Chris McCandless, a straight-A student out of Emory University, was a brilliant and eccentric young man bound for law school. Twenty-four thousand dollars intended for tuition and a supportive, upperclass family seemingly predisposed his future. However, much to his family and friends’ surprise, Chris chose a radically different path. The path he chose not only defined his own existence, but the lives of all his future acquaintances. New faces, new experiences, and new triumphs were in store for Chris McCandless in his escapade throughout the United States.
Even from a young age, Chris possessed extraordinary character and values. Chris was a very hardworking boy who could accomplish anything he set his mind to. He was successful in school
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Leaving a very promising future, in terms of monetary success and knowledge, he decided money wasn’t his compass. Rather, he decided that his compass in life would be happiness and finding his true self. To show he had started anew, Chris changed his name to Alexander Supertramp. The purest example of his uncontainable spirit came while working at McDonalds. He hated wearing socks, but the McDonalds’ policy stated he had to wear them. He complied, but only for the time being. As soon as work was off, so were his socks. McDonalds was only a stepping stone in Alex’s journey, he would not simply be one of the many stepping stones to McDonalds’ success. His coworkers were always surprised with McCandless for one thing or another. They too, undoubtedly had larger dreams than working at McDonalds, but whether they followed those dreams or not would surely be swayed by the life of Alexander …show more content…
His story is nearly impossible to walk away from as the same person. Experiencing the wilderness and the rugged outdoors isn’t the only inspiration he has given, he has inspired the world to courageously experience life and the many, varying experiences it holds. Sticking to the same habits or career to protect the false security of an unhappy life was shattered by Alex’s radiating inspiration. Ronald Franz was eighty years old and set in his ways as strongly as anyone. In only a short time with Alex, Ron was inspired to change his life. Ron sold off some of his items and moved. Ron hadn’t been experiencing different things in life and although he was shattered by Alex’s death, he opened himself up to the experiences that awaited him. Alex was a light in the darkness of so many peoples’ lives. He encouraged change, risk, and adventure. His light still glimmers in “Into the Wild” and also in the lives of his prior
In society, people tend to follow the people's footsteps and apply new characteristic or methods that they obtain from there person. In the story, Into the Wild, Chris McCandless was a boy who favors several literacy heroes. He was able to understand each hero and apply there knowledge that they obtain from other people. He was favoriting Henry David Thoreau, Jack London, Leo Tolstoy and much more. Henry David Thoreau was an American poet and an essayist and wrote numerous books based on his philosophy. However, in the book, he plays a crucial role in giving Chris McCandless life lesson throughout his journey. Jack London is a worldwide celebrity and a famous novelist and journalist. He also has some characteristics that Chris has also obtained from him. In addition, Leo Tolstoy was one of the greatest Russian authors of all times. He has inspired Chris with some of his quotes which reflects him during his journey. There are more heroes that Chris mentions in the story but these are three which he tends to reflect more on.
Think about a time when you thought about resetting your life. Only having 25 dollars, the clothes on your back, and to move away from your state into a state your have no knowledge about. Goals that consist of you having a mandatory living apartment, a working vehicle, 2,500 dollars in cash, and in the position to attend college. Adam Shepard wanted to experiment with the American Dream. Or, imagine the feeling of society. Visually and emotionally congested looks and feelings you would get when thinking about that obstacle of having to take part in the bandwagon of the community u live in. Then you would stubbornly depart on foot and hitchhiked trains and vehicles to the last frontier that is well known as Alaska. Christopher McCandless felt the stress and abnormality that was contained in society.
McCandless lead a mostly enjoyable life; he was born into a considerably rich and high end family, and received outstanding grades through his years in school. He was well liked, and built up a motivated and optimistic persona, yet despite this, he decided to abandon his life and reach for “an endlessly changing horizon”(57). His life, while possibly seen as luxury by
Until, when he finally decided that it was time to escape society, and start living independently, to find out exactly who he was. “Hey, Guys! This is the last communication you shall receive from me. I now walk out to live amongst the wild. Take care, it was great knowing you. ALEXANDER” (Krakauer, 69). The day Chris said those words he was finally living his own life, instead of the life his parents gave him. He was proud to walk out of the life he didn’t want anymore and live the life that he always wanted to live. Besides Chris living his own life instead of his parents, he also lived to find his inner self.
In Jon Krakauer’s nonfiction book, Into the Wild, we follow how humans love the wilderness, the strain of father son relationships, and for the majority of the book a young adult named Chris McCandless. We see mostly through Chris’ eyes just how much the wilderness can entice young adults as well as how important crushing news of one’s father can change your life. McCandless was an angry pseudo adult who couldn’t handle a sizeable change in his life. He was too stuck on it being his way that he rarely could bring himself to accept help and improve his ability to actually survive. However, there was some good about McCandless. His search for himself and the truth were great intentions despite the flawed approach.
Chris McCandless was always able to behave appropriately in public, but he felt better when he was alone. Why did he feel better when he was alone and why did he abandon his privileged lifestyle in Annandale Virginia? Chris McCandless grew up with many talents and opportunities that others didn’t have. Chris threw away his life and ditched his family when he decided to hitchhike across the country and live out of his back pack. What could have motivated a young man with so much potential to do what Chris did? Chriss’ decision to isolate himself had its’ negative and positive effects on him.
