Ignorance In Into The Wild

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Ignorance is Bliss
Throughout the world, many young, ego-oriented teens decide to stray from secure paths to discover themselves or to conquer the unbelievable. Like many teens, Christopher Johnson McCandless decides to adventure around the country before arriving to Alaska, where his adventure tragically ends by his death. In Jon Krakauer’s biography, Into the Wild, Chris, the protagonist, embarks on a two year journey around the West Coast of America after his college graduation. Krakauer portrays Chris as a crazy, ignorant young adult to demonstrate his resistance to conform with society by risking his life.
In the biography, Into the Wild, Chris McCandless takes on many dangerous journeys to break from social norm, but also put his life …show more content…

Without thinking about the consequences that could occur, Chris drives down the forbidden sandy wash. The sandy wash does not have secure grounds, and Chris, driving his heavy car on the surface, puts his life in danger. The sign forbids people to pass for their safety, but Chris, not caring, risks his safety and pays no attention to the sign the city, or government, provides. Even though signs hung around state to not enter the road, he continues to drive down. He disobeys the signs, which demonstrates his resistance in following the law. Later, Chris impulsively buys a secondhand canoe at the Colorado River to paddle to the Gulf of California. Through the journey of paddling down the Grand Canyon, Chris observes an Indian …show more content…

Army’s highly restricted Yuma Proving Grounds” (33). Similar to trespassing the sandy wash, Chris decides to trespass one of the biggest Army facilities without a second thought. He again disobeys a warning sign provided by the government just to track a herd of wild horses. This demonstrates his arrogance in abiding with the law. Furthermore, Chris makes it to the last stop, Alaska, where he embarks on the final mission to survive along the Stampede Trail. When Chris is picked up by Jim Gallien, Jim begins to question Chris’ intentions on being on the highway and Chris eventually explains his to walk the Stampede Trail on his own without preparation: “The only food in his pack was a ten pound bag of rice, cheap hiking boots-his rifle was only .22 caliber, a bore too small to rely on. He had an ax, no bug dope, no snow shoes, no compass” (5). Chris carries minimal supplies to his mission through the Stampede Trail. The Stampede Trail is a 10 to 15 mile road that runs through the Denali Borough and during the time Chris hikes the trail, the conditions of the trail were treacherous. Chris