Was Chris Mccandless A Modern Day Transcendentalist?

Chris McCandless, the young man who left everything he knew to venture into the wild. The core reason why McCandless traveled out into the wild was to escape the stifling world of his parents and peers. Instead of following the commonly accepted road to success he chose to do things his own way, and find his own happiness out in the world around him.

Chris McCandless does not meet the definition of a Transcendentalist because he is running away from his problems, rather than feeling the need to belong in nature. Chris had always had problems with his parents, at one point he even writes to his sister saying ”I’m going to let them think they are right, I’m going to let them think that I’m “coming around to see their side of things” and that

Although he never really had a close relationship with his parents, Chris was always close with his sister Carine. Even during his journey to Alaska, he made many friendships and lived with many people for extended periods of time. Even after he leaves people to move on to the next place, he keeps in touch with those he has left behind. Chris isn’t avoiding personal relationships by leaving; he leaves to move on to the next exciting place he may find. If Chris had been avoiding relationships he wouldn’t accept offers from others or even live with them. Chris spent his life surrounded by people. Whenever someone was around, didn’t matter who, he would start up a conversation. He was a real people pleaser, always telling stories

Chris was constantly referring to Transcendentalist authors, however he never once said that he himself was a Transcendentalist. Chris enjoyed being in nature, that doesn’t mean that he is a transcendentalist. In fact at times he mentioned that he wanted to go home “Satisfied, apparently, with what he had learned during his two months of solitary life in the wild, McCandless decided to return to civilization: It was time to bring his “Final and greatest adventure” to a close and get himself back to the world of men and women, where he could chug a beer, talk philosophy, enthrall strangers with tales of what he’d done,” (168). After Chris read Tolstoy’s Family Happiness, he wrote in his journal, “He was right in saying that the only certain happiness in life is to live for others...” (169). It is clear that Chris enjoyed nature, but also enjoyed the company of people. “And get himself back to the world of men and women, where he could chug a beer, talk philosophy, enthrall strangers with tales of what he’d done,” Chris goes into detail on aspects of his previous life that he misses. Throughout his journey Chris reads many books written by Transcendentalist authors, when he quotes Tolstoy, saying that happiness is to live for others, it is no little thing. If Chris was a Transcendentalist he would believe that happiness is being connected