Character Analysis Of The Character Chris In Into The Wild By Jon Krakauer

In the wilderness of Alaska, temperatures can drop down to thirty degrees below zero. Christopher McCandless lived in these conditions for four months after traveling through North America for almost two years. It can be seen in the novel, Into the Wild, that during his journey he had many brushes with death and burned bridges with people who deeply cared for him. For those reasons and many more, people assert Chris McCandless was unprepared, careless, and selfish on his personal journey across the United States, culminating in his death in Alaska.

Jon Krakauer’s inclusion of minor characters adds to developing Chris’s characterization. Throughout his odyssey that lead to his death in Alaska, Chris met many people that he somehow had a significant impact on despite only spending a short period of time with them. Thus, the effects and impressions that Chris McCandless left on minor characters enlighten readers on his personality.

Christopher Johnson McCandless is a respectable man in so many ways but, yet such a foolish man in many others. Chris McCandless possessed a seemingly ever-lasting bravery that constantly shined through his unique and matchless character. He was very righteous in himself to the point in which he kept himself from any sin or evil, committing his life to what seemed like an idea of celibacy, not just in refraining from any desire of flesh but also in all lusts of life with his diligent power of will that constantly shined through his exterior. Onto the contrary of his good characteristics, McCandless remained to be very foolish in his decisions and under takings, whether it be by his arrogance of sheer narrow mindedness.

Chris McCandless was a loner, a fierce believer in the spiritual revolution, and a hopeless dreamer, traits that, combined with his dislike of society, ultimately led to his “climactic battle to kill the false being within” in the harsh Alaskan wilderness. Until his “great adventure,” Chris increasingly compared himself and the society around him according to a strict moral code. As a result, he was disheartened by the realization that the majority of people he encountered were not taking initiative to improve the quality of life for themselves and for others. Along with his own efforts to rid himself of the pretenses and prejudices of society, McCandless continually encouraged

he also mentions the multitude of ways that the boys give up their worldly possessions.

Life is never easy, no matter how hard we try to short cut and escape the inevitable difficulties. After College is when life sets in, when work becomes a necessity and we all begin to find a place to settle down. People respond differently to different situations. Some of us embrace the freedom and the ability to earn money and spend money indiscriminately. Others crumple under the social pressures placed on us. Christopher McCandless is a perfect example. Settling down and raising a family, providing for that family and creating a sustainable lifestyle are important and high stress things that we all must deal with if we are to enjoy the finer things in life. Chris totally abandoned that, he gave away all of his possessions; even

Life is about considering others and their feelings, but there are people who only think about themselves, sometimes on purpose sometimes inherently. In the book Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer the main protagonist Chris McCandless was inherently selfish in his journey into Alaska.

To begin, the people who were in contact with Chris have many negative opinions about him. For example, one friend recalled him as “very introverted, almost cold.” (Krakauer, 120). Chris had a troubled childhood, finding out that his father had another child with his ex-wife after he himself was born. This coupled with the fact that his parent’s marriage has always been a cold and abusive one, would very much push Chris to be introverted Furthermore, Chris’ attitude was always temperamental, with the author acknowledging, “Like McCandless, figures of male authority aroused in me a confusing set of corked fury..” (Krakauer, 134). Like the author, Chris had a “my way or the highway” lifestyle, he despised authority over his

2. A person like Chris McCandless would indeed like to hitchhike and reside out in the wilderness. “You could tell right away that Alex was intelligent” (Krakauer 18). Chris is very intelligent person because he is one that finds pleasure in seeking adventure. This unique quality in Chris shows how he is able to have a wide open mind to accept great adventure in his life. Krakauer would include this detail to try and persuade the reader that McCandless has the ability to survive in the wild.

Into The Wild, a novel by Jon Krakauer, is a tale of a young man who trekked across country, mentally guided by the authors of stories of those who found themselves and everything they were looking for out in the wilderness. Many think of this young man, Chris McCandless- a hitchhiker, avid reader, son and brother- as crazy or arrogant. Others think of him as noble and courageous. I do not believe that after all he learned and all the places he travelled he can be squished into one labeled box. Chris McCandless is a multifaceted human-being and though he followed his passions, something many people don’t do, he was also reckless and impulsive.

It may seem at first, as it is easy to judge others, that Chris McCandless is a crazy person. How many people do you know that go to Alaska with minimal materials and food that will certainly not last for long (4). However, for those that understand Chris’ reason for wanting this escape, like myself, can argue that Chris is indeed not crazy. On page 18, Jon Krakauer explains that “He was extremely ethical and set high standards for himself.” Furthermore, Chris choose to set high standards for himself by assuring himself that he would wait to adventure until he graduated college (22). In addition, Krakauer explains that Chris was affected by a skewed relationship with his father (155). This idea is what may have led Chris to distance himself from his family and adventure Alaska. It is difficult to think that Chris is not crazy, until you come to the realization that Chris needed an escape and was only “looking for more adventure and freedom” (174). Certainly, Chris may have seemed crazy in certain situations, but had a mindset that prevents him from being considered a crazy person.

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

The book Into the Wild, by Jon Krakauer, is a fascinating story about a young man by the name of Chris McCandless who brings his life to a halt in order to journey across the country looking for a simpler way of life. Throughout the course of the book, there are many interesting facts that are gathered about the way Chris grew up, his motives for his “odyssey”, and his final days living alone in the harsh cold of Alaskan territory. Interestingly enough, the book does not fully include an answer to whether or not Chris’ intentions were to end his life or if he had bigger and better intentions that would satisfy his longing for something more, leaving the answer open to interpretation. People who read the true tale of Chris McCandless and

Into the Wild, by Jon Krakauer, was an authentic inspirational story about a young man named Chris McCandless on an adventure to Alaska. From the beginning we as the reader know that Chris does not survive. In the beginning of the adventure of Chris; he seemed to be flourishing with excellent health, until he reached the wilderness of Alaska consequently. Meeting new people, having them house him, feed him, give him work. Though his intelligence was surprisingly exceptional, demonstrated weakness in the wilderness, moreover, his common sense was not to the highest status either.

Humans are amazing. Each and every day they face and solve problems. Transcendence is an important aspect of life that allows us to move forward and not be held back by our problems and fears. In the book Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer, the main character Chris McCandless develops as a character throughout the entire story. By deciding what is important to him, McCandless is able to make his life more pleasurable than it was before.