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Essay on chris mccandless adventures
Narrative character sketch of Christopher McCandless
Christopher mccandless tragic hero
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In Jon Krakauer’s non-fiction novel Into the Wild, the well-off, upper-middle-class, Chris McCandless disappears donating all of his savings to charity and hitchhiking to Alaska to live off the land, but 119 days later he is found having starved to death at the age of 24. Chris McCandless was and still is a very heavily discussed topic due to the mysteries his death. His “Great American Odyssey” was short, but lack of divulging his plan to anyone else left it in a shroud of guesswork and minimal evidence. But despite that, there is just enough evidence to show that Chris McCandless was for the most part, at fault for his own death despite good and bad luck along the way. There is a strong claim on the other hand, that McCandless’ death was …show more content…
After deciding to come to Lake Mead, Chris “[ignores] posted warnings that off-road driving is strictly forbidden, [and] steer[s] the Datsun off the pavement where it crossed a broad sandy wash”(27).Others argue that because the rain is what destroyed McCandless’ car that it could not be his fault. Be as that may, there were signs and warnings posted which warned of the exact thing that happened to him, but even after storm clouds and rain approach McCandless’ arrogance forces him to ignore these signs and when the water inevitably does come he only has enough time to save his possessions and his car becomes a casualty. After the water from the flood dies down and the car is unsubmerged, the car was unharmed, but the flood had “got the engine wet, so wet that when McCandless tried to start the car soon thereafter, the engine wouldn’t catch, and in his impatience, he drained the battery”(28). Chris’ car was full of supplies and could have easily gotten him to Alaska faster and maybe before winter, which would have made gathering plants and food easier. The loss of his car, however, is usually chalked up to be out of Chris’ control because of the unpredictable rain. Realistically though, even if the flood hit his car and it was not his fault for driving into a flood area, in the end, the real reason his car was lost was because of his …show more content…
He was extremely admirable for the sake that he had the courage to live out his dream. He said he would live off of the land for 100 days and he did. Most people always have that dream vacation, the goal or rite of passage that they always say they will do. But when the opportunity arrives for them to achieve their dream, they shy away at the first sign of risk. And Chris followed through and knew he was going to live out his dream or die
Many people thought that Chris had no idea what he was doing and that he was very unprepared. In an article, written by Peter Christian, an Alaska Park Ranger, he talks about how Chris was unprepared for his trip: “First off, he spent very little time learning how to actually live in the wild. He arrived at the Stampede Trail without even a map of the area. If he had a good map he could have walked out of his predicament using one of several routes that could have been successful. …A bag of rice and a sleeping bag do not constitute adequate gear and provisions for a long stay in the wilderness.” Christian believed that Chris was very unprepared and if he would have had a map, he could have made it out of the wild alive. No one really knows if Chris could have, indeed, made it out using the map. But it could have helped him find one of three cabins located within a few miles of the bus. Christian also points out that a bag o...
But two days after Chris had set up camp beside Lake Mead ,an unusually robust wall of thunderheads reared up in the afternoon sky ,it began to rain really hard .This resulted in a flash flood , and Chris was forced to abandon his car there and endure the rest of his trip on foot .But instead of feeling agitated over this turn of events ,Chris felt exhilarated .He saw this as an prospect to abandon all his necessary baggage, before burning down the remaining of his 123 dollars. In contrast to McCandless , the modern day society seems to be shallow and covetous .What Supertramp was living was a non-materialistic and a truly spiritual one and requires a lot of courage . He was like a monk of the road and a very American character in the transcendental tradition which we have lost. It is gloomy that our collective patience has shrinked to 20 seconds and 255 characters .What Chris had was a lot of patience and an astonishing ability to be alone .The loneliness alone would have done most of us in. We all live our relatively safe, predictable lives. What is amazing is that he made it so far .While he may have gone way too far, most of us don't go anywhere in this adventure called
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.
