Chris Mccandless The Wild Argumentative Essay

The snow, the cold, loneliness and starvation. Alaska in the miserable winter. These are all the things Christopher McCandless endeavored (or tried to endeavor), on his adventure through the wilderness. Before embarking on his life-changing road-trip, he burnt his money and ran. Was he running, hiding, or starting over? Chris could’ve been planning on an unplanned return after his trip, despite the extremes he persevered through. But nonetheless, he was gone without a trace. Missing in action like he had disappeared into thin air. His material life that his parents had formed was nothing but the past to Chris. He was a college graduate who wanted to break free from the nullifying snobbery his family upheld. No Harvard Law School, mansion, or

cliché family. What did Chris McCandless thrive to discover in his new journey? An unsatisfying future was not something an ambitious man like Chris would settle for. The travels, battles, and growth of the man who delved into the wild are one of many.
“In April 1992, a young man from a well-to-do family hitchhiked to Alaska and walked into the wilderness north of Mt.

McKinley. His name was Christopher Johnson McCandless. He had given a $25,000 in savings to a charity, abandoned his car and most of his possessions, burned all the cash in his wallet, and invented a new life for himself. Four months later, his decomposed body was found by a moose hunter.” (Krakauer) Reads the front illustration of the exhilarating mystery about a man who sought happiness. Jubilation only discovered within nature’s days and nights. Through the rain, sun, trees and wind Chris walked. The elements did not wear him thin but only he shed his name, his family and his past. Christopher Johnson McCandless renamed himself Alexander Supertramp from West Virginia. He did not falter to live every single moment of his life until his last day on earth. If you had asked most Alaskan natives, they would have said that Chris was “stupid and ill-prepared”. This is when the argument between him being arrogant or ignorant. Personally, his heart led him to Alaska and he lived his dream with an endearing fulfillment. He may have suffered and been ill-prepared with little knowledge but his smile says it all. Photographic proof shows that Christopher McCandless was living ‘Carpe Diem’

moment.
When Krakauer retraced Chris’s feat, he found a trail of people who cared about this man who grew up in a Washington D.C.

wealthy suburb. Usually when you hear the words “wealthy suburb” in a statement you’re used to selfishness and close-minded arrogance. Chris was the contrary to such a cliché family reputation the McCandless’s were. Such a retrograded 23 year old with an extroverted, warm smile and easy-going conversation. But those who came across him, throughout his self-crusade found him to be a very introverted, disclosed hitchhiker. Which personality was Christopher? An extroverted ambivert is a true way of describing him. Not only introverted occasionally but extroverted and socially adventurous. His travelling entailed hitch-hiking to his next ambitious location, traversing new grounds. Chris met so many on the way including Jan Burres, Bob, Wayne Westerberg, Ron Franz, Gaylord Stuckey, and many more. But, the last man to ever see Christopher McCandless alive was Jim Gallien. The man who spared an extra pair of boots, a sandwich, and two bags of corn chips to him. Those were the people Chris would never forget and they would never forget him. Supertramp wanted to find peace within him and nature. His reputation was not a “nutcase

adventurer”.
When I first read the beginning 5 chapters of this book, I thought that I was reading about a fantasizing crazy man from a wealthy family who ran away to die ignorantly in Alaska. As I read this, I retracted my ignorant thoughts about this man who found perspective. An exploration across the country, under the same stars but a different location. Chris McCandless possibly wasn’t running away from his past, he was possibly running to his future and dream.
Nature was his palace and he felt like the king. He may not have died a satisfying death, but he lived with enormous amount of courage and adventure. Christopher Johnson McCandless, also known as Alexander Supertramp was an ambitious, unique individual seek joy in nature’s home. His legacy lives on through Jon Krakauer and he will forever be known as the man who delved into the wild.