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Who Is Walking Into The Wild Like Chris Mccandless?

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The story of Chris McCandless continues to capture people, and will persistently bring up a plethora of statements augmenting why or why not Chris was wrong for what he did. Yes, walking into the wild like Chris did without being properly prepared does sound a bit illogical, but the way Chris experienced life was different from many. In the essay, Self-Reliance, Ralph Waldo Emerson writes, “Nothing can bring you peace but yourself. Nothing can bring you peace but the triumph of principle.” Chris McCandless greatly disliked society and the rules that came with it. With the way Chris thought and pursued life, depending on the wild for a way of living was the best way he could fulfill his ongoing dreams. Chris McCandless lived deliberately, and …show more content…

In a letter Chris wrote to Ronald Franz, he talks about how we have to have the courage to turn against our habitual lifestyle and engage in an out of the ordinary lifestyle, just like Chris did. So yes, Chris did bring himself peace, and he did live up to Emerson’s standards. Many believe that Chris was ignorant and was a fool for stepping into the Alaskan wilderness unprepared. Yes, Chris may have been unprepared, and some believe that it cost him his life. You can’t argue the fact that Chris was unprepared, but you can argue the fact that he was happy. Towards the very end of Chris’s life, he took a picture of himself. The picture revealed McCandless giving a sincere smile, waving, and holding up a sign reading that he had had a happy life. Not many people on the verge of death would be seen smiling the way Chris was. In order to be like that, you would have had to live life in a way you were proud of. You had to live deliberately. I do believe that Chris was proud of himself in a way, and that he was happy with the way he lived. He lived a life not many can understand. Leaving your family to live off of nothing but the

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“Really, I think he was just plain crazy,” I do agree with Callarman because I think Chris was a little crazy for doing these actions. He was a very courageous for doing this because not many people would take a random trip to the wilderness because people would rather be in

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Along with being free spirited, Chris was an independent individual. He was who he was no matter what, people didn’t change him, he didn’t conform, and he didn’t follow society’s rules. Chris had his idea about how life should be lived and he went out and did it.

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One of the very first rules Chris McCandless follows is the anxiousness of individualism when he deserts all his belongings , grants his savings to charity, and leaves his family. After Chris abandoned his own belongings and everyone he associated with, he worked up the urged of seeking individualism. There is a quote from Thoreau that can be a comparison to Chris McCandless. Thoreau states that, ”let everyone mind his own business, and endear too be what he was model” (Walden). This quote clearly can relates to what Chris is trying to achieve in life.

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He had met so many new people, and was in the place he loved, nature. P.37 In his journal he says “It is the experiences, the memories, the great triumphant joy of living to the fullest extent in which real meaning is found.” Chris really was happy in this experience he had, that I do believe most people wouldn’t do. He liked nature so much he actually went out and lived in it, and never would have hurt it.

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Like Thoreau, Chris believed that he was too good to follow what the government tells him to do. They both believed that governmental rule is ludicrous and should have no effect on how they choose to live. McCandless showed his view of government on several instances. One act that showed how civilly disobedient Chris was is when he burnt all his money. Destruction of money is, and even was at the time, against the law, yet Chris decided that since he did not need to money, there is no point in keeping it around, therefore he burnt it.

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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 learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived” is an excerpt from “Walden,” one of the many texts that had influence on McCandless(Thoreau). Through his various annotations and markings on texts such as “Walden,” readers are able to identify McCandless’ overall purpose for shunning society, as clearly indicated in this excerpt, which was to reach some sort of epiphany or realization about his identity and life in general. Towards the end of Chris’ time spent in Alaska, he actually does reach an epiphany, that “…happiness [is] only real when shared…” (qtd. in Krakauer 189). This statement, written by McCandless, indicates that perhaps he had become more forgiving, tender-hearted, and finally appreciated the value of relationships.

