Meaning Of Life In Siddhartha, By Jon Krakauer

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There have been many predictions as to what the meaning of life is. Many people wish to know why we live and what makes life meaningful. The answer is simple: the meaning of life is to find the meaning in life. Research regarding meaning in life has been directed by three different measurements: purpose in life, life regard, and the sense of coherence. These measurements determine if an individual has achieved a scientific definition of a meaningful life. However, every individual must learn how to find their own version of a meaningful life. Some people end up taking different perspectives during their search for meaning, such as one of philosophy, one of experience, or one of psychology. In Siddhartha, Herman Hesse portrays a man that finds …show more content…

In Into the Wild, Jon Krakauer shares the story of a very brave man named Christopher McCandless. McCandless went exploring in a very dangerous mountain range in Alaska. He was found dead in 1992, four months after he left all of his money and material possessions in order to create a new life for himself. Many people believed that he was crazy or that he actually wished to die. However, Krakauer is able to give examples that show that some people are able to find meaning in their lives as they risk their lives. The papar Irish monks, for example, would constantly risk their lives and put themselves in very precarious situations so that they would be able to escape society and find lonely places. These lonely places provided the monks with the peace that they were searching for. Krakauer states that, “reading of these monks, one is moved by their courage, their reckless innocence, and the urgency of their desire” (Krakauer 97). By using a juxtaposition between the papar Irish monks and Chris McCandless, Krakauer is able to show McCandless’s genuine desire for his meaningful, peaceful life. Therefore, though it might not have been his main goal, McCandless found himself to be in this lonely yet peaceful situation. He was very close to civilization, however, “McCandless was cut off from the rest of the world…[and] he didn’t encounter another living soul” (Krakauer 165). Though some may find him crazy, McCandless was able to find meaning in his life by experiencing the world and by experiencing life without all of the distractions that come from living in civilization. He had a responsibility to himself to explore the world around him so that he could discover its meaning. Had McCandless lived through his exploration, he would have been able to have a specific regard for life that only one who has put themselves in danger can understand. It is

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