Examples Of Transcendentalism In Into The Wild

Finding oneself has always been an important discovery that everyone must experience in their lifetime. In the book, Into The Wild by Jon Krakauer, Chris McCandless abandoned all he knew and set out on a journey across the country. Along the way, Chris’ beliefs about the spirituality and sacredness of the natural world, led him to find himself. Following these ideals and morals, Chris McCandless was a transcendental idealist who was able to fulfill his dreams.

When Chris McCandless’ embarks on his journey of a lifetime he does not adhere to the law, because it goes against his transcendentalist ideals. While hitchhiking Chris was asked about his following of the law, “Gallien asked whether he had a hunting license. ‘Hell, no’, Alex scoffed. ‘How I feed myself is none of the government’s business. Fuck their stupid rules”(Krakauer 6.) Alex’s blatant disregard for the government and law is shown by the phrase ‘Fuck their stupid rules’. Alex did not believe that he should be limited by what the government said, he was a free person. This foreshadows and creates the sense that Chris was not going to follow any other laws in the

future, and he had his own morals of what was right or wrong. In the passage it refers to Chris as ‘Alex’, Alexander Supertramp was the pseudonym that Chris liked to go by. He felt pressured by his parents growing up, and changing his name was a way for him to forget about the past and create a new powerful person. It is another example of transcendental McCandless not adhering to the laws by not using his legal name. Just like how Chris did not follow the laws of society he did not follow the social norms of society either.
Another transcendentalist idea that McCandless had was not believing in having materialistic possessions, he viewed it as immoral. Burres tried to offer Chris money for his journey, “She tried to give him a little money for helping out at a swap meet, she recalls, ‘he acted real offended. I told him ‘man you gotta have money to get along in this world,’ but he wouldn’t take it’”(Krakauer 46). Chris didn’t believe that having money was necessary. He thought that being out in nature a spiritual place, was where he was meant to be not in civilization. Chris’ countless rejections of gifts and money throughout the book shows his transcendentalist ideals, to Chris nature was something to be valued not money or possessions. Part of McCandless’ dream was for him to be able to be isolated and one with nature, getting rid of his materialistic possessions took him one step closer to his dream and finding himself. Connect back to thesis ADD TRANSITION

Although Chris McCandless was a transcendental idealist others viewed him as a reckless narcissist.

McCandless had been accused of abandoning his family and loved ones. Chris had always felt like his parents were holding him back, they had a different vision of Chris’ future than Chris had. Even though Chris left his family it was in his best intentions and for the best intentions, if he had never left him he would never have been able to find himself. He did not mean to harm anyone, he was just trying to discover the larger meaning of his life and fulfill his dream. In the end of the novel Chris was able to discover himself when he realized that ‘ Happiness only real when shared’. This was Chris’ realization that life really mattered most when he was with others, it implied that Chris was ready to go back to his parents and

civilization.
To summarize, Chris McCandless used his transcendentalist ideals about money, people, and nature in order to find himself. Chris never meant to harm anybody, he was just trying to live his life to the fullest by going by his thoughts of what was right or wrong. From traveling the world without possessions or family he was able to discover himself. As a result of following transcendentalist ideals he had a new outlook on life, and learned spirituality and forgiveness.