Category: Into the Wild

Into the Wild is a novel based on the true tales of Christopher McCandless, a wealthy young man, and his journey from the east coast to the Alaskan wilderness. Many ideas have been thrown around about Chris and what made him leave everything behind. Whether that be supporting him or heavily criticizing him. Two men Jon Krakauer and Sean Penn set out to tell the real story, one through a novel and the other through a film. Both portrayed similar ideas and views about Chris and his journey; however, there were some differences that had an impact on how the story is represented to its audience.

Krakauer’s book is something between a journalistic investigation and a personal essay on a topic that interests him, and the style varies a lot, with an extremely accessible and easy to read form one minute, and sophisticated vocabulary stretches like ‘contumacious’ and ‘analysand’ (Krakauer 10 and 126) the next. It’s Chris’s life story, as near as he can get it, based on a combination of interviews, McCandless letters and diaries, guesswork, deduction, investigation, and sometimes a combination of all of the above. He fills in the blanks with personal notes, revelations, memories, and environmental descriptions. The book also has much more information included in it that helps further the reader’s understanding of Chris’s situation. One such thing is just how unprepared he is when it says “Alex admitted that the only food in his pack was a ten-pound bag of rice” and “a .22 caliber rifle” (5). All of this made what you were reading feel so much more real and in-depth. In the movie, the story is based solely on the journey Chris took and the many people he met along the way. The largest difference is that in the novel it is not known what exactly was the cause of his death. At least not that we were made aware of. Compared to the movie where we were made aware of the poisonous plants he had ingested. This is supported by an article in the new yorker where it’s said: “I speculated that he had inadvertently poisoned himself” (Krakauer). A significant similarity in both forms of media is that important details like the setting and people he met along his journey stayed very accurate.

The movie by Sean Penn takes more leniency in that it gives Chris McCandless relationships with people that probably did not develop in the manner as presented in the film. The movie was arranged into chapters about his life like “adolescence” and “youth” rather than after the places he visited. Also with the movie being narrated by his sister gave it a much different feel than the novel. A similarity between the movie and the novel is that it’s constantly jumping back and forth between different times. This makes it confusing to keep track of where exactly you are in the story and could make it difficult for some viewers of the film. “You could tell right away that Alex was intelligent” (18). Another big change is that by the end of the movie Chris is depicted as going crazy. He is shown talking to himself a lot, and it gives you the feeling that he had lost his mind by the end of his life. This was shown with his desperate actions towards the end and this quote “I think maybe part of what got him into trouble was that he did too much thinking”(18). Refusing to bring the right supplies such as “He had no ax, no bug dope, no snowshoes, no compass” (5). These added in with that he refused to use anything but his head while figuring out what was edible were the few significant downfalls in his life.

Both the novel and the movie were portrayed in exciting and significant ways. They both did an immaculate job in telling the story of Chris McCandless. Both media’s had their positives and negatives to them; however, both were done in a well-written and produced way. One thing to note is that Krakauer’s book is an examination of McCandless’ life and death. Penn’s movie is an enthusiastic celebration of it. I find it very respectful that both versions of the story kept the story and the reasons behind the journey accurate. It helps the viewers have a more profound connection with the story knowing that it is entirely based on a true story.

References:

1. Krakauer, Jon. Into The Wild. New York : Anchor Books, 1997. Print.;
2. Krakauer, Jon. “How Chris McCandless Died.” The New Yorker, The New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2018, www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/how-chris-mccandless-died.

“Man is not above nature, but in nature.” The quote stated by Ernst Haeckel describes how people have treated the earth surrounding them. Most do not give it a second thought. That should change. Many things could go into how humans need to see and work alongside nature. Both nature and people interact through daily processes, so people should know how important nature can be. Man’s responsibility to nature depends on the factors of respecting it, knowing how to interact with it, and understanding it and its capabilities.

One day, people will have abused what nature has given them, and there will be nothing left. “I’ve been tramping around Arizona for about a month now. This is a good state! There are all kinds of fantastic scenery and the climate is wonderful” (Krakauer 33). The scenery and sights some travel to see will not continue to be the stunning escape that most picture if it is not respected. National parks help preserve nature on a higher level, but humanity can also help at a lower scale. It could range from small things like recycling to making groups go and clean up areas full of waste. It all starts with respecting it, then leads to knowing how to interact with it.

In cases where humans are interacting with any aspect of nature, people need to understand how to in a safe manner. “I have had a few narrow escapes from rattlers and crumbling cliffs. The last misadventure occurred when Chocolatero [his burro] stirred some wild bees. A few more stings might have been too much for me. I was three or four days getting my eyes open and recovering the use of my hands” (Krakauer 92). Situations, where cliffs are involved, are probably not as common, but most people can often recollect moments in their lives when they were stung by a bee or another creature. That may be because they were intruding on their tasks or their habitat. It was their habitat long before humans constructed their own over it. Think about it in a way where someone goes into a place where another spends the majority of their time there, whether it is their house or different locations, and the other starts to demolish the area or even decide to add or construct something new. The person who feels invaded will feel violated and appalled by the fact someone intruded on their own home. That is exactly what has happened, but instead of two people, it is humanity and the surrounding ecosystems. People live and interact daily with many aspects of nature. Mankind knowing how to interact with nature means also being able to comprehend its capabilities.

