myself, would disagree. Life on the road is not suited for everyone, because not everyone can throw away their normal life and go on the road or the wilderness and survive like Chris McCandless. Some would think, Chris McCandless, was on a suicide mission but he was only following his dreams and he actually did, unlike many people. Chris McCandless inspired so many people to move out, leave their old lives, and have a fresh start at their life. Chris McCandless was a independent person and he was trying to get away from civilization because he felt like he never fit into it.
Chris McCandless: A Reckless Idiot Chris McCandless was a reckless idiot and there is no denying that basic truth. Chris McCandless was a man born into a middle class family. Chris had parents that loved him, a roof over his head, and food to eat. Despite all those riches he had, he threw them away. Chris was a very selfish man.
Perspective of Christopher McCandless’s Life Callarman’s argument to Christopher McCandless’s is relatable and understanding, but he does not see the full picture. Christopher McCandless had everything in his life: money, material, family, prestige etc. but the only thing he wanted to fully experience is the outside world, to get out of his comfort zone and see how nature really feels like. I would agree with Callarman’s argument because he was arrogant and unenlightenment, but I also would disagree because he died doing what he loved and a place he wanted to be.
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.
Individualism is when a person has achieved non-conformity, self-reliance, free-thought, confidence, and finding one’s self through nature. Although individualism may be achieved in society, it cannot be fully achieved until one removes himself from society. Chris McCandless did exactly that; he removed himself from society by backpacking and hitchhiking throughout the United States to test and achieve individualism. McCandless’s last great adventure was to Alaska to fully obtain individualism, unfortunately, he died trying to find his spiritual belonging and individualism. Many people would think it was absurd that Chris left his family and threw his life away, and they would think that he was not justified in leaving society, however, Chris McCandless was justified in leaving society because by doing so he could achieve non-conformity and self-reliance without being oppressed.
It’s been 53 years since President Lyndon Johnson enforced the Civils Rights Act of 1964, but racism is still an ongoing issue to this day, whether it’s intentionally or inadvertently caused by the people in our society. Cornelius Eady evaluates the concept of racism through his poem, “The Cab Driver Who Ripped Me Off,” which focuses on the views of a prejudiced cab driver. Eady’s literary works focuses largely on the issue of racism within our society, centering on the trials that African Americans face in the United States. “The Cab Driver Who Ripped Me Off” from Autobiography of a Jukebox is an influential poem that successfully challenges the problems associated with racism, which is a touchy, yet prevalent problem that needs to be addressed.
“If you are always trying to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be.” ―Maya Angelou. Jon Krakauer’s true story titled Into the Wild is about a man who decides to throw away his old life and escape the rules of conventional society. Twenty-two-year-old Chris McCandless came from a well-to-do family in Virginia and, without warning, abandons everything. He changes his name, loses contact with his family, gives away his car and all his money, and begins a two-year long journey hitchhiking to Alaska where he eventually dies of starvation.