All of Chris’ “misfortunes” can actually be traced back to his own arrogance and short-sightedness that put him in the proximity of chance. After deciding to come to Lake Mead, Chris “[ignores] posted warnings that off-road driving is strictly forbidden, [and] steer[s] the Datsun off the pavement where it crossed a broad sandy wash”(27).Others argue that because the rain is what destroyed
He could 've even kept the money and go into town and what not to buy some food incase he couldn 't hunt anymore. I say that it is very ironic since Chris McCandless had donated all of his money to the hungry, and burned some of it too, yet he had died from starvation instead of keeping it and buying the food. A good example to why Chris did not use common sense is from Jessica Duling and she states “Chris McCandless was unprepared in more ways than one”, “why would anyone intending to live off the land for a few months, forget Boy Scout rule number one: Be Prepared”. I strongly agree with Jessica because the only thing that chris did to learn on how to live in the wild was buy a book on different types of plants and which ones are poisonous and which ones are not. I believe that if Chris had used a little common sense he would 've at least told his parents or brought a map or maybe look up how Alaska acts during the winter through the summer and maybe he might still be living till this
As Chris became more fascinated with the wilderness, he increasingly became indifferent towards different aspects of his life. Chris’ operation prior to embarking in the wilderness was fruitless because he lacked the sufficient and valuable preparations. Furthermore, it is appropriate to say that the actions that he took were beyond heedless: “He spent very little time learning how to actually live in the wild” (Christian 1). Practice makes perfect is a common proverb that echoes throughout society but was unfortunately missing from Chris’ life. Chris’ enthusiasm towards nature prevented him from making a logical decision of having sufficient experience with the wilderness itself. Ultimately, Chris was an oblivious person because he commenced into the wilderness with meager supplies. However, Chris failed at entering his excursion with sufficient preparations: “He left the map in Gallien’s truck, along with his watch, his comb, and all his money, which amounted to 85 cents” (2). By leaving his belongings in Gallien’s truck, Chris made an extremely absurd decision. More specifically, he disabled any possibility for him to receive immediate assistance when his health began declining rapidly. Finally, individuals should prioritize rationality in certain situations because it is crucial for them to use when they are blinded by a
Although he was rash, untutored in the ways of the backcountry, and incautious to the point of foolhardiness, he wasn’t incompetent-he wouldn’t have lasted 113 days if he were and he wasn’t a nutcase...McCandless was pilgrim, perhaps”(84). Because McCandless was a believer during the whole duration to his destination, when he died he was at peace with himself and the life that he was given the privilege to live. He no longer was worrying about his father’s betrayal ways, and his mother’s childlike mind. McCandless got what he asked for, and that was to live and to die alone after achieving his dream. Before Chris was at his final ends of life, he took his last breaths to thank god and send everyone his blessings(199). Chris McCandless was born to be an overachiever and died taking pride in who he knew he was and what he had done. He’s more than just a hitchhiker, he’s a
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.
Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer, is a true story of the mysterious death and journey of a talented twenty-four year old Christopher McCandless. He was raised in a wealthy family and was given plenty of life opportunities, but one day decides to turn his back on everything he had in life. After graduating Emory University in 1990, Chris decided he wanted to hitchhike across the country into the Alaskan wilderness. He gave away his bank savings to charity, abandoned his car, and burned all his cash and belongings leaving no trace of Chris . McCandless then changes his name and identity, and goes by the name of “Alex McCandless”.
Chris is not a hero because he went into his journey unprepared, uneducated about the area, and without any help. In Kleinfield’s “McCandless: Hero or Dumb Jerk” article, Kleinfield tells us what the native Alaskans say about about McCandless. “You'd have to be a complete idiot, they say, to die of starvation in summer 20 miles off the Parks Highway.” The Alaskans who say this about Chris are natives to the area and know everything there is to know about it. They...
The book Into the Wild, written by Jon Krakauer, is about a man named Chris McCandless who died of starvation in the Alaskan wild. Chris wanted to get away from society especially his parents, who were keeping a big secret from him. He absconded to Alaska to try to live off the land, and survive the wild. It is sad to say that he did not survive, and the Krakauer decided to write about Chris’s life to try to understand why he died the way he died. After reading the author’s article about Chris, many people thought that Chris was crazy. One of those readers was Shaun Callarman and stated “ He made a lot of mistakes based on arrogance.” Chris McCandless is a crazy person where he let his pride and emotions overrule all the decisions he made.
“Into the Wild” is a famous novel based on a true story written by Jon Krakauer. He actually wrote an article about a young Emory graduate Chris McCandless death. Later, he deeply investigates those facts which exactly led McCandless to a mysterious and miserable end. Story covers all the important aspects from the poor boy’s life including his family history. Author throughout the story remind the readers that McCandless’s adventure ends tragically. Chris McCandless was a very gifted athlete and scholar who belong to a rich family. He was an intelligent, idealistic young man who believes that to live alone in wilderness is the best option to live. He spends two years in disguise before going to Alaska where he died because of starvation.
Chris McCandless did intend on killing a part of himself as he ventured into Alaska; however, he didn’t want to kill his physical self. Based on evidence found in Jon Krakauer’s novel, Into the Wild, one can see that any suicidality that Chris possessed was merely metaphorical. In relation to how Chris McCandless spoke about the future, how he spent so much time on his journey, and his intent to better his life on his expedition, one can conclude that he was not suicidal. After encountering various people on his journey, Chris often conversed with them about reconnecting at a later date.
Although Chris McCandless may have lived somewhat of a troubled life, his decision to leave his family, as well as everything he owns, was extremely selfish. It was no doubt that Chris was a very intelligent person, but when he went into the wild with very few necessities, he made a fatal mistake. While his death was tragic, it could have been prevented had he not been he not been so conceited. Most people think of Chris as a hero, but he was actually extremely naive and ignorant to what he was getting himself into.
After, seeing the film Into the Wild and saw McCandless great journey it made me think about life more from very different perspectives. Some people wouldn’t understand why Chris McCandless went on this journey, but he did this so