It’s the end of the school day. I finally breathe and release myself of the stress and the frustration of a normal school day. I sit on the benches outside and wait for my ride. With technology gone and no people to talk to, I just sit still. The evergreen trees gently move in some of the final gusts of the summer breeze. And as I’m looking at life’s beauty and as thoughts swim through my brain, I become frightened. Because, I have never thought of life, as a whole, so profoundly. It transforms into satisfaction. Without distractions, I sit with my thoughts and world’s alluring nature. As I relive this moment in my mind, I can’t help but think of Henry David Thoreau. How he just sometimes sat and took in everything, and absorbed everything
Throughout the book, Krakauer documents the intoxicating life and death of Christopher McCandless, aka Alexander Supertramp, a young hitchhiker who embarked on an Alaskan Odyssey to explore himself and the wilderness. Like many before him, McCandless thought that he could give his life meaning by pursuing his “impractical fascination with the harsh side of nature” (Krakauer 85). At a young age, Chris lost his habitude for monotonous security and thus adopted an irrational and impulsive style of life. He believed that suppressing human relationships and deserting the materialistic world would strengthen his bond with nature. Christopher once wrote to his close friend that too many people were unwilling to change their troubling life and debatable circumstances because they were “conditioned to a life of security, and conformity, and conservatism.” Following up his conclusion he stated that this type of “secure future” brought peace to their mind, but in reality it was the most damaging thing that they ccould do to the adventurous spirit, being the very basic core of an individual’s passion (Krakauer 57). Christopher McCandless with his astounding spirit, the aspiration to succeed, and the longing to make things happen was determined to be free. He desired to live by his own moral code, without anyone putting shackles on his psyche. His plans went beyond what anyone could ever
Throughout his childhood, Chris McCandless mindlessly kept the image that he parents portray of him. He was always a good student maintaining A average grades, just like his parents wanted. After excelling in high school, he continues to impress his family with his success in being accepted into college, and later on graduating. Despite his inability to break free from his parent’s extreme ideals, inside he is struggling to be his own person, and escape from the conforming lifestyle he was born into. McCandless comes from a very materialistic family, while he, as an individual is the furthest from it. Chris is strongly against the society and the lifestyle he grew up in. Growing up in his family, who constantly puts him under pressure to meet
This powerful writing by McCandless shows that this entire journey has been leading to this moment and he must kill the being within him, which Alex does not approve of. The being within him represents conforming and civilization, which McCandless despises and views as false. These selected writings were based on the fact of non-conformity and the power within that trait. The power that non-conformity holds includes the knowledge to have your own thoughts instead of complying with social norms.
The gripping tale of a young man who leaves all that he has and goes to live amidst the natural world, Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer showcases the two years Christopher McCandless had spent journeying throughout the United States before his unfortunate death. After graduating from Emory University in 1990, McCandless disconnected with all of his past relations and abandoned the majority of his possessions. McCandless’ decisions either seem extremely unwise or extremely courageous. He had a comfortable life with few worries yet he still chose to toss it all away and venture into unknown territories. What many wonder is why he would do such an irrational thing. Maybe, McCandless’ was simply trying to run away from his perception of reality.
After graduating from college, McCandless had left his Datsun, donated all his savings to charity, and burned all the spare cash he has on him, and took off. Leaving Chris McCandless behind, and beginning the life of Alexander Supertramp. Alex had made lots of new friends that he had grown bonds within a short amount of time, such as Franz, Gallien, Westerberg, etc. But Alex had obstacles and messes that he had gotten himself into.
In the book Into the Wild, Jon Krakauer depicts a teenager named Christopher McCandless, who is unsatisfied with the values emphasized by our currently materialistic society. Although many of us today may evaluate his behavior as eccentric and absurd, we must not hastily make judgements about his behavior with our conventional way reasoning. To dive deeply into Christopher’s cognitive process we can analyze a letter written by him to Ronald Franz. In this letter Christopher’s values are laid bare for us to see. Christopher is a person who enjoys living on the edge and despises reactionary and complacent thinking, and he is shown to highly emphasizes the importance of adventure,
Chris was independent and the fact that he went out and was able to support himself was courageous. His bosses claim that he was “the hardest worker they have ever seen” and enjoyed his determination to get the job not only done, but done right. “In a matter of a few months, half a dozen other students were working under him, and he’d put seven thousand dollars in his bank account...he used it to buy the yellow datsun.” (Krakauer, 116). McCandless worked hard, and he appreciated being able to do things for himself. This explains the reason why he went out on his own and didn’t tell anyone or let anyone help him. It wasn’t that he was stubborn or ungrateful, he truly loved being independent and he valued the luxuries he was able to provide for himself. Chris McCandless was hardworking and determined, which is inspiring because he was able to accomplish the goals and dreams he set his mind on.
Chris Gardner achieves his goals by finding a successful job which shows that through perseverance, we can be happy. For example, Chris tries hard not to be late and rushed to internship. He let a girl watch his scanner during appointment and it stolen. Chris left the interview and chased after the girl. This shows how he got distracted and left his