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Research Paper On Chris Mccandless

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The transcendental movement, which reached the height of its popularity in the 1830’s and 1840’s, inspired many people to live essentially, without unnecessary material possessions, and to practice civil disobedience by breaking laws that one feels are unjust. Chris McCandless, Alexander Supertramp, is one of the most well known people in recent history inspired by transcendentalism because he, just like Henry David Thoreau, took the ideas of Ralph Waldo Emerson and put them into action. When Chris fully applies the principles of transcendentalism, he enhances his life by giving him the opportunity to stop pretending to be someone that he is not and pursue a more authentic Chris McCandless.
Chris McCandless grew up in a wealthy family and received …show more content…

Henry David Thoreau wrote the essay “Civil Disobedience” to inspire people, just like Chris, to challenge laws that they feel are unjust. Chris is faced with the choice of rafting down a river without a permit and breaking the law, or complying with regulations he feels are limiting his freedom. The act of rafting down the river without a permit demonstrates how the new, more authentic Chris does what he wants, not what society wants him to do because the “government is best which governs least” (Thoreau, Civil Disobedience, 388). Chris continues to break the laws he feels are unjust and quits his job because it requires him to wear socks, a policy he believes does not affect his productivity.The act of not wearing socks is not just about defying one rule, it is about how Chris shows that society cannot make him do anything he does not want to do. The rules of the restaurant are like “the obstacles which legislators are continually putting in [the way of the people]”(Thoreau, Civil Disobedience, 389). The restaurant itself is like the “trade and commerce” that Thoreau discusses and would be more productive without these unnecessary rules. The act of rafting without a permit and the act of not abiding by the rules of the restaurant are ultimately acts of civil

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Despite critics’ attacks on Chris McCandless as a commendable person, Chris McCandless is an admirable figure to look up to as he shows that taking risks can be beneficial. During McCandless’s trip, he meets with a wide variety of people he get well along with. He has a great time during his adventure and gains a lot of experiences even though he is living a simple life where he doesn’t live with a vast amount of wealth. Kayt Sukel of Fox News quotes, “...helping individuals gain the priceless experience they need to make smarter, better decisions. And within these risks are the very kind of opportunities that can, ultimately, make us happier, healthier, and more successful in reaching our long-term goals… ”

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McCandless’s self-reliance is a big part of identifying him as transcendentalist. In the short story, “Death of an Innocent”, Chris says, “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.” McCandless feels that life should not be wasted doing what you do not love, and shows this by traveling and living off the land every chance he gets. Transcendentalists take in all of what nature has to give them by becoming one with it; like McCandless does throughout the story.

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Chris McCandless was a man who made his own destiny, who seeked the challenges and thrill of adventure life had to offer. He was morally driven, and was not tied down by the dogma of society. McCandless’s hubris, his ultimate downfall in his quest to shake off the clashing ideals of materialistic culture, allowed him to live a life without regrets. Brought up in a home where his parents pushed their ideals onto their children, McCandless developed morals quite differently than that of his parents. His ideals clashed between that of a libertarian and a transcendentalist.

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What Chris McCandless was a great guy I wish I could meet but he died in Alaskan backcountry on August 18, 1992. I question why he did what he did; I question myself why am I doing what I doing? Why? I still admiring what Chris did and a lot of people do. It amazing he excelled academically although a number of teachers and fellow students observed that he ¨marched to the beat of a different drummer.¨ He was also a captain in cross-country he would urge teammates to treat running as a spiritual exercise in which they were ¨running against the force of darkness …

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Henry David Thoreau’s Civil Disobedience heavily criticizes the government for being too corrupt and also argues that the people have the right to refuse allegiance to the State. Because the government is unjust and corrupt, Thoreau calls for a change in how the government operates rather than abolishing the government entirely. Thoreau’s idea of a better government is a government that governs the least. This claim is elaborated as Thoreau states in his essay that the individuals with consciences should rule instead of the government officials that lack said consciences. For example, in part 1 paragraph 4, he mocks individuals such as soldiers and privates for showing respect to the government through marching admirably because they are going

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A Transcendentalist is someone who wants to rise above society through the use of thought and spirit. Through their journey Transcendentalist typically isolate themselves from society not just physically but materialistically. By Definition Chris McCandless is not only a transcendentalist, but he was one of the greatest. First in Chris McCandless’s list of traits that contributed to him being a transcendentalist is his spiritual rebirthing, inner connection with nature and his divine will power.

