Professor and author Roderick Nash describes an ideal in which the wilderness serves as a place for those stressed over the actions of mankind to take refuge from everything occurring while remaining at peace with themselves. So much freedom exists in seclusion that it offers a stage on which humans have the opportunity to express themselves freely with “melancholy or exultation.” However, interactions with several elements of the outside community still have the ability to take place in the wild. While Nash correctly asserts that the simplicity of the wilderness helps the individual escape from society, one cannot possibly achieve complete freedom from man and his works.
Literature often uses a character’s thoughts to depict the craving for freedom in the wilderness. The experience of Chris McCandless from Into the Wild depicts a perfect representation of this concept. Through his motivated, adventurous, and intelligent, yet stubborn personality, McCandless …show more content…
I rode horses for most of my childhood, and at one point, I even owned my own horse. I trained this horse, making us inseparable. Most weekends, I rode bright and early into the mountains, without returning until near dark. Being in the complete solitude of nature with my horse became a favorite pastime for me. Yet now, after moving and leaving my companion behind, I rarely experience that isolation and peace. However, despite feeling so secluded in the mountains, I remained surrounded by traces of man’s inventions. My saddle and other riding gear, along with occasional metal scraps, overpasses, and cattle with tags in their ears, were necessary tools for me. Analogous to what Nash describes, I encountered the wilderness all alone, experiencing freedom from society, but there were still hints of modern times all around me that I could not
Literature often uses a character’s thoughts to depict the craving for freedom in the wilderness. The experience of Chris McCandless from Into the Wild depicts a perfect representation of this concept. Through his motivated, adventurous, and intelligent, yet stubborn personality, McCandless …show more content…
I rode horses for most of my childhood, and at one point, I even owned my own horse. I trained this horse, making us inseparable. Most weekends, I rode bright and early into the mountains, without returning until near dark. Being in the complete solitude of nature with my horse became a favorite pastime for me. Yet now, after moving and leaving my companion behind, I rarely experience that isolation and peace. However, despite feeling so secluded in the mountains, I remained surrounded by traces of man’s inventions. My saddle and other riding gear, along with occasional metal scraps, overpasses, and cattle with tags in their ears, were necessary tools for me. Analogous to what Nash describes, I encountered the wilderness all alone, experiencing freedom from society, but there were still hints of modern times all around me that I could not