Nature can draw us in, but understanding these hidden mysteries will help keep both nature and man alive. Not only does this idea apply to keeping nature safe, but it also applies to keeping humans safe. Examples would be things such as natural disasters and being prepared. “I won’t be needing this anymore,” he said. The radio would have been his only means of calling for help” (Krakauer 80). Whatever his reasoning was, some readers may find this as a mindless decision. He was ignorant of the situations that could occur. Having the radio would not have stopped the events from happening, but could have given him some help if needed. It should not be a one-sided thing of preserving nature, but also knowing how to save human lives from the catastrophic events nature can bring.

Man versus Nature should not be a battle, but a set of differences that people are ready to resolve. Man is responsible for knowing how to admire and protect nature, live alongside it, and its potential, whether catastrophic or not. Man’s duty to nature is to not feel nature is at fault or that it owes something, considering humans are the ones who alter it.

The novel Into The Wild by Jon Krakauer introduces Chris McCandless’s journey after suddenly leaving his family to live off of the land alone. While throwing his whole life and possessions away, he wanders off into the wilderness where Chris awaits his next obstacle moving forward. McCandless doesn’t owe his family the courtesy of keeping in touch because wants to be independent and free, also wanted nothing to do with them considering the corruption in his past. For example, his father disappearing and keeping his separate family a secret for such a long time creates a terrible state of mind overall.

The later stages of his life were crucial, Chris anticipated every occurrence and made the most out of it. Chris later discovered a bus that he spent his time living in with minimal resources to work with. Another friendly hitchhiker named Wayne Westerberg picks up Chris, being generous enough to let him stay in his trailer. Westerberg describes McCandless as restless, handsome, with a very sensitive face and a lean physique. Being offered a job, he was moved to the small town city of Bullhead City, Arizona. Working at McDonald’s his coworkers dislike his terrible sense of hygiene, as well as his lack of socks, etc. McCandless meets many more people including a woman named Tracy growing emotions and feelings gaining further life lessons about society. An older friend named Franz befriends Chris to teach him all about leatherworking and produces a monogrammed belt with a number of symbols from his life as a tramp. By late February, McCandless writes to Burres and Franz to say he has jumped trains to Seattle. His next contact with Franz comes after his arrest and then released later on for jumping a train further south, in a small California town called Colton. Franz drives to Colton, picks McCandless up, feeds him, gives him supplies, and helps him pack to depart for Carthage, where he says he will work for Wayne Westerberg again. Franz further explains his life story and pleads while asking to adopt him as his grandson, But Chris thoroughly avoids the conversation running away from the question until after his return from Alaska.

His choices to move out in the wild and evolving as a person, in general, is a great step to succeeding in everything that comes your way. Krakauer explains how McCandless’s personal safety is key to surviving with the hunting of food and surviving on a will to last. His behavior changed time and time again missing his family as well as the sweet civilization, but living on his own was a step further to his leadership of independence. obtaining some skills he knows he will need to survive in the destination he has in mind when he is ready: the wilds of Alaska. Despite stating that he does not want or need attachments, he does make some human connections along the way, and not necessarily to/with like-minded people.

Introduction

Jon Krakauer, the author of the novel into the wild, explores the entire life of a young man. Krakauer explores the main character, Chris McClandess’ determination to live a life free from oppression, which underscores the theme of ultimate freedom.

After graduating from the University of Emery in Atlanta, McClandess decides to pursue his dream of living an independent life free from slavery. He embarks on a secret journey to Alaska where he changes his name to Alex.

None of his family members even his favorite sister knows about his whereabouts. Unfortunately, contrary to his expectations, the journey is not as easy as he had thought; it has many ups and down. Luckily, during tough times he meets several good-hearted people who help him through.

Finally, he reaches his destination, the Alaskan wilderness. Unluckily, he dies after eating some wild fruits called Eskimo potato. Although he acquires freedom from the rest of the world, it turns out to be tragic and therefore enjoys it for a very short time.

Nevertheless, despite the sad ending of this masterpiece, the theme of ultimate freedom stands out conspicuously throughout the story.

The search for freedom

McClandess is determined to acquire a life free from oppression. In the process of pursuing his freedom, he experiences different dramatic life events as he heads to the Alaskan wilderness.

First, he secretly escapes from his parents’ home carrying with him all his documents before changing his name to Alex (Smart 2). Besides that, he has given all his saving of about twenty-four thousand dollars to charity before embarking on his jaunt.

Unfortunately, on his way, the car breaks down because of floodwater, which destroys the car battery. He decides to abandon the car at Lake Mead National Recreation Area.

Additionally, his driving and registration licenses are out of date. McClandess decides to get rid of all unnecessary baggage and burns all of his money about one hundred and twenty-three dollars.

This is because he does not want to explain to Bud Walsh, the ranger in the park, why he lacks the vital documents. These events, therefore, conceal his identity. Back at home, his parents are unable to trace him because he left secretly and changed his identity hence living a free life.

The theme of ultimate freedom comes out here because he is not around to explain to the authority why he did not have the right documents. Moreover, his tyrannical parents are not around to question his actions or take him back home.

McClandess decides to hitchhike, and he eventually secures a job at a farm belonging to Crazy Ernie. Unluckily, due to selfishness, Ernie does not pay for his labor. In retaliation, McClandess steals Ernie’s bike and leaves the farm secretly.

McClandess hitchhiking behavior brings out the theme of ultimate freedom in that none of the people he offers rides knows him and hence he is not accountable for anything. He steals from Ernie and runs away to get freedom from oppression and slavery in pursuit of ultimate freedom.

On the other hand, he is not available to account for his actions like stealing. He also acquires freedom of movement in that, he meets Bob and Jan Burres, stays with them for a week and again moves on.

