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Into The Wild, By Jon Krakauer

824 Words4 Pages

Chris McCandless, the protagonist of Jon Krakauer's book "Into the Wild," was a young man who sought solitude and adventure in the wilderness. He was deeply inspired by two literary works: "To Build a Fire," a short story by Jack London, and "On the Duty of Civil Disobedience," an essay by Henry David Thoreau. These works had a profound impact on McCandless's worldview and ultimately contributed to his decision to embark on a journey into the Alaskan wilderness, where he tragically lost his life.
"To Build a Fire" is a story about a man who becomes stranded in the Alaskan wilderness during a cold winter day. Despite his best efforts, the man is unable to start a fire to keep warm and eventually freezes to death. The story is a cautionary tale …show more content…

Thoreau argues that people should not blindly follow the laws of the state, but should act according to their own conscience and principles. “Unjust laws exist: shall we be content to obey them, or shall we endeavor to amend them, and obey them until we have succeeded, or shall we transgress them at once?” (Thoreau 367). Thoreau is explaining an idea that McCandless very much believes in and likely learned from Thoreau himself. The idea is that we should not blindly follow laws but follow our moral obligation. McCandless was drawn to this idea and saw it as a way to live a more authentic and fulfilling life. He believed that by rejecting society's expectations and material possessions, he could find true freedom and happiness. From "On the Duty of Civil Disobedience," McCandless learned the importance of standing up for his beliefs and following his own conscience, even if it meant going against the norms of society. He saw Thoreau's essay as a call to action, urging individuals to take a stand against injustice and oppression. McCandless was deeply committed to this idea and believed that by living a simple and authentic life, he could find true happiness and

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Jon Krakauer's Into The WIld glorifies the journey of a young man, Chris McCandless. In efforts to make his life better by living in solitude, McCandless traveled all across America for two years exploring all different places to find a challenging, yet hospitable, place for him to leave. Chris took this step in his life to escape family issues and harassment and successfully lived for two years as Alex McCandless traveling through the West, South, and making his way to the Alaskan wilderness where he unfortunately faced his downfall. In August of 1992 on the Alaskan Stampede trail, Chris died of starvation, and Krakauer tracked his footsteps and journey after three years to understand Chris as person and why he made the decisions he made.

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