Was Chris Mccandless Responsible For His Own Death

Jack London was the primary reason he left to go to the “Northland Wild.” Alaska became a place that called him after reading things from Jack London. London describes “the Wild” with such grace and intensity that it must have just hit home for McCandless. He was obviously inspired by something Jack London said or he probably wouldn't have decided to give up everything he had to live like a homeless man.

In the book Into the Wild the main character, Chris Mccandless, made a rational decision to exclude himself from human society because he believed that going beyond what his parents, and society wanted, he would live a happier life. Chris wanted to leave society and venture into the wilderness to find the true meaning of who he was. Chris Mccandless was neither crazy or ignorant to live off in the wild where there was no people or anything to interact with, but nature. Chris wanted to find his inner self and not only was he a role model for kids all across the country, but he also followed his dream. Even though it was selfish of him leaving his family, Chris Mccandless was not crazy simply because he

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.

Chris McCandless was possessed by a nomadic existence and was trying to share his principle of life to his friend by telling that the truth about life was to explore the nature. Chris McCandless's last letter to Wayne revealed his true passion of nature. "This is the last you shall hear from me...I now walk into the wild"(pg 69). Some people concluded that it was Chris McCandless's suicide letter. However, in my opinion, Chris McCandless was just a victim of his own ego, pride and confidence that made him to neglect basic precautions that keep one person alive. He was controlled by his own delusions and that made him eager to test himself into strenuousness which proved fatal to him.

The story of Chris McCandless has become a pop culture phenomenon. Many are fascinated by his desire to abandon his family and society and “walk into the wild” (Krakauer 69). Newscasts, magazine articles, movies, and books have tried to define what motivated him to give up everything for his Alaskan odyssey; however, the answers died with McCandless. People make assumptions about him without knowing his entire story. McCandless chose to do the unconventional, making people think he was either foolish or brave and determined, but ultimately he was selfish for doing what he did.

Throughout the novel, Christopher McCandless’s character changed over time. Up to McCandless’s death, he wanted to live with the wild and to be away from civilization as far as possible. He changes his mind when he writes “HAPPINESS ONLY REAL WHEN SHARED” (189). His purpose of living in the wild is to live with freedom and do whatever he wishes to do. However, he realizes he was a “refuge in nature” (189) and intended to abandon his solitary life and rejoin the human community. It is assumed that McCandless died a preventable death because of his unpreparedness, but it is now undeniable that his adversity is what caused his mortality. “…McCandless simple had the misfortune to eat moldy seeds. An innocent mistake, it was nevertheless

He underestimates the terrain and climate, and, “…came into the country with insufficient provisions, and he lacked certain pieces of equipment deemed essential by many Alaskans…” (180 Krakauer). Chris lacked the necessities, so it made his survival rate drop. Information is key in the wilderness, which, “not only did McCandless die because he was stupid, one Alaskan correspondent observed, but ‘the scope of his self-styled adventure was so small as to a ring pathetic-squatting in a wrecked bus a few miles out of Healy, potting jays and squirrels, mistaking a caribou for a moose (pretty hard to do)…only one word for the guy: incompetent’” (177 Krakauer). Chris lacked the knowledge needed to survive the Alaskan frontier, which dropped his survival rate.

Once you become a certain age most kids tend to get a job so they can start paying for things on their own. Once Chris got a job, he wanted nothing from his parents. He didn’t want them thinking that he needed their help in anyway shape or form. You also become independent once you get a job too, which is exactly how Chris was. For example, in Into The Wild, page 64, states “Given Walt’s need to exert control and Chris’s extravagantly independent nature, polarization was inevitable.” Which goes to show the strain they had on their relationship.

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

Starting off with the idea and question of ‘’Do we owe our families anything?’’ In some cases yes. When you grow up with the same or at least similar mind set as your parents, it is not difficult to stick around and respect them after they raise you. However ,in McCandless’s case, we see that he is nothing similar to his parents. They are materialistic which is a direct offence to what McCandless believes. His mother Billie McCandless say, “Chris was very much of the school that you should own nothing except what you could carry on your back at a dead run.” This clearly illustrates what his opinions were on materialism.

Chris is a charismatic young man, but takes extensive measures to ensure he does not become too close with anyone. By going out into the wild without so much as a letter to his parents,

When Mccandless dies it causes his family great pain. In the passage it proves that they are still suffering after Chris’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) This passage proves that Chris causes his family pain, his whole family still grieves over his death. People think that the family is always happy, when in reality they have a daily struggle which is corrupting the family. No family should have to go through the pain of losing a child. Losing a family member destroys families. If their father would not have had a secret relationship with Marcia, Chris never would have went off grid.He chose to do this because of all the pain that

This is one reason why he decided to leave home; he wanted to experience the life of not having anything to his name, this is also shown through out the book during his journeys, however this not the only reason why he left home. The ultimate reason why he left home was because of what his father had done. A cab driver name Stuckey whom helped McCandless reach Alaska elaborated that McCandless said that he found out that his father was living a bigamist life and that it went against Chris’s beliefs (159). This was ultimately one of the reasons why Chris left home and had no feelings towards his parents. This exhibits the hatred and no remorseful attitude McCandless had through out the book towards his parents, especially his father. However, this attitude towards his father and civilization is justified completely when he decided to leave home and take on the wilderness.

Christopher had to make many decisions based on what he thought was right, even though many people thought that his choices were “wrong” and “childish”. For example, very early on in the novel, he had just started writing his own mystery book about the murder of Wellington - Mrs. Shears poodle. However, his father was very disappointed because he was going around, talking to strangers and asking them questions that people would normally not ask to people they barely knew. Therefore, his father got really mad at him and made him promise to mind his own business. (Pg 48-50) Another time the theme played an important role was when he had to decide whether going to live at his mother’s home was the right thing to do. In his novel, he wrote about

Throughout the novel, Christopher McCandless’s character changed over time. Up to McCandless’s death, he wanted to live with the wild and to be away from civilization as far as possible. He changes his mind when he writes “HAPPINESS ONLY REAL WHEN SHARED” (189). His purpose of living in the wild is to live with freedom and do whatever he wishes to do. However, he realizes he was a “refuge in nature” (189) and intended to abandon his solitary life and rejoin the human community. It is assumed that McCandless died a preventable death because of his unpreparedness, but it is now undeniable that his adversity is what caused his mortality. “…McCandless simple had the misfortune to eat moldy seeds. An innocent mistake, it was nevertheless sufficient to end his life” (194). Had he not eaten the moldy seeds, he would have remained alive to tell the tale.