During his adventures, McClandess lies that his home in South Dakota yet he hails from Virginia. This is for security reasons hence freedom because he cannot be traced back home.

In South Dakota, Wayne Westerberg employs him. Unlike other employees, he does all sorts of odd jobs. Although he is very close to Gail Borah, the girlfriend to Westerberg, McClandess remains very secretive. McClandess does not tell Borah about his personal life or family.

After a few weeks, he moves out. Westerberg describes his character as a hard worker besides being intelligent. He says, “I’ve given jobs to lots of hitchhikers over the years. Most of them were not much good, did not want to work; Alex was the hardest worker I’ve ever seen” (Krakauer 17).

McClandess character of being secretive underscores the theme of ultimate freedom in that; he does not want to reveal anything about himself or his family, which may end up disclosing him as a missing person.

He works hard by doing menial jobs to ensure he earns enough money for survival hence being able to pursue his dream of getting freedom.

In the process of asking free rides from passing motorists, he meets with Jim Gallien but introduces himself as Alex and not McClandess. He also gives his home as South Dakota and not Virginia, his original home.

McClandess also lies to Gallien that he is going to spend some few months in Denali National park. When he explicitly outlines his plan to stay in the Alaskan wilderness, Gallien tries to convince him to change his mind because he knows life is unbearable in the wilderness.

Gallien tells him “living in the bush ain’t no picnic” (Krakauer 5), but all these fall on deaf ears. In a bid to convince this stranger, Gallien offers McClandess boots, lunch, and promises to buy him a new car but McClandess is reluctant to change his destiny.

After Gallien realizes he cannot change anything, he gives McClandess his phone number and tells him to call when he manages to get out of the wilderness alive. McClandess is not interested in two-piece advice from a mere stranger, and nothing will change his desire to live a free life (Medred 7).

McClandess determination underscores his sole purpose in life, to attain the ultimate freedom and nothing will stop him from realizing it. As Gallien had predicted, McClandess dies in the wilderness. Although he achieves his dream of freedom, it is short lived as he dies prematurely.

Personal opinion

McClandess life ends tragically because of starvation and poison leading to poor health. However, if I were in his shoes, I would take some quality time to plan my journey carefully.

I would seek employment for about five years to make an incredible amount of savings, which would last me a lifetime especially during my pursuit for freedom. Additionally, I would acquire a large, powerful motor vehicle to use when traveling to the Alaskan wilderness.

This would also ensure I do not interact with anybody on my way to Alaska as this could one day reveal my identity. Although my journey would be a secret, I would carry along a phone for limited communication especially to my sister who is very close to me.

This would also ensure I contact my family in cases of catastrophes like starvation or illness among others. Additionally, I would carry enough food, utensils, and water in the wilderness.

Medical equipment like first Aid kits and essential medicine would be part of my luggage for health purposes in my pursuit of ultimate freedom, which according to me can only come by living an isolated life.

Conclusion

McClandess feels oppressed by his seniors especially his parents and the government, which constantly directs his life. Therefore, he decides to live in isolation, probably in the wilderness for then he would find the ultimate freedom.

McClandess secretly escapes from home and heads to the Alaskan wilderness. However, his journey is not as easy as he thought. Due to ravaging waters, his car breaks down forcing him to travel as a hitchhiker.

All the people he interacts with are ready to help him some even going ahead to give him employment, McClandess is not interested in their benevolence; after all, he is running from any human associations.

He conceals his identity by changing his name to Alex, burning all documents that could identify him, and lying that his home in South Dakota and not Virginia.

On the contrary, his search for freedom ends up tragically. As the story closes, his body is rotting in a broken bus in the middle of Denali National park with a note begging for help. Although McClandess acquires his freedom, it turns out to be short-lived and tragic.

Nevertheless, just like a good soldier, McClandess dies fighting (Dexter 12). In a recap, Krakauer exploits the theme of ultimate freedom by profiling McClandess life events and adventures.

Unfortunately, what many might perceive as freedom might turn out to be disastrous; maybe the true beauty of living which underlines independence comes from within.

Works Cited

Dexter, Filkins. “The Good Soldier.” The New York Times Sept. 2009.

Krakauer, Jon. Into the wild. New York: Anchor press, 1996.

Medred, Craig. “McClandess fatal trek: schizophrenia and pilgrimage?” Anchorage Daily News Apr. 1996.

Smart, Simon. “On the road in search of freedom: reflection on into the wild.” Centre for Public Christianity Aug. 2009.

Introduction

It has been noted that “everything that happens to us-graduations, marriage, childbirth, divorce, getting or losing job affects us” (Adulthood 1). It is not right for one to live lonely, but sometimes circumstances may cause one to love this kind of a life. The strange action must have some driving forces behind it that may lead a young person to choose a lone life.

How can one choose to live alone or decide to live with animals in the wild? This essay will discuss the book, In the Wild with emphasis on a young man, McCandless and how he went to Alaskan Odyssey as a result of crises during transition from childhood to adulthood; so as to separate himself from his family.

McCandless’s life is bothered by his parent’s materialistic nature choices and this made him to move out of the home and becomes an itinerant. He lived in the wild where he hunted wildlife such as porcupines and birds for food. He roasted them but sometimes the meat spoiled because of poor methods of meat preservation. In this wild life, he sometimes failed to capture the animals for his meal and was provided by strangers. Unfortunately, he finally died in a bus because of starvation despite the efforts he made to get some assistance.