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"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.”- Henry David Thoreau. Transcendentalism is an American philosophy that revolves around self-reliance and independence, commonly in nature, a Transcendentalist wants to find the true meaning in life. I believe that Chris McCandless was a Transcendentalist because he was able to leave his whole life behind and take on a minimalist lifestyle while having a strong relationship with god. However, I believe that I am not a Transcendentalist, but simply an adventurer.

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There are many people in the world who deserve to be commended for efforts or accomplishments, and I do not deny that Chris McCandless could be seen as one of them. He did try something new and I commend him for that, however, I do not believe that the manner in which he did so deserves attention and or praise. Chris was not a very considerate person in the way that he left without letting his family know what he would be doing, giving his parents and sister a lifetime of guilt and wondering. He was also not the first, nor the last person to do something like this, and there were many who were much more successful than him in trying to live a life in extreme wilderness conditions.

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Ralph Waldo Emerson would agree that Chris McCandless was a transcendentalist

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Henry David Thoreau’s “Civil Disobedience” is an essay in which Thoreau argues that people need to put their own moral conscience above the law. The essay states that it is a citizen’s responsibility to disobey unjust laws in order to promote chance in society. Thoreau’s essay has become an important part in history because it has sparked ideas and interest in other people who later chose to take action and practice civil disobedience. Martin Luther King Jr. read the essay written by Thoreau and became inspired. King would later go to jail by acting on the idea of civil disobedience.

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Christopher McCandless’s was a young wise man and stubborn guy that was intelligent he knew the right answers to respond which got himself out of things but also got himself into difficult situations that were not processed right. McCandless was raised in a upper middle class family in Annandale Virginia by parents Walt and Billie. He had eight siblings which one he was super close to named Carine and the rest were half siblings from his dads first marriage. Growing up Chris had a rough childhood with his parents problems and the affairs they had. McCandless would question himself why people would treat each other bad he would try to make a sense of the world.

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Henry David Thoreau, writes the literary work “Resistance to Civil Government.” Thoreau’s rationale for civil disobedience with the justification for breaking the law came from his strong anti-government, and individualist attitude. Thoreau felt that it was the individual man which moved the country forward and that would happen even if there was no government. (Thoreau 965). Thoreau was for civil disobedience when the government was unjust, and during his time could find many faults with the government.

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In order for an act to be “civilly disobedient”, one must be rejecting orders that are either unlawful or will facilitate harm to others (1). Thus, one who chooses to simply break laws for their own personal gain, disregard for societal norms, or criminal intent, is not acting in civil disobedience. Activists such as Susan B Anthony exemplify civil disobedience by considering how her actions would work towards equality for all, contrasting starkly from criminals who choose to merely disobey the law, and disregard the societal implications of their actions. In the words of author William Miller, “Moral courage is lonely

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Henry David Thoreau is one of the primary promoters of the transcendentalist movement and has been inspiring people to take on the transcendentalist lifestyle ever since the mid 1800’s. Mccandless was an admirer of Henry’s philosophy but he wasn’t as fully immersed in his work and ideals as Thoreau was to his own. His intentions were not as closely aligned to the movement as Thoreau’s and the difference between these icons are clearly visible. Self reliance is one of the most significant components of the transcendentalism movement that Henry David Thoreau contributed to in his literary career. “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.” - (taken from Henry David Thoreau’s “Walden”).

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“Civil Disobedience” by Henry David Thoreau talks about the importance of virtues and how the virtues of an individual create the very means for a society to thrive. Thoreau explains that these values give individuals a voice and power over their government, which is how a true democracy should function. In a healthy democracy, the government values and respects the individual. Due to this, Thoreau believes that the individuals in society should learn that they must choose to do what is right in order to control their government and be free. Ethics of an individual creates the idea that the people’s morals have influence with the government and brings the truth to correct the wrongs.

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