In society, there is a thin line between having arrogance and having courage, these are social views of how to classify somebody by their actions and mindset. Jon Krakauer, a well-known writer and mountaineer explained Chris McCandless’s strive and explained the thoughts of critics around the globe in his novel Into the Wild. In my eyes, I believe to say that McCandless was an egocentric male who had an unorganized mindset that made him come upon his cruel death. Much of McCandless’s troubled times could have been avoided if he had been prepared upon multiple occasions. While he was first going into the abrasive terrain of Alaska, Gallien, an electrician who McCandless hitched a ride from, noticed that “…the only food in his pack was a …show more content…
When he left his family and friends behind without informing them as to where he would be, they later found out that their beloved one had passed. When Chris left, his mother suffered terrible pain by the thought that she heard “… ‘Chris calling me,’ she insists, ears rolling down her cheeks…He was begging, ‘Mom! Help Me!’ But I couldn’t help him because I didn’t know where he was (Krakauer 126).” In this tragic portray of events, his parents suffered terribly because he was not considerate enough to inform them of his whereabouts and intentions. Since his mother, a strong woman who dealt with awful dealing with Chris’s father, he could have at least enlightened her with his well-being with a letter to her and his whereabouts. Also, when he abandoned his family, he abandoned little sister, he left her hurt even after “Ten months after Chris’s death, Carine still grieves deeply for her brother. ‘I can’t seem to get through a day without crying…’ (Krakauer 129).” Carine was the person McCandless was closest to in his family. When he vacated her, and left her clueless as he did everybody else, he left the person who loves him most behind in the dark. McCandless left the people who cares for him behind, hurt and filled with sorrow because he wanted to fill his own selfish
Early on in McCandless’s adventure , McCandless meets a man named Jim Gallien who is an accomplished hunter and woodsman who says that “His gear seemed exceedingly minimal for the harsh conditions of the interior… “ (Krakauer 5). Galien, who likely knows what is necessary to survive in the wilderness, even worries that McCandless might be ill prepared for his adventure. This indicates
Chris McCandless died doing what he loved, but was it worth all of the pain and uncertainty he caused his family? Chris embarked on a journey through the Alaskan wilderness, which resulted in his demise. He cut ties with his family due to personal differences in opinion and travelled all around the country living off of the land for the most part. People have formed many different opinions of Chris McCandless, but its up to you to decide whether his actions were selfish or purposeful. In this Journal, I will be questioning the motives of McCandless, connecting with him, as well as evaluating the author.
His underestimation of the Alaskan climate and terrain, paired with his extreme lack of materials he had brought with him, rendered his odds of survival very low. The book he had brought with him failed to contain the vital information that the potato seeds he had eaten were poisonous, which ultimately led to his passing. I don’t think that Chris should have brought people with him into the wilderness, but rather had he prepared better, and/or taken more time to build his level of experience, he would not have met the end in which he was served. As McCandless tried to obtain food, his inexperience and lack of practical abilities became apparent; his lack of basic survival skills brought to light a disconnect between his ideals and his real-world skills. A sense of overconfidence could also have played into his ill-preparation, leading him to believe that he was in fact prepared for the wilderness; shown by Krakauer “He didn’t take the advice of people who were experienced.”
Into the Wild, a book by Jon Krakauer, tells the story of Christopher McCandless. McCandless was a young man who felt the need to live an unorthodox life by living off the land. McCandless developed ideas about philosophy from Jack London. His education is greatly respected, although his perception of the meaning of life and his ideas about how to find true happiness are misunderstood without problem. McCandless felt that the only way for him to be happy was to venture into the Alaskan wilderness with nothing more than a bag of rice and a measly backpack. A man named Shaun Callarman stated that he did not think Chris’s venture was honorable at all. It was Chris’s poor preparation and big mistakes that costed Chris his life and Callarman thinks
Throughout he was offered multiple opportunities to improve his situation and gear but he refused. Whether it was offers of improved gear from Jim Gallien in Alaska or money and knives at the Slabs McCandless simply couldn’t accept any help from others. The only form of help he somewhat accepted were people offers of rides that would set him on the path of where he needs to go. Others may argue that he was just trying to do it his way and survive within his own means. While this is a valid point his attempt to survive within his own means ultimately cost him his life. As many Alaskan’s pointed out he had entered the wilderness entirely ill-prepared just to survive nearly dying for a bit “does not make you a better human, it makes you damn lucky.”. Others pointed out how he had forgotten the first Boy Scout rule of being prepared (71). If he was able to accept the help of other, especially gear improval, he would almost certainly had a much better chance of surviving his time in the Alaskan
In Jon Krakauer's novel Into the Wild, the main character, Chris McCandless, seeks nature so that he can find a sense of belonging and the true meaning of who he is. However, it is the essence of nature that eventually takes his life away from him. At the end of his life, he is discovers his purpose and need of other people. After Chris McCandless death in Alaska, Krakauer wrote Into the Wild to reflect on the journey that McCandless makes. Krakauer protrays McCandless as a young man who is reckless, selfish, and arrogant, but at the same time, intelligent, determined, independent, and charismatic. Along with the irony that occurs in nature, these characteristics are the several factors that contribute to McCandless death.