The Quest for Lonely Life

Christopher McCandless was a man who never liked people to be close to himself. He valued independence. He went to the extreme of being self reliant. He thought that people could not always depend on others but should have time to be alone so that they could discover their own will and thoughts. Christopher McCandless left his home to live on his own; something that not many people could appreciate. It has been felt that the quest for self awareness is something that the modern society is doing away with:

Some of the values that many people in modern society seem to have forgotten are; the quest for personal knowledge, the pursuit of individual happiness while not taking it from others, and above all, the ability to be comfortable in solitude and independence. (LaMarche 1)

McCandless believed in himself and did not want to imitate those around him or conform to their ways of life. He had a strong urge to do things his own way and the wild was the site to pursue his goals and vision. In addition to changing his environment, McCandless changed his name to Alexander Superstramp. This was significant as it symbolized a new person, leaving his former ways of living and stepping into a new way of life characterized by new work and even new meals.

His actions were criticized by many people because he never wanted any associations that would bind him close to other people. LaMarche did this to experiment and at the same time seek his independence. As a young man he did not enjoy the company of his family and kept to himself as he sought what he had considered as important to him: “…it was important for him to see how independent he could be” (LaMarche1)

To the greatest extent, it was his family especially his parents that made him to seek a new way of life which he embraced and considered worthwhile. The parent’s failure to teach and advise him on values of life made a major contribution to his adopting of a new way of life. His fathers’ relationship with his mother was the greatest question factor that pushed him to adapt to his new way of life.

He was disappointed with his father’s action due to his way of thinking that people are supposed to be perfect and that their actions were always supposed to be right. McCandless’ greatest problem was the inability to forgive and communicate accordingly with his parents. He did not have color grey in his world: “Christopher McCandless saw the world in black and white, good and bad, right and wrong, rather like a child does” (LaMarche 1).

McCandless believed that solitary life was rewarding to him. This was a similar case with Sarton who argued that, “Alone one is never lonely: the spirit adventures, walking / in a quiet garden, in a cool house, abiding single there” (Sarton 1). To this young man, what mattered most were his happiness and not other people’s opinions (LaMarche 1)

A person’s life at any given time involves both external and internal aspects. The external system is composed of our membership in the culture: our job, “social class and family and social roles” (Predictable 1); the argument is how a person is able to live to the fullest when he is able to balance all these aspects in his life. Many people often ignore their inner being which is the most crucial. McCandless was not able to share his inner feelings:

Chris was strongly opposed to any kind of unnecessary material procession. He wrote a letter to his sister before he took off to Alaska, complaining about his parents. I can’t believe they’d try and buy me a car. (LaMarche 1)

The young man reasons that there was no need to have luxuries and that one should concentrate only on what they needed. He had a negative attitude towards the wealth of his parents: “Chris is embarrassed by his family’s modest wealth, believing that wealth was shameful, corrupting, and inherently evil” (LaMarche 1).

The young man thought that wealth was an unreasonable way of valuing people and that it did not reveal the real person. McCandless wanted a simple life in the wild where he was ready to face many challenges. His main aim was to be himself. In a person’s development there are various changes that occur:

One is the interior sense of relation to others. A second is the proportion of safeness to danger we feel in our lives. A third is our perception of time-do we have plenty of it, or are we beginning to feel that time is running out? Last, there will be some shift at the gut leveling our sense of aliveness or stagnation. These are the hazy sensations that compose the background tone of living and shape the decisions on which to take action (Adulthood 1).

This is true because it was after McCandless thought deeply about his life that he took off from his home to the wilderness. He compared the wealth of his parent with those of other people in his area and did not appreciate it. He was not able to express himself and reveal his thoughts even to those close to him.

He went to the extent of writing to his sister a letter; it was his sister that he was free to his thoughts with. The wealth of the parents displeased him and in addition he had issues with his father having another wife before meeting his mother.

In school Chris shared with few students but he gradually reduced interactions to be completely independent in class work and athletics. To him he needed freedom from people and luxurious wealth.

Krakauer connects Chris with Gene Rosellini, a well-educated man from an affluent family who was interested to know if it was possible to be independent of modern technology. (LarMache2010).

It is clear that MaCcandless did not feel safe at his home. Since he believed in perfection he felt that his parents had betrayed his values and was not ready to forgive them. He believed that the wealth of his parents was not justly acquired and there was no way he could be ready to accept it: “McCandless distrusted the value of things that came easily” (LaMarche 2010).

He therefore wanted to acquire everything justly. Unfortunately it reached a time when this man could not handle it any longer. He was ready to take even a risky route so as to escape from the sight of his parents. Aware that the decision he was about to make would put his life in danger; he did not stop it but went ahead to the wilderness.

His parents attempted to buy him a new vehicle but he looked down upon it, since he felt that it was unnecessary for him to have a second car whereas he had another functional datsun car. This is ironical that the people that he should have loved most are the ones he put at a bay and did all he could to separate himself from his family.

This coincides with the argument by Sarton: “Loneliness is most acutely felt with other people, for with others, even with a lover sometimes, we suffer from our differences of taste, temperament, and mood” (Sarton 1).

It is also clear that McCandless realized that he could not change anything and time was running out. He felt a stagnation that was brought by being at home. A new environment was therefore a better place for change that would give him satisfaction in his life. The feeling of stagnation was erased from his mind once he set off for the wilderness.

No man is an island and no one can be able to live alone and successful. The company of people mostly spices a person’s life. The young man finally perishes in the wilderness as there is no one to rescue him. His remains were found about a week later after his death weighing about 30 kilograms.

