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Chris mccandless personal philosophy essay
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Chris mccandless personal philosophy essay
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At the end of Chapter 3, Krakauer says, “Driving out west of Atlanta, [Chris McCandless] intended to invent an utterly new life for himself... He was now Alexander Supertramp, master of his own destiny” (Krakauer 23). These assertions are believable as McCandless cut off his past by creating a new identity for himself and ceasing communication with his family. McCandless introduced himself as Alex to all of the people he met on his odyssey and he rarely spoke about his past before hitchhiking. McCandless introduced himself as “Just Alex” (Krakauer 4) to Gallien and as Alex when he worked for Wayne Westerberg in Carthage, South Dakota.
Henry David Thoreau once said, “Never look back unless you are planning to go that way.” It almost seems as Thoreau said this just to inspire Chris McCandless himself. Chris and Henry both lived off the land and loved to read books. Chris and Henry also lived in different places in the woods. Henry was a transcendentalist, whereas Chris was not.
Throughout the novel, Krakauer uses strategies to demonstrate comparisons between himself and Christopher McCandless. These comparisons effectively show that Chris was sane enough to make his own decisions regarding Alaska. One of the reasons why Krakauer wrote this book was because he experienced a natural liking for McCandless. Ever since his initial encounter with McCandless’s story while working at the Outside magazine company, his affinity towards the young adventurer grew by leaps and bounds. This affinity came from the very similar experiences the two were involved in.
McCandless and America In August 1992 a the body of Christopher Johnson McCandless was found in a bus in Alaska by two moose hunters. His story was traced back and written. McCandless left his friends, family, and life behind him to survive the Alaskan wild alone. Chris McCandless found the American dream by realising he should have shared his happiness with the ones that he loved.
One of the very first rules Chris McCandless follows is the anxiousness of individualism when he deserts all his belongings , grants his savings to charity, and leaves his family. After Chris abandoned his own belongings and everyone he associated with, he worked up the urged of seeking individualism. There is a quote from Thoreau that can be a comparison to Chris McCandless. Thoreau states that, ”let everyone mind his own business, and endear too be what he was model” (Walden). This quote clearly can relates to what Chris is trying to achieve in life.
c) I can empathise with Walt McCandless, Chris McCandless’s father. “....I spent a lot of time with Chris, perhaps more than with any of my other kids. I really liked his company even though he frustrated us so often.” (Krakauer, 104) Chris and his father did not truly get along very well as Chris got older, since their personalities were so stubborn, they would fight a lot. Walt loved Chris but rarely showed it, which made Chris have a certain hate towards his father.
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 the short story, “Death of an Innocent” by Jon Krakauer, Chris McCandless travels into the Alaskan wilderness with the intention of relying completely on himself. In the true spirit of transcendentalism, McCandless travels to escape the bounds of society and to remove himself from a materialistic world. Many argue, however, that Chris McCandless was not a transcendentalist because he travels to exotic lands as a means of avoidance, but actually, Chris McCandless is the epitome of a transcendentalist. Transcendentalists, however, rely on themselves and nature to survive and do not depend on material items. Transcendentalists romanticize individualism and believe that intuition is the best guide through life.
Many argue that his family problems were the justification he desired to leave behind his old life to start a new one The two motives why he left his ordinary life behind to enter into his new journey into the wild was because of his passion he possessed for pushing himself as well as the literary influences he read. Throughout reading the novel, Into the Wild the audience discovers Chris had own the characteristics of persistent, intelligent, friendly but definitely not an open book. Chris gained different perspectives from the books he read. Chris McCandless was a very intelligent ,naturally gifted, inspirational person, always pushing him. Although, he did carried many flaws, one being stubbornness.
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.
McCandless went through with his journey to help himself and understand life and all that has to do with it. Chris had hoped to lose his fears and unwanted memories from the past, most importantly his childhood. He believed the serenity and calmness of nature was going to help him achieve that. Anthony Storr explains that solitary people are on their way to creating their genius minds. I do agree that this was Chris
As Ralph Emerson said, “Nothing can bring you peace but yourself. Nothing can bring you peace but the triumph of principles” (last sentence of book). Remaining true to himself, McCandless was able to achieve what he considered to be meaningful in life. From the start of his journey, it is seen that being true to oneself is challenging, as others are living in a world that demands them to alter their identity. However, one must stay true and authentic and understand the desires and needs, in order to attain an adequate living, just like Chris McCandless.
Death. While the outcome is the same for everyone, no two people live the same lives. Ivan Ilych was a character in Leo Tolstoy 's novel The Death of Ivan Ilych. Ivan was a selfish lawer who was unhappy with his life until right before he died. Portrayed in the movie Into the Wild, Christopher McCandless was a free spirit he did what he want when he wanted.
Jon Krakauer writes, “McCandless Didn’t conform particularly well to the bush-casualty stereotype. Although he was rash, untutored in the ways of the backcountry, and incautious to the point of foolhardiness, he wasn’t incompetent - he wouldn’t have lasted 113 days if he were. And he wasn’t a nutcase, he wasn’t a sociopath, he wasn’t and outcast. McCandless was something else - although precisely what is hard to say. A pilgrim perhaps.”
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.
