Into The Wild : The American Dream

Chris McCandless was a man who had everything to have a successful life. However, Chris McCandless decided to leave it all behind. Chris thought that he was going to go leave all society behind to go live in the wild. Chris thought that it was going to be very hard. Krakauer He was arrogant and ignorance toward the nature and society. In Into the Wild Chris leaves his life behind to live a life alone in the wild. In Into the Wild Krakauer’s message from Chris’s journey is for people to never get too ignorant or too confident because anything can go wrong at anytime.

If in need of money, McCandless found a job. If in need of food, McCandless found something to eat on his own. Selfish men are greedy, however, Chris McCandless embodied love, and compassion and for that he cannot be seen as self-centered. Although McCandless was often reserved, he always shared his plans with other nomads and anyone who was willing to listen. His captivating personality drew people towards him. McCandless’ story caused people to follow their own dreams.

In the beginning of the story McCandless is painted as a strong, intelligent and strong-willed young man who had no choice but to flee from an overbearing family and a cold and merciless father. “At long last he [Chris] was unencumbered, emancipated from the stifling world of his parents” (Krakauer, pg 22). The reason this seems bias is due to Krakauer drawing similarities between his father being similar to McCandless’s father. “By the time…. I enrolled in a distance college where no Ivy grew, I was speaking to my father with a clenched jaw or not at all” (Krakauer, pg 147).

At first, Chris McCandless attempted to return to a life of normality. In Bullhead City, Arizona, McCandless found a job working at McDonald’s. With this job, Chris almost deserted his original plans and stayed in Bullhead City, but the job required socks and a clean manner. Chris did not believe in these things, and the bearing normality forced Chris to quit his job and return to his plans of going into the Alaskan Wilderness (Krakauer, 38-41). When Chris McCandless was about to leave into the Alaskan Wilderness, he encountered Jim Gallien. Jim Gallien was a man who knew the dangers of the bush and how treacherous the land can be. McCandless didn’t want any supplies or help Gallien had to offer, but Gallien was pleading for McCandless to take the supplies that would help him. Chris McCandless did not know how far he should push his judgement on how life should be lived, further worsening his circumstances in the wilderness without many supplies (Krakauer, 4-8, 164-166 and 189). Chris McCandless did not know when to turn back home and mentally, could not overcome a dangerous task. McCandless, “Satisfied, apparently, with what he had learned during his two months of solitary life in the wild, McCandless decided to return to civilization…” (Krakauer, 168). This thought came with an over challenging obstacle, the Teklanika River was a raging water source that was difficult to pass, and McCandless was stuck on what to do. With a weak swimming ability, McCandless decided to turn back rather than crossing the dangerous waters, thus isolating him in the wilderness, leading to his death (Krakauer, 168-170). In addition to constant internal conflicts, McCandless had numerous conflicts with nature along his journey that lead to his

McCandless exhibits his idealistic views when Krakauer states, “He had spent the previous four years, as he saw it, preparing to fulfill an absurd and onerous duty: to graduate from college. At long last he was unencumbered, emancipated from the stifling world of his parents and peers, a world of abstraction and security and material excess, a world in which he felt grievously cut off from the raw throb of existence” (22). McCandless portrays how he graduated college just to be free from the entanglement he was experiencing with his parents. This demonstrates how he merely completed college to pursue his dream of living of the land in Alaska. He continues to display his moral beliefs when he says, “No, I want to hitch north. Flying would be cheating. It would wreck the whole trip” (67). Chris denies the opportunity to fly north because it goes directly against his idealistic views. This exemplifies that he follows a strict ethical code similar to that of idealism that controls his way of living. Chris McCandless is a “man who has given away a small fortune, forsaken a loving family, abandoned his car, watch, and map, and burned the last of his money before traipsing off into the wilderness” (71). He displays what appears to be great stupidity for leaving everything he has behind, but based on McCandless’s mindset it indicates it to be a motion of bravery.

By eschewing the pursuit of a career, he asserts his independence and prioritizes personal fulfillment over financial prosperity. McCandless continues to value his ideals, despite the disapproval or misunderstanding of others. His rejection of material possessions and his willingness to live with minimal resources in the wilderness exemplify his determination to live authentically, a trait that many readers admire and aspire to emulate. McCandless exhibits noble ideals through his compassion and empathy towards

To understand the reasons why Chris McCandless proceeded with his actions, one must know his personal background. Chris grew up in a wealthy family, raised by his highly educated parents. He became very passionate about his schoolwork and read several novels from Leo Tolstoy and Henry David Thoreau. While attending Emory University, McCandless was seen by others as a man with a promising future. Even though he was wealthy and successful, however, he was still unhappy with his personal life. Chris’s family was constantly fighting, which motivated Chris

Again, many disagreed with his journey. Chris wants to chase after a nomadic life, and while seemingly brave, many see it as more half-witted than wise. But Chris was also seen heavily as a narcissist as well. Krakauer again agrees with that statement as well and even says “McCandless distrusted the value of things that came easily.” (Krakauer 184) Now showing his self-centered rejection of societal norms.