The young man only punished himself: “the fierce idealism and searing self-reliance are seen as unattainable qualities that are mysterious and wonderful, but frightening and dangerous all the same” (LaMarche 1). Though McCandless achieved his self reliability, it was unsustainable.

Conclusion

The inner person should never be ignored and personal world should be in order. The beliefs in McCandless’s heart were the driving forces to his actions. McCandless’s life was ruined by his parents since they did not play part to concentrate on his personality development as he grew up. They gauged his happiness by how much materials they bought for him, good education and spirituality, ignoring his inner motivation.

Works Cited

Adulthood. Predictable Crises of adulthood. Gail Sheehy, n.d. Web.

LaMarche. Into The Wild. Christophermccandless, 2010. Web.

Sarton, May. The Rewards of Living a Solitary Life. Gregory, n.d. Web.

The story began with the invention of Christopher McCandless’ body by a collective of Alaskan poachers on a family vacation to Denali National Park and Preserve. McCandless needs to drive to Lake Mead in Nevada shortly after graduating from university, in which a field with water drenches the Datsun’s motor. An amazing and fascinating thing about the book is that it is not written in chronological order.

It starts off with Chris’s death, and then it goes back and forth from different periods in Chris’s journey across the country. I think that the author of this book does this in order to reveal a mixture of events to the readers of the book in his own way (Krakauer, 2021). This is because he generally starts off revealing information in little bits. In a way that makes brilliant intellectual allowing an individual get captivated to going deeper and deeper into reading the book. I have read through the “Into the Wild”, and noticed something about the author’s style of writing. Since Krakauer is a news reporter and his novel is predicated on an essay he wrote for Outdoor Journal, much of Krakauer’s style can be described as “journalistic,” in that he decided to seek out someone who understood Chris, asked to interview them, and told their stories in 3rd person storytelling.

Another thing about this book “Into the Wild” that makes it captivating to the reader is that there are maps that are at the beginning of the chapters. At most times the maps show the reader the places that the author was talking about in his journal. In addition to that, there are also some pieces of information that Krakaeur has put at the beginning of each of his chapters. Sometimes these phrases are highlights of Chris, and other times they are passages that relate to his lifestyle, and inform the reader about what is going to happen in the next chapter.

Another aspect that makes the book more interesting is that the writer has referenced many books, and he highlights very interesting issues on the mentioned books, mostly great things in between the margins. The action on the rise in the novel is the choice of Christopher McCandles to decide leaving the countryside. The climax of the narration comes out when Christopher McCandles attempts a final crossing of the Teklanika River so as to leave Alaska, but his efforts are thwarted by warmer months of flood occasions.

Chris takes a risk by selling all of his belongings, burning his cash, taking his vehicle and a few necessities for survival, and venturing into the desert woefully underprepared. For example, he once stated that he was often dissatisfied with life since most individuals live it, and hence desired to dwell more profoundly and lavishly (Krakauer, 1997). He does not do this just because he is ignorant but he just wants to be unprepared. Chris is directed by the prospect of a challenge, and that is the reason behind him taking that risk.

I as a writer would not prefer using creative risks in my writing due to diverse opinions from my readers and audience as well. The usage of creative risks as well may lead to biasness. The climax can be described as the difference at which Alex chooses to stay and just not come back to the main road in search of redemption and culture. This is the moment in time during which he, in his tiredness and just need, chooses to live off the territory he is unaware with while trapped in the jungle in his vehicle. As a writer, I see value in including these events which lead to the climax of the book because they help in making the narration of the story more interesting. Thus, I would prefer the use of more events to make the story captivating. Usage of all events would make it monotonous; hence the narration becomes boring to the reader.

Reference

Krakauer, J. (1997). Into the Wild. Anchor Books.

In literature, idealism refers to the immaterial mind; people normally try to relate what they think to what really happens in their lives. Idealists wish they would convert the things they keep in their minds from a virtual state to a real one (Graebner 1). Idealism plays an important role in the construction of the physical world in which people live.

Idealists assert that all physical objects on the surface of the earth depend on human mind and creativity and therefore, they exist solely as a result of that kind of dependence (Graebner 1). The article, Into the Wild, has addressed the concept of idealism through the activities outlined in its plot.

The concept of idealism relates to the assertion held by people, which states that reality is immaterial and can only be constructed through the mind. This ideology describes how human ideas can be used to construct and shape the society (Strohmer 1).

This paper will use the Krakauer’s book, Into the Wild, to address various concepts of idealism. The concepts to be addressed include how idealism is perceived by different individuals, its primary role in the text, how it influences the way people interact in the actual world, and how it correlates to various historical perceptions.

Idealism Concept in the Krakauer’s Book

The concept of idealism has been brought out in the text as an attempt to describe life without having to incorporate the idea of realism (Strohmer 1). In fact, the plot of the text begins on McCandless’ quest to explore life in the wild. McCandlss, the main character, is determined to explore the life of wealth and privilege.

This is a type of life that only exists in his mind and of which he thinks may exist in the actual world. It is as a result of the idealistic thought that the main character loses his life in the woods where he “stubbornly goes to prove the unrealistic thought” he has had about life (Krakauer 5).

Idealism has been used in the Krakauer’s book in such a way that it emphasizes more on the eternal reality than it does on the internal being in people. This is a common phenomenon in most books. It is more appropriate to outline the concept of idealism by relating it to the external reality (Strohmer 2).