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Chris had the courage to realize he was unhappy and make the change. Although this was much more drastic than what most people would be willing to do, it was his way of finding a home. A place. His peace of

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This quote challenges the perception of Chris as merely self absorbed or ignorant, showing his ability to inspire and bring joy to those around him Additionally, McCandless’s quest for self reliance and connection with nature, reveals his depth of character and determination. While some may view his actions as arrogant or foolish, Chris’s experiences in the wilderness reflect a profound respect for the natural world and a desire to find meaning beyond materialistic

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I think he just wanted to pursue life in a different way. Chris was not seeing life the way anyone else was, so he decided to brush off into the wild and be free on his own. Though he did not survive, he was still a very bright, arrogant human being. Shaun Callarman states, “He had no common sense, and he had no business going into Alaska with his Romantic silliness.” Chris knew going into the wild that he did not have much survival skills, but that did not stop him from doing what he wanted to do because he did not care about society and was just completely over everything which was why he made the move to the wilderness.

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1125 Words | 5 Pages

Chris McCandless abandoned the modern world and chose the wild because he believed that he could improve himself through living in the wild, and found the true happiness of the life. McCandless abandoned his wealthy family because of his complicated relationship with his father, and he was ashamed with his father’s adultery. Therefore, McCandless believed that human relationship was not the only thing that forms happiness, instead a man’s connection with the nature brings joy as well. He also believed the habitual lifestyle was not what people were meant to do, and people shouldn't have more possessions than what they need. For this reason, McCandless traveled with little effects.

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Chris McCandless, a very questionable man with questionable motives, were they reasonable or just plain idiotic? Before we go into those questionable areas, let’s ask ourselves; what drives our determination, what fuels our motivation, and why are we going to accomplish our desires? All these answers are found in one simple question; one that man-kind seems to never realize the answer to, “what is the meaning of life?” We fail to see that, we are the very living definition of it, it’s within ourselves that we give life any meaning at all, and to understand why we give it such meaning. McCandless knew this, the life that he was living, was never his, so he decided to search for his meaning and live his own life as his.

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933 Words | 4 Pages

I disagree with the author that Chris McCandless was a crazy person, a sociopath, and an outcast, but even though he was very bright, he made some decisions. Before entering the wild Chris had just recently graduated from college with his degree. He was an intelligent student without any street smarts. Upon his departure, he left behind his sister whom he loved very much and his parents who he was upset with. That was a feeling he had especially about his father. His anger toward his parents and his eagerness to go on an exciting adventure around the country were the factors why he ultimately made the decision, thus going, “Into the Wild.”

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787 Words | 4 Pages

Chris had his reasons to be there he wanted to get away from everything and he wanted to free. I believe that he also did what he did because of his past with how his dad would abuse him which could have led him to have mental problems. In one of the quotes of chris states that “don’t hesitate or allow yourself to make excuses. just get out and do it you will be very very glad you did it” this what he wanted to do and he went after it and did it. In the end of the book it shows how Chris felt like he had done what he was somewhat ment to accomplish and it also shows that he was happy with the outcome even though he died.

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Chris McCandless was a product of his privilege, and the confidence that resulted from that made him naive to the brutal truths of the world. Countless times he failed to listen to the lifesaving advice he received from others simply due to his pride. Had he done even one thing differently, such as getting a better hunting gun or even studying more, he could have avoided starvation, the cause of his eventual death. McCandless came from a dysfunctional family, and once he discovered that, he took it pretty hard. His original love for nature, and his confidence in natural talent, only increased when he learned about his father’s second family.

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664 Words | 3 Pages

What really drove Chris McCandless into the wild? I believe the top three of the countless reasons that drove McCandless into the wild was the emotional damage from his parents, rebellion of the youth & risk taking tendencies, and his hubris and detestation against authority and/or someone telling him what to do. Some may believe that Chris McCandless went into the wild because of his literary heroes Leo Tolstoy, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau , and Jack London but the real reason he left everything was because of those reasons. In this essay I will elaborate on why I believe those are the reasons that drove McCandless into the wild.

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