Many people have come to America for adventure, opportunity, freedom, and the chance to experience the particular qualities of the American landscape. The American Dream is the idea that every United States citizen, including immigrants and residents, should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative. America somewhat provides access to the American dream, it is more so the citizen who provides access to the dream for themselves. Even though they encountered many trials and tribulations, with persistence, people such as Langston Hughes in “I Too Sing America and Anzia Yezierska in “America and I” they were able to achieve their individual American Dream.

The "American Dream" is marked as unattainable in John Steinbeck's novella Of Mice and Men. This is mostly shown in the case of George, Lennie, Candy, Crooks, and Curley's wife. These characters all have admitted to thinking about the "American dream" concept, and the freedom to pursue happiness and their dreams.

The topic of The American Dream has been brought up on many occasions. The arising issue that still ascends is whether or not The American Dream is alive or dead in the United States. The American Dream has come to the generalization of the personal perspective of any individual. The history of The American Dream has always gone back to the common man thinking of their future generations to come and how he will implant a positive outcome throughout it. Many now believe that the ideal plan of The American Dream cannot even be met anymore. Values and beliefs are now being questioned towards the aspect of upward mobility, the cost of education, jobs, and even affordable housing. Referring to an executive editor and vice president of Time Reporting, he states, “combined with a formidable American work ethic, made the pursuit of happiness more than a full-time proposition” (Meacham, Keeping The Dream Alive). This statement is targeted towards the actual definition of what The American Dream actually meant in various societies in the past. Happiness and a full-time of gratitude were critical aspects towards being met because it was the initial reason for this ideal. Some of the key causes and components that affect the way The American Dream is supposed upon today is the basic principles of economics, education, and a downward spiral. These reasons lead to The American Dream being considered in a diverse way with much complexity. The American Dream was different from the past and

The American Dream is indefinable. There is no one set of words or characteristics that the entire population assigns directly to its definition. With the American population consisting of people of various races, ethnicities, ages, classes, and genders, it seems trivial to even attempt to attribute a single definition to the concept of the American Dream. It is this inability however, to be confined within one single meaning, that allows for the American Dream to govern the desires and goals of the large and diverse American population. And, regardless of all of the heterogeneity within society, the American Dream is generally a goal of all American peoples. In examining this idea, I began to think about the specific meanings attributed to the American Dream for different types of individuals. I broadly outlined the American Dream for myself, to represent the belief in hard work as a pathway to success and raising oneself in society. Consequently, this higher position in society allows for the possession of increased amounts of power. My definition however, neglects to take into account the certain other societal constructs that could possibly have a decisive role in how to both define and achieve the American Dream for the wide variety of people who pursue it.

"The American Dream is that any man or woman, despite of his or her background, can change their circumstances and rise as high as they are willing to work” (Fabrizio Moreira). For many years, men and women struggled to achieve the idealistic life of living on independent terms. Many characters in Of Mice and Men work in order to pursue and achieve the American Dream that consisted of having their own house and income. Characters in the book may use that dream to help the overcome their life struggles and personal problems. Of Mice and Men tells the story of two friends, George and Lennie, who find themselves on a ranch in pursuit of their dreams. Unfortunately for them, circumstances beyond their control cost Lennie and George their dream and much more. In Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, Steinbeck portrays how dreams create a false sense of hope in order to cover up the realities of life through George, Curley’s wife, and Candy.

American Dream: Noun, the ideals of freedom, equality, and opportunity traditionally held to be available to every American. That is the definition of the American dream according to Dictionary.com, but the American Dream is more than a definition, but a way of life for many. Millions of immigrants come to our country in search of this “American Dream” including my grandparents but more and more are disappointed. So does the American Dream exist? Has it ever existed or has it all been an illusion?

The "American Dream" is an idea that has always been different throughouttime. It changes in diverse forms and in the end involves success. The "American Dream" was a phrase used by the American people and peoplewanting to become American. It was always the idea that you can become a success. This is true in a partial way, but the true "American Dream" is that with somework and determination anyone can build themselves up in the economic classsystem.