For someone to have plans to survive in the harsh wilderness of the Alaskan frontier many have said that McCandless was completely un prepared as recalled in the first chapter of the book by Jim Gallien who picked up McCandless outside of Fairbanks Alaska and drove him to the stampede trail, the beginning of Chris’s journey into the wild. “He wasn’t carrying anywhere near as much food and gear as you’d be expecting a guy to be carrying for that kind of trip.” (Krakauer 4) Through the research that Krakauer completed we know that Chris was carrying only a ten-pound bag of rice and some paperback books along with other camping supplies. Jim
In the brighter spectrum of Mr. Chris McCandless, is his deep and intellectual personality, shining through on most every occasion with cynical value or an interesting opinion every now and then. In Chris’s deep scholarly thought he decides to give up many things for his own self righteousness in attemp to make himself free of any evil or distraction as well as anything that may hold him down. As a younger boy in high school he proved his good Samaritan self by spending weekends taking to the the streets, spending nights with prostitutes, the homeless, and the addicts, feeding them and experiencing a little of what they felt. As I mentioned before he gave up what he thought would ruin his dreams and soil his life, he rid his life of luxury and wealth along with long-term relationships with people. As one of the things that he had apparently given up was the desire of sex and all of it’s evils, and proclaimed that his need was much to great for something so petty. Truly I believe traveling as a child with his family engineered a mind set within Chris that made him feel as if familiarity was just a weight holding him down from the flight toward his dreams. He also thought that being lost in such a superficial and trivial society could help no one
Chris McCandless radiates pride throughout his journey and exploration to find what I believe, to be self-meaning, Chris flows and adapts to everything around him in Into the Wild, by Jon Krakauer, this goes hand in hand with “Self-Reliance” by Ralph Waldo Emerson, showing a multitude of examples of pride as well. In every man's life they are given the tools and ability to succeed, but the challenge is for them to use those tools and abilities along with their imagination and drive to succeed. This is given some light in Self-Reliance; “no kernel of nourishing corn can come to him but through his toil bestowed on that plot of ground which is given to him to till” (Emerson 1). This quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson’s Self-Reliance makes a great point in saying that the path to success is not paved for you, you must pave it yourself.
Chris McCandless was just a victim of his own obsession. The novel "Into The Wild" written by John Krakauer revealed the life of a young bright man named Chris McCandless who turned up dead in Alaska in summer 1992. In the novel, John Krakauer approached carefully McCandless's life without putting too much authorial judgment to the readers. Although Chris McCandless remained an elusive figure throughout the novel, I can see Chris McCandless as a dreamy young idealist who tries to follow his dream but failed because of his innocent mistake which prove to be fatal and irreversible. Still, Chris McCandless's courage and passion was something that we should all be proud of.
Krakauer presents this tone by quoting the McCandless family. Carine, Christopher’s younger sister, had difficulties getting over her brother’s death. “Ten months after Chris’s death, Carine still grieves deeply for her brother. “I can’t seem to get through a day without crying” ”(129). Krakauer also explains how Christopher’s family all suffered from an eating disorder and acquired unhealthy weight gain/loss. “ “I just don’t understand why he had to take those kind of chances,” Billie protests through her tears.” (132). Krakauer secretly indicates sadness within the text.
Jon Krakauer, the author of the book, Into the Wild only know about Chris McCandless is an explorer traveling to Alaska search for himself reborn. However he isn’t exactly what he really is, but an ignorant, foolish, selfish, and misunderstanding of the world in which he lives. These words that have been used to describe him are based on the idea that he went on a journey to the Alaskan wilderness to seek his own revelation, but not having a firm grasp of reality, he senselessly died a stubborn man, the people mention that he was unprepared to go into the wilderness, didn’t listen to a more experienced person, broken several of state laws, abandoned his family and loved ones, and followed a dream that never existed. Personally believed he is an ignorant fool, selfish, and misunderstand man that throws his life away for nothing but despair.
Introduction: Throughout the book of Into The Wild Chris McCandless is known to be a wacko reckless idiot, and is also known to be courageous and heroic. However does a courageous person go out into the wilderness knowing that the outcome will be fatal? People viewed him from different perspectives and also have broad range of opinions of this young man. Some deemed him to be incredibly dim-witted or a man that simply just followed his heart. Evidence shows that Chris McCandless is actually a mix of both. The first opinion that described McCandless was brainless, idiotic, and extremely foolish. Many passages from Into The Wild can support this outlook.
Throughout his adventure, McCandless proves his bravery by supplying himself with an insufficient amount of supplies and making treacherous decisions. McCandless embarks on his route alone with no money or car, only the items that mean the most to him. In order to focus mainly on the nature and his surroundings, McCandless “put a match to” (Krakauer, 29) all his money and “wasn’t carrying anywhere
Chris was a very stubborn individual and never wanted to compromise his morals to please others. Chris never listened to suggestions or advisement of others as he was on his journey. His incompetence and inability to take other people’s advisement into account was ultimately was caused his death. Gallien tried to warn McCandless of the rough conditions by telling him “the hunting wasn’t easy where he was going, that he could go days without killing any game” (Krakauer 5). Gallien is just one example of someone who tried to help McCandless realize that living alone in Alaska would be very gueling, but McCandless assumed that if he could survive for a month in the Gulf of California, he would also be able to thrive in Alaska. Of course Chris ignored Galliens advice and did things his own way because he’s stubborn. One of Chris’ flaws was that he had very strong opinions that were so different from the rest of society and was fiercely independent. Chris’ beliefs and points of view led to him going into the wild without anyone aware of his whereabouts. Chris never wanted help from anyone and he expressed this when he said, “I won’t run into anything I can’t deal with on my own”(Krakauer 6). Chris also “hadn’t spoken to his family in nearly two years”(Krakauer 6). Both of these quotes emphasize the fact that he felt the need to be utterly alone. If Chris had told someone his real name and his desired destination then he wouldn’t have died alone in Alaska. Chris would’ve been better off if he had listened to the advice he was given and if he had told people about his whereabouts.