This way, the author is capable of bringing out the concept in a more direct manner. The two characters, Alex and Gallien, feel that the bush is not the same as what is described in writing. They appear to be “preoccupied by idealism”, which is the formed opinion they have concerning a bush (Krakauer 7).

Idealism has also been displayed in the book Into the Wild, as a stream of consciousness of the main character. The story in the book has actually been developed as a result of the character’s pursuit of ideal aspects in life (Strohmer 2). The character feels that he can prove his point by touring the bush to see and compare what is inside to what he has formed in his mind.

In order to prove his assertion, the main character is willing and ready to explore the forest despite lacking the appropriate gear needed to do so. The character decides to carry out the mission as secretively as possible. He does not even inform any of his family members.

Although the main character is so possessed with the mission to explore the bush to verify what he considers as ideal, the other seem to understand that idealism is a phenomenon that only exists in someone’s mind and not in the practical world (Strohmer 2).

Gallien is opposed to Alex’s idea of exploring the bush. He understands that what Alex’s thinks in his mind may not be the case in the real sense. However, out of sympathy, he wants to assist him with the “appropriate equipment” that would help him enhance his safety while in the pursuit (Krakauer 43).

Importance of Idealism in the Krakauer’s Book

The concept of idealism is not only important in the plot development of the book, but has also been used by the author to bring out the main issues in the story. The plot of the book has been built entirely on the concept of idealism. The mission of the main character, Alex, of taking a tour across the bush has been “inspired by the thoughts he has regarding the life in the wilderness” (Krakauer 5).

It is a result of the urge to explore the bush that Alex and other characters get to see a variety of features of the wilderness. The characters visit many places such as Teklanika in their tour of the wild. They get to see beautiful points and features in these places. For instance, they get the opportunity to explore the banks of Teklanika and the channels that are spread evenly in the place (Krakauer 11).

It is through this picture that the character form illusions in their minds that lead them to scrutinize the features of the wildlife (Strohmer 3). The nature and the extent to which the characters are willing to go on with their mission are dependent on idealism. They even indulge into risky activities such as using manual and crude equipment to explore the depth and width of rivers in the wild. They also study floods in the area “despite the fact that they pose tremendous health hazards to them” (Krakauer 12).

It is through idealism that Krakauer is not only been able to develop the story in the most appropriate way, but also makes it quite interesting. It is interesting to see how idealists such as McCandless can decide to venture into tiresome and risky activities because of the urge to prove that what they have in their mind is right. McCandle visits a number of places, which include South Dakota and Carthage, sites that are considered extremely risky and unsafe (Krakauer 55).

The fact that it is as result of McCandless’ idealistic thoughts and the urge to verify them that he ends up losing his life in the wild, make the story even more interesting. McCandless is found dead in Alaska after carrying out the most part of his long and tiring mission.

It is alleged that his death could have been as a result of mental torture and his endless anxiety aimed at exploring the entire world to establish whether his thoughts were realistic or not. This implies that idealism can at times have unpleasant consequences, some of which are fatal and rather unbearable (Strohmer 2).

Idealism in the Real World

The concept of idealism plays a great role on how people see the things around them. The idealists assert that thoughts can be turned into realities, a concept that scientific viewpoints term as immaterial and quite difficult to measure. Although thoughts may be immaterial and for that reason, difficult to measure, it does not imply that they are totally useless or they do not exist (Strohmer 3).

According to idealists, what people think is the main drive of what normally happens in the real world. The idealists assert that world is best understood in the context of self-awareness in thought and not in the scientific or mathematical point of view (Strohmer 4).

Since idealism relates the real world to thought, the human perception of things is regarded as real and measurable. Most idealists hold that the physical world and its composition are a reflection of people’s mind and assertions. People’s mind and what happens in the world are inseparable.

It is the thought that drive what people do in the world ((Graebner 1)). This is also evident from Krakauer’s book where everything the characters do, are inspired by their thought and perception of the world. McCandless in particular leaves his home and family to survey the wilderness (Krakauer 5).

However, even the idealists admit that it is not easy to convert ideals into reality. Some of the idealists even end up dropping the thought they once regarded as useful and worthy. This is normally caused by two factors, cynicism and disillusionment, which come as a result of waiting for long to see if a thought will turn into reality ((Graebner 1)).

In conclusion, idealism is an important aspect in human life. It determines how people perceive the world and how they go about their activities. Even though it is difficult to measure how much a thought is ideal, thoughts exist and are responsible for the course that every person takes.

Works Cited

Graebner, Norman A. Gale Encyclopedia of US Foreign Policy: Realism and Idealism. Gale Cengage, n.d. Web.

Krakauer, Jon. Into the Wild. London: Macmillan, 1998. Print.

Strohmer, Charles. Realism and Idealism. International Relations, n.d. Web.

Introduction

In the story, into the wild by Krakauer, like any other narration, the author uses different viewpoints he consider to be of great benefit to bring out certain messages to the reader of the story. The approach used by Krakauer is unique according to him.

Krakauer’s style requires that the reader makes a personal discretion in coming up with a conclusion of what might consequently happen to the character in the narrative. Unlike other writers who adopt an open narration system in where it is evident in the narrative what befalls the characters therein and how they react in the end, Krakauer’s style is secretive. Krakauer’s style in this story is that of confidentiality and suspense and the reader requires a sixth sense to understand the themes as they read the story.

Narratives should be written in a manner that gives the reader sufficient information or clues to enable him embed the narrative in an actual or realistic contest.

