The Explorations of Chris McCandless
During the lifetime of Christopher McCandless he explored a lot of North America. From Alaska to Mexico Chris McCandless explored many parts of the United States and small parts in Mexico. Some areas where he explored are the northwestern and midwest region of the US, the southwestern region of the US and Mexico, and Alaska.
One of the areas the McCandless explored before his death was the northwestern and midwestern region of the United States. A specific state that McCandless stayed for awhile twice was South Dakota. Both times that he was in South Dakota he was staying with a gentlemen named Wayne Westerburg. McCandless was working for him in a small town with the population of 274 called Carthage, South
To most people, Chris McCandless is a brave and courageous man who went into the wilderness at his own will. Jon Krakauer is one of these people. In his book called Into the Wild, Krakauer writes about the case of Chris McCandless. It has multiple findings and interviews from people and objects that Chris McCandless had. While reading his book, Krakauer shows multiple signs of supporting McCandless’s actions. His reasoning comes from the fact that McCandless reminds him of himself. Krakauer feels that he understands the reasoning behind Chris McCandless’s sudden disappearance, making him biased towards the thought Chris McCandless being a noble and inspirational person. This isn’t a bad thing, it just makes Krakauer’s opinion turn more to Chris McCandless’s side. It gives him a different point of view
A famous transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau once said, “Rather than love, money, or fame, give me truth.” In Jon Krakauer’s biography Into the Wild about Chris McCandless and his journey to the west coast and up to Alaska, Krakauer investigates the different events that occurred throughout Chris’s life that caused him to reach the point of no return. He finds that Chris’s parents gave Chris many material commodities. With Chris’s significant interest in transcendentalist authors such as Henry David Thoreau and Idealism, he rejected this materialistic and conformist lifestyle forced upon him by his parents. Chris left his family and embarked on a journey out west and would eventually journey to the final destination of his entire life, Alaska. Chris McCandless was an admirable idealist, but lacked the experience necessary to survive in the wild.
Many people have different opinions on McCandless’ journey. There are some that believe that he was inspiring and adventurous, while there were others that believed he was foolish and selfish. Personally, I believe McCandless did the journey due to a mental illness and family problems. According to the book, McCandless had difficulties getting along with his parents and just wanted to disappear from Carthage, South Dakota. In the book “Into the WIld”, Krakauer quotes McCandless saying,”I think I’m going to be disappearing for a while” (21). This is what McCandless told his parents about him going away after he graduates. Krakauer also listed the different letters that McCandless sent to his sister and parents. In his letter to his sister, Carine, McCandless
The incredible story, Into the Wild, by Jon Krakauer follows a story about a young man
Chris McCandless was born in California and was the first born if Walt and Billie McCandless. They moved to Washington D.C in 1976 when Walt was hired by NASA as an antenna specialist. Chris graduated from Woodson high in 1986, he was a very smart student but he didn’t like being told what to do. Chris was active in the school's track team, he was the captain. When he would take his teammates out running he often wanted them to think it was like a run of faith where they would think they are running from their problems or the evils of the world. In 1986 Chris returns to his hometown he finds out Walt didn’t divorce his first wife when his sister Carine and Chris was born, and “Lived a double life”. After that, Chris didn’t think of his father
Money represents everything that McCandless is against. His parents have exponential wealth, and have everything they could possibly need and or want. Chris finds this unjust in every way possible. Chris did not want to be controlled by money, or the government, so the burning represents him becoming a separate entity from the standards of society. His rejection towards money starts off when he donates the remainder of his college fund to OXFAM. Then, after a flash flood resulting in his car becoming stuck, he decides to ditch his car and continue his voyage on foot. The burning of the remains of his money when he was in the desert is symbolic of his rejection towards the way the world revolves around money day in and day out. He wants to be
In his work Into the Wild, author Jon Krakauer tells the story of Chris “Alexander Supertramp” McCandless and his journey across the United States. Christopher graduated from Emory University in the month of May, with a bachelor's degree in the double majors of history and anthropology. He was a very school smart man, with a very independent mind. After graduating college, Chris did the most challenging and one of the most inspirational things one could do. He set off to go into the Alaskan wilderness where he wanted to live. However, many are caught in the loop of whether or not what he did was a good idea. McCandless was tired of his structured life with what he thought to be, his evil parents. He really wanted to venture out and be whoever
Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer was published in 2009. Chris McCandless, the main character of this non-fiction novel, goes on a journey across the country in an effort to satisfy some inner part of himself that he feels has been smothered by society. After graduating college, he left his former self behind and reinvented himself as Alexander Supertramp. As he traveled, he avoided going into cities and liked to stay to himself. After a while of wandering, Chris decided to go to Alaska and venture into the wild with very little supplies where he later died of starvation. Many people question what made him throw away a privileged life just to go off and die alone in the wilderness. Some believe that McCandless was looking for death because he didn't
Chris McCandless, who was surrounded by a loving family and many college opportunities soon decided to leave society and start a new life in the Alaskan wilderness. Mccandless decision making throughout the book were selfish and perished out of stupidity. McCandless started out being an awkward individual not associating himself with many, not even his family. To him, living the so called american dream wasn't on his list. He felt that getting away from everything and relying on nature was the lifestyle but didn't take into consideration the many factors were among it. After being fed up with society he decided to start his journey to Alaska to go hike into the wilderness. After driving himself to the location where he wanted to start
The next evidence of Christopher McCandless surfaces not far from Lake Mead in Nevada, when a ranger with the National Park Service inadvertently discovers the yellow Datsun in which McCandless drove west from Atlanta. Covered in mud, the car has been hidden under a tarp and is parked on a dry riverbed, apparently struck by a flash flood. There is no sign of the car's
The question, “What was McCandless?” is one of depth, and does not have a wrong answer. Chris McCandless could be whatever you want him to be. Granted, he wasn’t an astronaut, that’s not what I mean. What I mean by this is that Chris’s decision, the reasoning behind it all, is left for the reader to decide. In my perspective, I feel Chris was indeed irrational, but also hurt and in need of a journey to find happiness.
In the novel “Into the Wild” by Jon Krakauer, Chris McCandless was a 24-year-old man who was caught in his own obsession. “Into the Wild” shows an idealist young man who goes off to Alaska, who then turns up dead after a few months. McCandless was a bright person, who had everything but then decided that he was playing it too safe. He decided that he was going to take a trip up north to Alaska, trying to live in the wild. After an article of McCandless’s death came out, people judged him, for his foolest rash decision. Krakauer, however, loved McCandless’s idea of trying to live in the wild and that’s why he wrote a book about it. In the novel, McCandless can be identified as a seeker and finder. People suspect Chris McCandless to be a seeker
What do you think Chris McCandless was; a naturalist or a transcendentalist? The novel, Into the Wild, by John Krakauer depicts the adventurous life of a young man by the name of Chris McCandless. Chris was born into a well-to-do family. After college, he left to go explore Alaska. Sadly, after months of surviving the Alaskan wilderness, he dies of starvation. With his death comes a huge debate on whether he is a naturalist or a transcendentalist. Chris is a transcendentalist because he chooses to simplify his life and to live deliberately.
People debate whether Chris McCandless was an idealist or narcissist. They ask if his actions were noble or just plain stupid. John krakauer's depictions of Chris mcCandless’s Great Alaskan journey, Into the Wild and “Death of an Innocent”, take readers through the struggles, mistakes, accomplishments and relationships that he made. Chris who left for his journey across America in June 1990 was tramping from city to city, meeting many faces and encountering many experiences along the way. Sadly he makes Four Critical mistakes along his trip that eventually lead to his death in August of 1992.
Another example of Chris’s overwhelming pride is him not bringing extra supplies. All successful explorers bring extra supplies like food or tools. Traveling to unknown territory, explorers do not now a reliable food sources. Also extra supplies come in handy to for unexpected events so there is no desperate measures. Before arrival to the woods, many experts told chris about his low supplies. chris McCandless felt that anything important can be carried on his back because extra supplies are a waste (Krakauer 33). He arrived in Alaskan woods near the end of winter, and he only had wild game to rely on. Instead of conserving the amount of wildlife that was near, Chris went on a hunting spree. Chris knew he was inexperience in preservation