Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer Essay

Two eld he walks the earth. No ph unity, no pool, no pets, no cigarettes. Ultimate freedom. An extremist. An aesthetic voyager whose home is THE ROAD, (163) and with those words, Chris McCandless declared his freedom and walked into the wild bush of Alaska in May 1992. Little did he chouse that in three short months, his decaying remains would be shew by moose hunters, besides a few miles from where he began his journey on the Stampede Trail.Chris McCandlesss story, which was ret gray in John Krakaurs book, Into the Wild, is a true testament to the idea of freedom and independence that has powered the foundation of Ameri net society. Chris McCandless had always marched to the beat of his own drummer, as did galore(postnominal) American heroes. level(p) when he was a child, Chris was kat oncen for being overly adventurous and a little less than cautious. This great sense of adventure frightened Chriss family and friends ever since they noniced it when he was just a child.Bec ause of this, his parents were horrified, precisely not holyly shocked, when one day Chris departed from his typical brio in Atlanta, Georgia and was never heard from by his family again. As a pot change alum of Emory College, Chriss future potential would arrive been almost unlimited he had so much ahead of him but threw it totally away and pass the rest of his life on the track. What McCandless was searching for by leaving his gum elastic life cannot be easily understood by most, but m whatever transcendentalists divided a similar understanding of Chriss call to nature.transcendental philosophy rejects typical culture or society and is often marked by a love of nature and a pursuit for a greater meaning of life. Many parallels can be drawn between Chris McCandlesss story and the stories from authors such as Walt Whitman. Many transcendentalists corresponding Walt Whitman and Chris McCandless turn to the make road to get a better understanding of life, but in doing thi s, Chris vagabonds his secure future in jeopardy by abandoning his former identity, bountiful up all of his possessions, and relying solely on the land.Chris gives up his life of trade protection when he decides to demasculinise his whole identity. Although Chris was raised in a ostensibly tight knit family, in college he discovered that his parents marriage was the solvent of an affair, and his father maintained a bigamous relations for two stratums (121). After that discovery, Chris started to resent his parents, especially his father. His absolute anger towards his parents is what utmostly caused Chris to completely cut them off from his life as he ventured into the wild.In his two years being away from home, Chriss family never heard from him erst even his sister, Carine, who was very close to Chris, never spoke to him again. Chriss sharp absence in his familys life hurt each phallus deeply. His father even questions, How is it that a kid with so much forbearance co uld cause his parents so much pain? (104). Although he knew he was botheration his family by leaving, Chriss lack of concern for his family members stemmed from the hurt he felt that they each caused him.Walt Whitmans character in Song of the broadcast Road does not find it as easy as Chris did to admit the past behind. The vocalizer of the rime writes, Still here I melt my old delicious burdens, I sprout them, men and women, I carry them with me wherever I go. This line shows that the author still carries memories and feelings from his old life with him on a daily basis, which exemplifies how hard they are to forget. This regretful status contrasts to that of Chriss in that the speaker doesnt want to completely march on the past behind but desires to recall his memories during future journeys.Not only did Chris directly cut off his family in order to leave his old life behind, but he also adopted a anonym that he felt was more fitting to his new personality. Kraukauer d escribes Chriss closing transformation and says, No longer would he answer to Chris McCandless he was now Alexander Supertramp, master of his own destiny (23). This new, outrageous name in truth enablight-emitting diode Chris to leave his past of reason and safety behind and move in advance to his new life of freedom and adventure.Not only did Chris completely alter his identity but his absolute resignation of mercenary positions also regurgitate 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 relief charity (20). This gesture in reality proves Chriss complete release of security and lack of consideration for lay possessions. After starting his long journey with no money, Chris almost outright abandoned his old yellow Datsun in a riverbed in the Lake Mead National Recreation area.He decided to do this after a flash flood wets the cars engine as a re sult of his chastening to acknowledge the flood zone warning signs. In reality, Chris could have found a way to save his car but instead was inebriate by the event and saw it as an opportunity to shed supererogatory baggage (29). At the same time, Chris burned his last small pith of money and one hundred and twenty-three dollars was promptly reduced to ash and smoke (29). After this, Chriss journey was one that literally started from slide fastener He had no money, no car, no food, and no one but himself.Chriss dire need to get rid of every worldly 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 atomic reactor up what is calld 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 individual. Chris really exemplifies this concept by donating all of his money to those who were less fortunate than him. Chriss last major(ip) risk to his life and security is his trip to Alaska.After a year and a half of traveling around the United States, Chris finally plotted his trip to Alaska, which had always been his utmost goal. Chris went into his journey super ill provide 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 practiced as much food and gear as would be pass judgment for that kind of trip (4). The only food Chris brought with him was a ten-pound bag of rice 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 deal with on my own (6). Chriss overconfident military posture is what angered many experienced woodsman who replied to Krakauers first condition about Chris. They complained that Chris was just foolish and naive for thinking he could teach on Alaska alone with almost no experience or gear. iodine Alaskan hunter even states that only one word can sum up Chris McCandless incompetent (177). Chris didnt see his life like this however.He felt prepared and excited for anything the world could throw at him. His completely believed in himself and alived 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 before me, the long dark-brown path before me leading wherever I choose. Both the speaker and Chris have an idealized view of living on the road and leave not let anything deter them from it.Throughout his early life, Chris somewhat conformed to the handed-down values and ideals encouraged 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 his old, secure life behind for one filled 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, loose up worldly possessions, and venturing out in dangerous in unconnected 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 nomadic experience was what he always desired. Chris writes at the beginning 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).