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An essay on character development
An essay on character development
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Christopher “Alexander Supertramp” McCandless was a dreamer. However, unlike most of us nowadays, Christopher turned his desire for adventure into reality. Similar to Buddha, he gave up his wealth, family, home, and most possessions except the ones he carried before embarking on his journey. He traveled by various methods, mostly on foot, to eventually reach his desired goal in the Alaskan wilderness. Unfortunately, due to various mistakes, Christopher ultimately passed and his body was found in a neglected Fairbank City Transit Bus. His motivation to achieve his goal was based on the many aspects of his life. Chris’s dysfunctional family weighed heavily on him, one prime reason for driving him onto the road of freedom.
As seen in the stories, Christopher was undermined by deception from his parents throughout his childhood. Chris’s father, Walt, dated his mother, Billie, while he was currently in a ‘committed’ relationship with another woman. Walt had children with both of his partners despite the fact that they were completely conscious of each other for quite some time. Tired of his infidelity, Walt’s wife finally gained enough courage and divorced him. Consequently, Walt decided to marry Billie, the woman he had an affair with. In addition, this also indicates that Chris is legally considered a ‘Bastard child’. This term is used for children that are born to an unmarried couple. As time passed, Christopher discovered all his father’s faults. He became besotted and considered his entire life to have been a complete lie. Above all, he felt extreme guilt since he believed that Walt abandoned his other family because of him. In addition, Walt and Billie continue to deceive others even to this day. Billie reveals, “We were dedicat...
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...ddha, this dreamer directly focused on his aspiration to find himself when he began his spiritual pilgrimage. Little did he know that when Christopher abandoned his false life he had begun an amazing legacy that would last for years to come.
Works Cited
1. Into the Wild. DVD. Directed by Sean Penn. Paramount Vantage, 2007.
2. Krakauer, Jon. Into the Wild. New York: Anchor, 2007. Print.
3. Read, Adam. “Carine McCandless.” Christopher McCandless.
http://www.christophermccandless.info/carinemccandless.html (accessed October 6, 2011)
4. Read, Adam. “The Early Years.” Christopher McCandless.
http://www.christophermccandless.info/early-years.html (accessed October 6, 2011)
5. “Story of the Buddha.” Buddhist Studies: Buddha Dharma Education Association & BuddhaNet.
http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/002bio.htm (accessed October 6, 2011)
Jon 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 towards the atrocity nature.
...elligence to help him last an extended period of time in the Alaskan wilderness. In truth, McCandless was someone who wanted to find himself. He wanted to get away from a life in which he could not find fulfilment, which is something many others would be able to relate to. Although most people would not go to such extremes to find fulfilment, everyone has a different way of finding happiness and going after what their heart truly desires. For McCandless, his desire was to live out in the wild. Unfortunately, this man of great character did not succeed in getting out alive. However, that does not change the fact that he tried. McCandless knew what he wanted for himself and he persisted, regardless of the obstacles he faced. He put an incredible amount of effort into accomplishing his goals and never gave up, and that is why Christopher McCandless is someone to admire.
...s was at peace. Chris McCandless died happy and at peace with life because of the all the sights he had seen, all the people he had met, and ultimately the goal he had wanted to achieve was at his fingertips. He did not make it out of the “Great Alaska,” but he died trying. He had survived one hundred plus days. He had walked all over America. He had met some amazing tramps along the way. He had caused heartbreak, but he helped thousands. I believe, based on the fact that he stated he would write a book upon his return, all he wanted to be a legend and have a legacy. He did just that. Chris has died over ten years ago, and here I am in the tenth grade learning about his eventful life. Chris ‘Alexander Supertramp’ McCandless had lived an eventful life in his twenty-four years of living than most do in their one hundred years of life. His legacy will live on forever.
