Into The Wild By Jon Krakauer: Character Analysis

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In the book, Into the Wild, Jon Krakauer writes of his personal experience to add more to Chris McCandless’ story and to the readers understanding of his character. After Krakauer had written the article on Chris, many people had believed that Chris was a suicidal kid who wanted to rebel against the world and his parents. Krakauer, however, did not believe that this was the case because at one time he and Chris had similar characteristics and dreams, “As a youth, I am told, I was willful, self-absorbed, intermittently reckless, and moody. I disappointed my father in the usual ways. Like Chris McCandless, figures of male authority aroused in me a confusing melody of corked fury and hunger to please.” (Page 134, paragraph 3) Regarding this, Chris and Krakauer were very similar people when they had decided to …show more content…

Like Chris, Krakauer went through harsh and difficult situations and did not feel as confident during his adventure as he did before it. One of the reasons Krakauer adds his experience to the story is to do away with the thought that Chris McCandless was suicidal. Krakauer did not believe that Chris was because he was so similar to Chris when he took his journey, “…had i not returned from the Stikine Ice Cap in 1977, people would have been quick to say of me - as they now say of him - that i had a death wish. Eighteen years after the event, I now recognize that i suffered from hubris, perhaps, and an appalling innocence, certainly; but i wasn't suicidal.” (Page 155, paragraph 5) Krakauer shares this because he wants people to look at Chris as more than a kid who had a death wish. Overall, these additions to Into The Wild bring a different view and understanding of who Chris McCandless