In the narrative, for example, the author starts the story with a character that is on a journey to the wild. The exact home the character hails from is not clearly defined and the reason why he is going away is also not clarified. The author however uses another character Gallien to enable the reader to understand the exact state of the character Alex as he is picked along the way by Gallien.

It can be understood that the author used this approach in narration to attract the attention of the reader and raise curiosity within him/her. The story makes the reader to be fixed on his chair as he seeks to understand how the character Alex found himself in the position he is in and how he will end up in his journey to the wilderness. In fact the author has successfully captured the curiosity of the reader with this approach since one anticipates getting an explanation as to why Alex was leaving for the journey into the wilderness.

As one jumps from one paragraph to the next he/she is convinced that he/she might get the explanation of what transpired before the current context that is captured in the narrative.

Despite the fact that the author has used suspense as one of the techniques at his disposal to narrate the life of Alex in the story it still would have been helpful if he had included some specific information about the reasons why Alex left his home or what exactly he was targeting to achieve.

The whole story is full of secrecy for it is evident that one of the characters in the narrative, Gallien, is in a similar position as the reader for he cannot possibly understand why Alex is going to the wilderness. Gallien, as a character who understands the environment in which Alex is going into, keeps on wondering if Alex is sane enough to understand the risk he is getting into. In fact he is placed in a more complex position when Alex himself seems composed enough to face the risks and dangers he does not understand.

Conclusion

It is evident that the author in this article used a unique approach that does not help the reader in understanding the context of the narrative properly. The themes in the article are also not very clear and the reader has to read severally to get an in depth understanding of the article. In fact the reader is more confused as he keeps on wondering what the motivation was for Alex to leave his home.

Bibliography

Krakauer, John. Into The Wild, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1992. Print.

Rural nature has always been a source of inspiration for many American writers. Jon Krakauer is not an exception. Extreme weather and challenging conditions are the perfect backgrounds for exploring people’s psyche. In his famous book Into the Wild, Krakauer studies a story of “a well-educated young man with an above-average intellect and remarkable spiritual ambitions” (Vera, 2015, p. 43). The book explores many topics, such as difficulties in family relationships, the meaning of reaching manhood, materialism, and capitalism. This paper focuses on covering the characters of the book, especially Christopher McCandless, and studying the central theme — the search for personal freedom in times of modernity.

Summary of the Novel

The book describes the details of real-life Christopher McCandless, a young man who decides to abandon past life. Shortly after graduating from a prestigious college, Christopher “cuts himself off both from his family and from the values and symbolic roles expected of him” (Hook, 2018, p. 5). Before taking off, he gives up his real name and takes a moniker Alexander Supertramp. McCandless starts a journey to the West and then into the Alaskan wilderness, looking for solitude and escape from societal norms. He spends his time hitchhiking, exploring nature on foot, and a canoe. At some point, Alex applies for a job in Los Angeles but then returns to his original plan (Krakauer, 2011). McCandless tests his limits by hunting, foraging, and camping alone. Eventually, he dies of starvation in an abandoned bus, where locals find his body.

Main Characters and Theme

Christopher McCandless, Alexander Supertramp, or simply Alex is the protagonist of the novel, an Emory University graduate who recently finished his education. According to Vera (2015), he disliked “money and mainstream values, despite the fact—or rather because of the fact—that he was “flipping Quarter Pounders at McDonald’s” (p. 46). Alex grew up with his parents and a younger sister, Carine, and had a classic father-son relationship issue. The parents, Billie and Walt, assumed that their son would pursue a career as a lawyer, but instead, he donated all of the money to charity (Krakauer, 2011). Walt, an aerospace engineer, dismissed his son’s decision to travel. Eventually, the family members concluded that they misread Alex and never really knew anything about his intentions.

Wayne Westerberg and Jim Gallien

During the journey, the main character encountered many locals and created strong bonds with several people. One of them was Wayne Westerberg, a thick-shouldered hyperkinetic man (Krakauer, 2011). Westerberg owned a grain elevator in Carthage and gave Alex a job. He appreciated the intelligence and hard-working nature of the young man (Krakauer, 2011). Jim Gallien was a driver who encountered Alex on his way to the Alaskan wilderness. During the two-hour drive, Gallien concluded that McCandless was not another delusional traveler, but a determined and intelligent person, who lived by his choice. However, the driver tried to talk Alex out of the survival quest because this hitchhiker did not have the necessary equipment for the journey. Both Westerberg and Gallien positively changed their opinion about McCandless during the encounter.

Jan Burres and her Boyfriend, Bob

Jan Burres and Bob met McCandless in the summer of 1990 when he was looking for berries alongside the highway. The couple offered him a ride and meal because Alex looked exhausted and extremely malnourished. The young man accepted the offer and camped with Burres and her partner for a week. Jan had a connection with Alex because she missed her son. Bob also had much in common with their new friend, as he too was interested in survivalism. Together they sold books at the local flea market, and Alex demonstrated enthusiasm as a salesman. McCandless kept in touch with the couple by sending them postcards even after two years after their departure.

Ronald Franz

Ronald Franz, another acquaintance of Alex, was an 80-year-old retired army veteran who once had issues with alcohol. Franz was different from other companions: although the old man provided the traveler with meals and necessary equipment, he also gave Alex emotional support and was like a father to him. He urged McCandless to leave a camp as he considered it to be a negative influence for a young man. However, he took McCandless’ advice against a passive lifestyle and waited for the return of his new friend. Franz was worried about the destiny of an ambitious adventurer and even wanted to adopt him. When he found out about McCandless’ death, he resumed drinking and gave up his belief in God.