Was Chris McCandless deranged? Was he delusional? Or was he a hero? Since Chris’ body was found in bus 142 in the middle of the Alaskan wilderness, he has been called many things. Those who knew him believed that he wasn’t crazy; that his impulsive actions and aspirations to explore the world, were no more than the natural inclinations of a young and idealistic spirit. However, his desire to venture into the unknown with no source of human contact and nothing but a ten-pound bag of rice, is not considered normal behavior. Jon Kraukauer’s, Into The Wild, manifests how Chris McCandless’ antisocial demeanor, lack of remorse, and impulsive actions are directly relatable to behaviors associated with a sociopath.
In what could have been Chris McCandless’s last contact with humanity he tells his new comrade, Wayne Westerberg, “If this adventure proves fatal and you don’t hear from me again I want you to know you are a great man. I now walk into the wild” (Krakauer 3). For 112 days Chris lived off the harsh Alaskan land. For anyone who is brave enough to travel on the stampede trail and cross the treacherous Teklanika River you will come across the Fairbanks City Transit System Bus 142. Once a backcountry shelter for hunters, trappers, ranger patrols, and for a short time Chris McCandless, Bus 142 now serves as a memorial for Chris McCandless. Travelers will make the trip to witness the basic resources Chris had at hand and the courage it took to make it as far as he did into his journey. Chris was not unaware of the dangers of the Alaskan wilderness. He was fully informed of the challenges he would face and was confident, maybe even hubristic, that he could overcome them. Non Supporters would argue this makes Chris a fool, reckless, brash, or even border lined unintelligent while in fact it is quite the opposite. Chris was a hero because he knew his differences and embraced them, his ambition and strive for perfection took his life, and he followed his dreams no matter the cost.
Living in the wilderness is difficult, but understanding the meaning of such lifestyle is even more difficult. One of the Christopher’s admirable qualities was that he was well aware of what he was doing. He knew about the difficulties and dangers that he would face into the wilderness, and was mentally prepared for that. Author Jon Krakauer says that “McCandless was green, and he overestimated his resilience, but he was sufficiently skilled to last for sixteen weeks on little more than his wits and ten pounds of rice. And he was fully aware when he entered the bush that he had given himself a perilously slim margin for error. He knew precisely what was at stake” (182). McCandless was an educated youth, who loved nature and dreamed of living in the Alaskan wilderness. Although he ignored to take many necessary things with him on this
Into the Wild, written by John Krakauer tells of a young man named Chris McCandless who 1deserted his college degree and all his worldly possessions in favor of a primitive transient life in the wilderness. Krakauer first told the story of Chris in an article in Outside Magazine, but went on to write a thorough book, which encompasses his life in the hopes to explain what caused him to venture off alone into the wild. McCandless’ story soon became a national phenomenon, and had many people questioning why a “young man from a well-to-do East Coast family [would] hitchhike to Alaska” (Krakauer i). Chris comes from an affluent household and has parents that strived to create a desirable life for him and his sister. As Chris grows up, he becomes more and more disturbed by society’s ideals and the control they have on everyday life. He made a point of spiting his parents and the lifestyle they lived. This sense of unhappiness continues to build until after Chris has graduated college and decided to leave everything behind for the Alaskan wilderness. Knowing very little about how to survive in the wild, Chris ventures off on his adventure in a state of naïveté. It is obvious that he possessed monumental potential that was wasted on romanticized ideals and a lack of wisdom. Christopher McCandless is a unique and talented young man, but his selfish and ultimately complacent attitude towards life and his successes led to his demise.
On April 1992, a young man from a wealthy family went to have the most amazing experience of a lifetime. He went hiking to the Alaskan Frontier, from the Grand Canyon, and through Chesapeake Beach. His name was Christopher McCandless and he wanted the best for himself. He first burned the cash inside of his wallet, cut up his ID’s, and abandoned his car. He even gave away $24,000 in savings to charity. The story “Into The Wild” describes how Chris McCandless changed his name to Alexander Supertramp. Jon Krakauer’s “Into The Wild” depicts a Transcendental representation due to his appreciation of nature when leaving society, trusting his own instincts, and most importantly, the interconnection of Oversoul.
