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A essay about into the wild
A essay about into the wild
Chris mccandless description
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How Responsible is Chris McCandless for his Death? Chris McCandless was a young man who attempted to escape the firm grasp of society, and to do so he embarked on unaccompanied hike into the Alaskan wilderness. In the novel Into the Wild written by Jon Krakauer, the author narrates Chris’s excursion into solitude, and the effects of his actions. Chris McCandless is mostly responsible for his death in the Alaskan wilderness. Some people believe that Chris is not responsible for his death. In attempt to eat, Chris ingested a poisonous plant, which led to his death. He was completely innocent, and along with many other scientists did not know this particular plant harnessed a poisonous aspect. Secondly, Chris ventured into the wilderness in attempt to escape from his abusive parents. He wanted to live his life to the fullest, and he just happened to receive the …show more content…
Finally, supporters claim that Chris was not liable for the river rising. This is also one of the contributing reasons why he died, because he cannot return home, and he needed this route to bring him back to civilization. Chris McCandless was over confident in himself and his capabilities, along with being ill prepared for his journey. Considering the climate and other factors, Chris was not properly prepared for going in to the Alaskan wilderness. Along with his admirable traits, “his ignorance which could have been cured by a uses quadrant and boy scout manual, was what killed him” (72). Chris McCandless was given many things from his hitchhiking friends, because people saw that he was not prepared. Now, how can someone tramp into the wilderness and survive without basic supplies? Chris McCandless did not listen to many people, and in the end he paid for it. Next, Chris McCandless had insufficient
Was Chris McCandless deranged? Was he delusional? Or was he a hero? Since Chris’ body was found in bus 142 in the middle of the Alaskan wilderness, he has been called many things. Those who knew him believed that he wasn’t crazy; that his impulsive actions and aspirations to explore the world, were no more than the natural inclinations of a young and idealistic spirit. However, his desire to venture into the unknown with no source of human contact and nothing but a ten-pound bag of rice, is not considered normal behavior. Jon Kraukauer’s, Into The Wild, manifests how Chris McCandless’ antisocial demeanor, lack of remorse, and impulsive actions are directly relatable to behaviors associated with a sociopath.
Let’s answer this question point blank: No, Chris McCandless, the ‘adventurer extraordinaire’, was not a suicidal human being. Was that too blunt? Got high off of it? Need explanation? Ok, well here are the reasons why; he knew the risks of taking the perilous journey to go “Into the Wild”, if he wanted to die, he would’ve done it sooner and the friendships that he made with people and his notebook (journal?) were far too strong. Those three reasons are why I think he didn’t end his life.
He went through many obstacles that could have proved fatal. From canoeing in the Colorado River to picking the right berries, he was testing his intelligence. Chris had a true confidence in the land and in himself to set out on a mission so dangerous. “Wilderness appealed to those bored or disgusted with man and his works. It not only offered an escape from society but also was an ideal stage for the Romantic individual to exercise the cult that he frequently made of his own soul. The solitude and total freedom of the wilderness created a perfect setting for either melancholy or exaltation” (Nash; Krakauer 157). Chris longed to escape from society and rely on only mother nature. An innumerable amount of people desire to withdraw from society as Chris did; but they are so comfortable and secure with a normal life they do not dare take such a gutsy
Was he a reckless idiot? That is the big question. This is what people always seem to talk about when they talk about Chris McCandless. There are many people who think that Chris McCandless was a reckless idiot who was mentally ill, or something else was wrong with Chris. It seems that almost everybody that met Chris thought maybe Chris was crazy or had problems. Here are just a few things that people said about Chris and his state of mind. Pg 40 Zarza admits saying, "he was always going on about trees and nature and weird stuff like that. We all thought he was missing a few screws. Pg 42 Charlie said, "seemed like a kid who was looking for something." Pg 45 Burres said "I thought Alex had lost his mind when he told us about his 'great Alaskan odyssey, ' as he called it."
He could 've even kept the money and go into town and what not to buy some food incase he couldn 't hunt anymore. I say that it is very ironic since Chris McCandless had donated all of his money to the hungry, and burned some of it too, yet he had died from starvation instead of keeping it and buying the food. A good example to why Chris did not use common sense is from Jessica Duling and she states “Chris McCandless was unprepared in more ways than one”, “why would anyone intending to live off the land for a few months, forget Boy Scout rule number one: Be Prepared”. I strongly agree with Jessica because the only thing that chris did to learn on how to live in the wild was buy a book on different types of plants and which ones are poisonous and which ones are not. I believe that if Chris had used a little common sense he would 've at least told his parents or brought a map or maybe look up how Alaska acts during the winter through the summer and maybe he might still be living till this
The novel “Into the Wild” by Jon Krakauer goes into great detail to describe the main character, Chris McCandless, who died traveling alone into the Alaskan wilderness. McCandless, whom in the novel renamed himself Alex, left his home and family to travel to Alaska in 1992. In Alaska McCandless planned to live an isolated life in the desolate wilderness, but unfortunately he did not survive. This non-fiction novel portrays his life leading up to his departure and it captures the true essence of what it means to be “in the wild”.
