Jon Krakauers Into the Wild Essay - 1048 Words

In Jon Krakauers novel Into the Wild, the main character, Chris McCandless, seeks nature so that he can find a sense of belonging and the true meaning of who he is. However, it is the essence of nature that eventually takes his life away from him. At the end of his life, he is discovers his purpose and need of other people. After Chris McCandless death in Alaska, Krakauer wrote Into the Wild to reflect on the journey that McCandless makes. Krakauer protrays McCandless as a young man who is reckless, selfish, and arrogant, but at the same time, intelligent, determined, independent, and charismatic. Along with the irony that occurs in nature, these characteristics are the several factors that contribute to McCandless death.†¦show more content†¦In nature, Chris focused only on himself and survival, rather than his troubles at home, the needs of others, or the standards of society. In a way, he was forced to go into the outdoors because of these poor relationships and inner con flicts within himself. Although Chris sought nature to help him, it destroyed him. He never returned from Alaska to put into practice what he had finally learned about himself and his need for others. Nature and his plan had worked against him, since, he eventually died of starvation. One of the chief reasons why Chris McCandles had died of starvation in Alaska was because he was reckless. He was reckless because he was so ill prepared for his journey, and arrogant because he refused to listen to the advice of natives, such as Alex. Chris was intelligent and he knew the conditions of Alaska, but he did not prepare for it. Even after Chris was warned he was determined in carrying out his plans. He was also reckless in thinking that he would be able to come out of Alaska alive. Krakuer writes that Gallien said, ‘I said hunting wasn’t easy that where he was going he could go days without killing any game’ (Krakuer 6). He adds that ‘Alex didn’t seem too worried and he wouldn’t give an inch. He had an answer for everything I threw at him’ (Krakuer 6). If Chris was properly prepared he may have made it out of Alaska alive, rather than dying of starvation. However, he traveled with cheap leather hiking boots, a .22 caliber that wasShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Jon Krakauers Into The Wild778 Words   |  4 Pagesshe wonders about a certain purpose in life. In extreme cases, when a person attempts to find ones self, he or she may find his or herself in a dangerous or even deadly position. In Jon Krakauers Into the Wild, Chris McCandless goes out into the wilderness of Alaska to find himself, but he never returns. Jon Krakauer organizes his novel in a circular way, which ties the story together well, and he uses long, periodic sentences to detail and emphasize his points about life and death situationsRead MoreAnalysis Of Jon Krakauers Into The Wild980 Words   |  4 Pagesfor their issues to vanish. Some people can deal with their dilemmas easily, but others go to the extreme to cope with their obstacles. One person that goes to the extreme to cope with his problems is Christopher McCandless. Throughout Jon Krakauers Into the Wild, Christopher McCandless was eager to isolate himself from his problems in society, but never meant to die because of it. Chris McCandless did not live the average life. He ran away from his family on several occasions, and his actionsRead MoreJon Krakauer’s Use of Rhetorical Devices in Into the Wild1122 Words   |  5 PagesJon Krakauer’s Into the Wild, describes the adventure of Christopher McCandless, a young man that ventured into the wilderness of Alaska hoping to find himself and the meaning of life. He undergoes his dangerous journey because he was persuade by of writers like Henry D. Thoreau, who believe it is was best to get farther away from the mainstreams of life. McCandless’ wild adventure was supposed to lead him towards personal growth but instead resulted in his death caused by his unpreparedness towardsRead MoreLabeling of McCandless in Jon Krakauers Into the Wild Essay1219 Words   |  5 Pagessight of cruel remarks on what they believe is sacred. Jon Krakauer wrote the book, Into the wild, to express his thoughts about his disapproval on what several people assu me about Christopher McCandless, the main character. This people label McCandless stupid for leaving to Alaska without the vital equipment. To prove that he is not â€Å"stupid† for doing this he used appeal to pathos, appeal to logos and appeal to ethos. By comparing Krakauer’s own life experiences and other peoples too to McCandlessRead MoreThe Character of Chris McCandless in Jon Krakauer’s, Into the Wild1059 Words   |  5 PagesThe appeal of being a coward is the opposite of being an adventurous, free-spirited young man; both behaviors contradict each other. Nevertheless, an individual with both characteristics can be identified in Jon Krakauer’s, Into the Wild. Christopher McCandless has a sublime life, until he decides to abandon his standard of living and isolate himself in order to endure a risky life-taking adventure. One may consider McCandless as an adventurer for challenging himself and living off the land, butRead MoreAnalysis of Jon Krakauer’s Into The Wild Essay example1594 Words   |  7 PagesThroughout the novel, Christopher McCandless’s character changed over time. Up to McCandless’s death, he wanted to live with the wild and to be away from civilization as far as possibl e. He changes his mind when he writes â€Å"HAPPINESS ONLY REAL WHEN SHARED† (189). His purpose of living in the wild is to live with freedom and do whatever he wishes to do. However, he realizes he was a â€Å"refuge in nature† (189) and intended to abandon his solitary life and rejoin the human community. It is assumed thatRead MoreThe Search For Freedom in Jon Krakauers Into the Wild1082 Words   |  5 Pagessoon realize what real freedom and happiness are. A few short months into his pursuit of freedom and happiness, in the interior of Alaska, McCandless experienced a revelation that unfortunately dawned on him only after he was unable to escape the wild. His realization was â€Å"HAPPINESS IS ONLY REAL WHEN SHARED† (188). From the beginning of time, humans have had an inherent need to interact with others, to love, to laugh, to depend on one another for emotional and physical support. Without theseRead MoreEssay about The Search For Happiness in Jon Krakauers Into the Wild464 Words   |  2 Pagesindividual. In Jon Krakauer’s book, Into the Wild, he tries his best to make sense of McCandless’ journey to the Alaskan wilderness. However, he never really figured out what McCandless’ purpose of the trip was. Looking at McCandless’ life throughout the book, I believe that Chris McCandless went on his journey to find happiness within his own life and did achieve it in the end. Throughout his adolescent to young adult years it was very clear that Chris had an attachment to the wild. In chapterRead MoreChris McCandless Search For Truth in Jon Krakauers Into the Wild1308 Words   |  6 Pages Human nature tells us to want what we cant or dont have. Everything from people to a toy to a kind of hairstyle – we just always want what isnt ours. Chris McCandless from Jon Krakauers Into The Wild is no exception. He lives his life as part of an upper-middle class family, is smart, and goes to and does well in college, but he still feels like something is missing from his life. He want something completely opposite of the life hes used to. Chris McCandless spent a lot of time lookingRead MoreAdventures of Chris McCandless in Jon Krakauer’s Book, Into the Wild629 Words   |  2 PagesSince the release of Jon Krakauer’s book Into The Wild there has been controversy on whether or not what Chris McCandless, better known as Alex Supertramp , did was idiotic or heroic based on his journey. People’s opinions vary, like many things, based on their personal experiences. Seeing him either as some jerk kid who ditched a life that many people would kill for, to embark on this own endeavors in his life. Or, someone who truly knew what he wanted out of his life and went after it; which is