Jon Krakauer, fascinated by a young man in April 1992 who hitchhiked to Alaska and lived alone in the wild for four months before his decomposed body was discovered, writes the story of Christopher McCandless, in his national bestseller: Into the Wild. McCandless was always a unique and intelligent boy who saw the world differently. Into the Wild explores all aspects of McCandless’s life in order to better understand the reason why a smart, social boy, from an upper class family would put himself in extraordinary peril by living off the land in the Alaskan Bush. McCandless represents the true tragic hero that Aristotle defined. Krakauer depicts McCandless as a tragic hero by detailing his unique and perhaps flawed views on society, his final demise in the Alaskan Bush, and his recognition of the truth, to reveal that pure happiness requires sharing it with others.
Chris McCandless was still just a young man when he decided to drastically alter his life through the form of a child’s foolishness. However, Chris had not known at the time just how powerful his testimony against his father’s authority, society, or maybe even his own lifestyle was going to be revolutionary throughout not only Alaska,not even the lower 48, but the world. The story of Chris McCandless is a much talked about debate on topics of safety and preparedness in the wild, these things forever associated with the boy who was a little too eager for a death wish. Today, Chris is remember as a fool or a hero. The fool, a boy who allowed himself to be drowned in a fictional world inspired by his readings,dying because he ignored he was just a normal human being or the hero who set out to become something more.
There have been dozens of marginal characters who have ventured off into the world to find their purpose in life. John Mallon Waterman and Carl McCunn are just a few of the many who have taken part in this quest. Waterman was a mentally unstable hiker who died trying to hike the mountains of Denali. McCunn was another soulful explorer who photographed wildlife, but committed suicide after finding himself trapped in the depths of Brooks Range. But one man, Chris McCandless, lies in the center of these two adventurists. McCandless was neither mentally unstable, nor did he assume that someone would magically appear to save him. McCandless set off into the Alaskan depths to test himself, to find himself, and to free himself from society’s values.
Christopher Johnson McCandless, a.k.a Alexander Supertramp, “Master of his Own Destiny.” He was an intelligent young man who presented himself as alone but really he was never lonely. However, he believed that life was better lived alone, with nature, so he ventured off throughout western United States before setting off into Alaska’s wild unprepared where he died. Some may say he was naive to go off on such a mission without the proper food and equipment but he was living life the way he wanted to and during his travels he came across three people: Jan Burres, Ronald Franz, and Wayne Westerberg. McCandless befriended these people, it is believed that he made such a strong impression on them that their connection left them with strange feelings after finding out about McCandless’ death.
McKinley”( Author’s notes). Christopher McCandless wanted and eventually started a new life for himself in the wild, and no one heard from him or knew where he had went, not family not friends nobody. McCandless hitchhiked from Enderlin,North Dakota, Fairbanks, then to Alaska. Christopher McCandless was last seen by a guy named Jim Gallien on April
In a world of stress and lost hope, Chris McCandless departs on a memorable and horrific journey into alaska, but for the majority of his voyage he was known, not as Chris McCandless, but as Alexander Supertramp. The Sole reason he had changed his name to Alexander Supertramp is because his goal is to try to run away from his past and become the person he believed he really was. The question we are asking ourselves is why, Chris McCandless would he leave everything he had to go meandering off into the wilderness? As we've read chris has had enough of everything in his current situation especially relating to his parents and they're materialistic life and for that reason I believe chris just wanted to get away from everything and seek a type of freedom. The famous quote by Christopher McCandless that stated “happiness
McCandless is a very independent person, a person with high hopes, that has a lot of courage, and is a very brave man for going out by himself in the wild of Alaska of the Stampede Trail. Chris McCandless had a lot of courage on going to Alaska by himself at a young age. While Chris was at any city or anybody’s house, he was ready to go to Alaska. But while he was there, close to the end of his life, he left a note on the back of the bus saying, “S.O.S I need your help. I am injured, near death, and too weak to hike out of here i am all alone, this is no joke. In the name of god, please remain to save me. I am out collecting berries close by and shall return by evening. Thank you, Chris McCandless. August?” Chris McCandless was by himself at the time. He shows his courage because while by himself, he went back out even though he was near death. He went out for food. Food for his health. That shows how much courage he had for his trip. Chris McCandless encouraged many young men to ...