Jon Krakauer, fascinated by a young man in April 1992 who hitchhiked to Alaska and lived alone in the wild for four months before his decomposed body was discovered, writes the story of Christopher McCandless, in his national bestseller: Into the Wild. McCandless was always a unique and intelligent boy who saw the world differently. Into the Wild explores all aspects of McCandless’s life in order to better understand the reason why a smart, social boy, from an upper class family would put himself in extraordinary peril by living off the land in the Alaskan Bush. McCandless represents the true tragic hero that Aristotle defined. Krakauer depicts McCandless as a tragic hero by detailing his unique and perhaps flawed views on society, his final demise in the Alaskan Bush, and his recognition of the truth, to reveal that pure happiness requires sharing it with others.
Because of McCandless characteristics, he was able to carry on to his journey living the “Alaskan Dream”(...). First and foremost Chris McCandless was a determined young man. In his teen years he was always set on being in the wild. He had the fantasy of going to Alaska and living out of his backpack. He never really gave up on it. In the story people who were with him always knew that he wanted to go. In car rides he would always talk
This was not the kind of young man most people would expect especially coming from the upper class family that Chris did. He always wrote to the people he met along his way to Alaska just to reassure them of his well being and that he is still on his way to completing his ever so sought after journey. He cared about everyone he met along his voyage and they all cared about him. He valued and appreciated everything they done for him he always told them in his letters. Without these people he never would have made it to Alaska. Another time he showed he cherished in what he believed in was how would not let life be handed to him, that is the way he was brought up and raised. Chris being a bigger man than that knew every man, woman and child should be treated. That is one of the main reasons why he chose to change his socio economic status. Lastly Chris never had the same values as his old friends did. At a party one night he was with his “friends” when he then left the party without telling them and went over to the “sketchy” part of town. The part he went to was known for having prostitutes, homeless people, and drug dealers. Chris would then proceed to offer them a meal and would take them to restaurants and attempt to persuade these people into a better life. He cared for these people, did not know them but knew they were struggling he was willing to help and be there
“McCandless was something else – although precisely what is hard to say.” (pg. 85). Chris was a very different person, but not crazy. He was emotionally motivated at the time and had his mind set on Alaska. In the end, Chris was nowhere near prepared for this journey, but was too caught up in what he was trying to do to realize this. I agree with Krakauer that Chris wasn’t crazy or insane, but in his attempts to survive in Alaska he made several mistakes and ultimately, led an ill-prepared journey to Alaska that killed him.
...ng a fire, and purifying water. He may not have mastered the skills, but he was experienced enough to get by. In order to see that Chris was prepared, you have to look past the gear that he packed. You have to go through his mental process and you also have to look at what he learned in order to live off the land. Had he not been prepared, he would have most likely died after he ran out of rice.
Krakauer explains this by showing us his final postcard (133-134). He says “When the adventure did indeed prove fatal, this melodramatic declaration fueled considerable speculation that the boy had been bent on suicide from the beginning, that when he walked into the bush, he had no intention of ever walking out again...My suspicion that McCandless’s death was unplanned…” (Krakauer 134). Krakauer tells us a bit later in the book, “Satisfied, apparently, with what he had learned during his two months of solitary life in the wild, McCandless decided to return to civilization...maybe he was prepared to forgive their imperfections...McCandless seemed ready, perhaps, to go home..There is no question however, that he intended to walk out of the bush” (169-169). Most people, unknowing of that post card would claim he is suicidal, but Chris, in his own words said that if it should prove fatal, the way he writes this isn’t how someone would be writing a goodbye note, this is someone who intends to come back out and see all of their friends that they’ve made during their journey. Chris even managed to begin the journey home, only to be set back by nature itself which tells us that he wanted to leave the wilderness and return to some semblance of civilization whether it be back in Carthage, or back home with his
Some mistakes can be recovered from and some are deemed fatal. Aron recovered from his with a huge price to pay, his arm. Chris made several simple mistakes that lead up to his death. One of Chris' mistakes was taking all his information to survive from one source, his plant identification book. On July 30 McCandless wrote in his journal "EXTREMELY WEAK. FAULT OF POT. SEED". (Krakauer 190) Krakauer went on to show that McCandless probably died from eating not poisonous but contaminated potato seeds. Therefore Chris did not intentionally cause his demise.
Chris McCandless was still just a young man when he decided to drastically alter his life through the form of a child’s foolishness. However, Chris had not known at the time just how powerful his testimony against his father’s authority, society, or maybe even his own lifestyle was going to be revolutionary throughout not only Alaska,not even the lower 48, but the world. The story of Chris McCandless is a much talked about debate on topics of safety and preparedness in the wild, these things forever associated with the boy who was a little too eager for a death wish. Today, Chris is remember as a fool or a hero. The fool, a boy who allowed himself to be drowned in a fictional world inspired by his readings,dying because he ignored he was just a normal human being or the hero who set out to become something more.
All in all, it is interesting how the trials of life can lead a person into an awakening that inspires millions. Many people believe that walking “into the wild” to live off the land and find himself alone in nature was arrogant, foolish and irresponsible. Chris lacks of knowledge about the wild was a major factor in his death. Chris did not plan how he will survive in the wilderness without proper equipments. He misunderstood that he would have no problem in setting in the wild. Chris immature manner and decisions lead him to starvation and ultimately death. If he planned it out in the beginning he would have saved his life.