The theme of the Book

Exploring the life of Christopher McCandless, Krakauer explores a number of topics such as family relationship, maturity, and manhood as well as survival in a capitalist society. However, the main idea of the book is freedom and its importance when a person is trapped inside a system of norms and rules. Sheils and Walsh (2017) state that the main character’s escape “signified precisely this, an attempted escape from—or opposition to—a given societal form of the symbolic order” (p. 136). To Alex, the only way to start a new life and find peace was to abandon the typical order of the life of an affluent American.

Commentary on the Central Theme of the Novel

One could believe that the main character was actually a spiritually weak rebel, as he did not prepare himself for the journey and died for no purpose. On the surface level, there was not any reason for a well-to-do young man to give up his privileges and possibilities. Nonetheless, it should be noticed that Alex had full determination to change his life, and none of his actions was meaningless. According to Vera (2015), “McCandless created his poverty by artificial means, which might have been inspired by Thoreau’s condemnation of the market economy and materialism” (p. 46). It is possible to agree that the trip to Alaska offered him freedom and meaning. Although the main character of the book could have avoided the unnecessary challenge of wild nature, his decision deserves respect for strong determination and complete devotion to one’s beliefs and ideas.

Conclusion

Into the Wild covers the story of a young man who decided to test his abilities and personal qualities in the harsh conditions of Alaska. The man who considered himself to be impotent to connect with people eventually communicates and bonds with total strangers. The novel examines topics that are traditional for American and European literature, such as interpersonal relationships, psychological maturity, personal struggles in the system of beliefs that traps and diminishes individual desires and choices. The main topic is personal freedom as the real purpose of life, which can only be achieved by means of difficult choices. The book explains that personal decisions should be respected, no matter how different they are in one’s opinion.

References

Hook, D. (2018). Melancholic psychosis—A Lacanian approach. Psychoanalytic Dialogues, 28(4), 466-480.

Krakauer, J. (2011). Into the wild. London, UK: Pan Macmillan.

Sheils, B., & Walsh, J. (Eds.). (2017). Narcissism, melancholia and the subject of community. London, UK: Pan Macmillan.

Vera, J. S. (2015). Thoreau as an oblique mirror: Jon Krakauer’s Into the Wild, American Studies in Scandinavia, 47(1), 40-60.

In one of the most renowned books, Into the Wild, Jon Krakauer (1992) narrates the story of Christopher McCandless. The latter aspired to explore life in the natural wilderness by traveling to the Alaskan bushes. Since its publication, one of the significant discussions about the book revolved around whether the protagonist, Chris McCandless, is ignorant or wise to go to the wilderness. On the one side of the debate, readers have claimed that McCandless was ignorant to travel into the Alaskan wilderness without any prior skills or experience. On the other side of the discussion, the audience emphasized the unique and intelligent nature of McCandless, who rejected the standard ways of living and social norms to realize his dream. The analysis employing logos reveals that McCandless was ignorant to go into the wilderness despite the absence of prior skills and experience to survive while also rejecting help from the outside community.

The first evidence to support their ignorance of McCandless is his lack of knowledge and experience to understand and survive the wilderness. The author implies McCandless’ lack of skills and experience when referring to his unpreparedness while beginning the journey. In the first chapter, Krakauer notes that McCandless (Alex) had a backpack that looked “only twenty-five or thirty pounds,” which, according to Jim Gallien, the driver. seemed too light for a stay of several months (Krakauer 9). Another example of McCandless’ lack of knowledge is that he mistakenly ate wild potatoes, namely moldy seeds (Krakauer 148). This unfortunate mistake caused by ignorance eventually became the cause of this death (Krakauer 151). Finally, McCandless was ignorant enough not to take an accurate, up-to-date map of the wilderness he was wandering. Hence, he was not aware of nearby survival opportunities, such as populated areas (Krakauer 136). Thus, the first evidence of McCandless’ ignorance is going into the wilderness without having proper knowledge, skills, or experience.

Another evidence of McCandless’ ignorance is his isolation from the outside world. Namely, the book’s interviews indicate that several people who met McCandless gave him pieces of advice and warnings throughout the journey. However, McCandless recklessly and arrogantly rejected them, asserting that he “won’t run into anything he can’t deal on his own” (Krakauer 11). For instance, Gallien warned McCandless that hunting is not easy in the area where he was heading, and it might take several days to catch any animal (Krakauer 11). He also tried to warn him about wild animals, such as grizzly bears (Krakauer 11). McCandless largely ignored these warnings and did not worry about their seriousness (Krakauer 11). At another point, McCandless wants to explore what kind of plants he could eat (McCandless 126). Gaylord Stuckey tells him that it is still too early to go hiking, and due to heavy snow on the ground, nothing is growing yet (McCandless 126). Once again, McCandless is determined and does not listen to Stuckey’s advice (McCandless 126). Thus, these continuous rejections of outside help complicated McCandless’s survival.

To conclude, McCandless’s ignorance for going into the wilderness is that he was determined to live in nature without any prior experience, knowledge, or skills while isolating himself from the help. From my perspective, in this narrative, Jon Krakauer wants to convey to the reader the importance of deliberate, thoughtful decision-making and social support. The author demonstrates in the pursuit of finding solitude and driven by irrational self-confidence and excitement, the main character ignores the significance of objective planning and seeking help from the community. Thus, the message is crucial for the audience to understand that a person should carefully plan and objectively analyze his situation instead of falling into ignorance and arrogance.

Work Cited

Krakauer, Jon. Into the Wild. Anchor Books, 1992.