Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer Essay

Two years he walks the earth. No ph wholeness, no pool, no pets, no cigargonttes. live on immunity. An extremist. An aesthetic voyager whose home is THE ROAD, (163) and with those words, Chris McCand slight declared his independence and walked into the incorrect bush of Alaska in May 1992. Little did he know that in three short months, his decaying trunk would be be by moose hunters, further a few miles from where he began his go on the Stampede Trail.Chris McCandlesss story, which was reterstwhile(a) in John Krakaurs book, Into the Wild, is a true testament to the idea of freedom and independence that has powered the foundation of American clubhouse. Chris McCandless had of two in all in all time marched to the beat of his own drummer, as did many American heroes. Even when he was a child, Chris was known for creation overly adventurous and a little less than cautious. This great sense of adventure frightened Chriss family and friends ever since they noticed it when he was just a child.Because of this, his parents were horrified, scarce not in all shocked, when one twenty-four hour period Chris departed from his typical life in Atlanta, tabun and was never heard from by his family again. As a graduate of Emory College, Chriss early potential would be in stubbornness of been almost unlimited he had so a lot in advance of him and threw it all away and spend the continue of his life on the street. What McCandless was searching for by leaving his safe life cannot be well understood by most, but many transcendentalists shared out a similar understanding of Chriss grouse to nature.Transcendentalism rejects typical culture or society and is often marked by a eff of nature and a pursuit for a greater meaning of life. Many parallels can be worn between Chris McCandlesss story and the stories from authors such as Walt Whitman. Many transcendentalists care Walt Whitman and Chris McCandless turn to the open channel to get a better unders tanding of life, but in doing this, Chris puts his secure future in riskiness by abandoning his former identity, giving up all of his possessions, and relying solely on the subvert.Chris gives up his life of protective cover when he decides to alter his whole identity. Although Chris was raised in a seemingly tight knit family, in college he discovered that his parents marriage was the result of an affair, and his spawn maintained a bigamous relations for ii years (121). later that discovery, Chris started to resent his parents, especially his father. His direct anger towards his parents is what finally caused Chris to nably prune them come to from his life as he ventured into the wild.In his cardinal years being away from home, Chriss family never heard from him once even his sister, Carine, who was very b ensnareing to Chris, never spoke to him again. Chriss sudden absence seizure in his familys life hurt to each one member deeply. His father even questions, How is it that a dupe with so much compassion could cause his parents so much pain? (104). Although he knew he was bother his family by leaving, Chriss lack of concern for his family members caulescent from the hurt he felt that they each caused him.Walt Whitmans character in Song of the Open thoroughfare does not find it as easy as Chris did to leave the onetime(prenominal) behind. The speaker of the numbers writes, legato here I keep back my old juicy burdens, I carry them, men and women, I carry them with me wherever I go. This tenor shows that the author salve carries memories and feelings from his old life with him on a perfunctory basis, which exemplifies how hard they are to forget. This regretful office contrasts to that of Chriss in that the speaker doesnt want to completely leave the past behind but desires to remember his memories during future journeys.Not single did Chris directly cut off his family in order to leave his old life behind, but he also follow a ps eudonym that he felt was more than fitting to his new personality. Kraukauer describes Chriss final geological fault and says, No longer would he answer to Chris McCandless he was now Alexander Supertramp, master of his own portion (23). This new, outrageous name truly enabled Chris to leave his past of reason and safety behind and move in front to his new life of freedom and adventure.Not yet did Chris completely alter his identity but his right-down resignation of laic positions also put his future safety at risk. Before leaving for his journey and without his parents knowledge, Chris donated his entire college fund containing 25,000 dollars to OXFAM, a hunger repose charity (20). This gesture really proves Chriss complete release of security and lack of consideration for valetly possessions. After starting his long journey with no money, Chris almost immediately abandoned his old lily-livered Datsun in a riverbed in the Lake Mead guinea pig Recreation area.He decided t o do this later on a flash pig out wets the cars engine as a result of his failure to acknowledge the flood zone warning signs. In reality, Chris could let found a way to save his car but instead was exhilarated by the event and adage it as an opportunity to shed unnecessary baggage (29). At the same time, Chris burned his last elfin amount of money and one hundred and cardinal dollars was promptly reduced to ash and smoke (29). After this, Chriss journey was one that literally started from vigor He had no money, no car, no food, and no one but himself.Chriss dire pauperisation to get rid of every laic possession greatly endangered his life. The speaker in Walt Whitmans poem agrees with Chriss opinion that worldly possessions are unimportant. When the speaker says, You shall not heap up what is travel tod riches, you shall scatter with lavish hand all that you earn or achieve, he is expressing his belief that wealth should be shared among many and not kept for one individu al. Chris really exemplifies this concept by donating all of his money to those who were less fortunate than him. Chriss last major risk to his life and security is his excursionist to Alaska.After a year and a one-half of traveling around the United States, Chris finally plotted his part to Alaska, which had always been his utmost goal. Chris went into his journey highly ill equipped for the harsh months that would lie ahead of him in the Alaskan bush. Jim Gallien, an experienced woodsman who gave Chris a ride to the Stampede Trail, described Chris as having nowhere near as much food and geared wheel as would be expected for that kind of trip (4). The only food Chris brought with him was a ten-pound bag of sift he planned on shooting the rest of his food with a gun that by Galliens standards was too small to kill any major game.When questioned repeatedly on his plans for survival, Chris confidently assured Gallien, I am absolutely positive I wont run into anything I cant be i ntimate with on my own (6). Chriss overconfident attitude is what angered many experienced woodsman who replied to Krakauers first article about Chris. They complained that Chris was just unreasonable and naive for thinking he could take on Alaska alone with almost no experience or gear. One Alaskan hunter even states that only one word can sum up Chris McCandless incompetent (177). Chris didnt see his life desire this however.He felt prepared and excited for anything the world could throw at him. His completely believed in himself and lived by the notion that nothing or no one could discourage him from his journey. The speaker in Walt Whitmans poem is extremely similar to Chris McCandless in the sense that they both lived to travel the open road in order to experience life to the fullest. Whitmans speaker says, afoot(predicate) and light-hearted I take to the open road, healthy, free, the world in front me, the long brown path before me leading wherever I choose. Both the speak er and Chris have an idealized view of living on the road and will not let anything deter them from it.throughout his early life, Chris somewhat conformed to the traditional values and ideals boost by his parents and society. It wasnt until he grew older that he decided to act upon his yearning escape it all and to travel and live in nature. He left wing his old, secure life behind for one alter with adventure, mystery, and danger. This action, which was looked down upon by many members of society, directly relates Chris to transcendentalist beliefs like those of Walt Whitman.Chris put his safety and security on the line by renouncing his former name, giving up worldly possessions, and venturing out in dangerous in conflicting territory and these choices ultimately caused him his life. Even though it may not have been seen as sensible by many, Chris created his own path in life, and although it led to his death, the meandering(a) experience was what he always desired. Chris wr ites at the stolon of his final decent into nature, No longer to be poisoned by civilization he flees, and walks alone upon the land to become Lost in the Wild (163).