Marching to the Beat of a Different Drum
Existing isn’t the same as truly living. Chris McCandless, who would be about the age of my father, died at twenty-four. Prior to his death, he had the opportunity to truly live. All of his life, Chris’ parents managed his life for him, urging him to do things he didn’t want to do. Instead of going to law school, as his parents wished, he chose to abscond from their grip and dive into what he saw as the optimum lifestyle. Chris’ adventure allowed Chris to be himself, and although it ended in his death, the importance of the trip emanates through the pure joy he experienced in the last weeks he spent alive.
Chris’ vast intelligence allowed him to prepare as much as one trying to live his lifestyle …show more content…
Many say Chris ran away from his family, giving the impression that he lacks intelligence, but he yearned to follow his calling. As said by Henry David Thoreau, “No man ever followed his genius till it misled him. Though the results were bodily weakness, yet perhaps no one can say that the consequences were to be regretted” (Krakauer 47). Chris’ body degraded to a very extreme point; in addition, he also put himself in very dangerous situations regularly, an example being the trip to Mexico in the canoe. But, in reality, how is an outsider to properly judge whether Chris’ trip was a waste? Compared to the numerous pictures he took over the course of his excursion, he appeared to be having the time of his life, smiling brightly in every photo. Chris aspired to go to Alaska, and he did. He allowed himself to set society by the wayside and take care of himself finally. He did not reject society altogether, he simply left society with the intention to return. In the song “Society” by Jerry Hannan, he asks society to “have mercy on me, I hope you’re not angry if I disagree” (Hannan). Society’s greed perturbs Chris, urging him to have to have excursions in which he can relax and be on his own. He asks to be forgiven for his need to fulfill his yearning passion. As stated by James Joyce, “He was unheeded, happy, and near to the wild heart of life” (Krakauer 31). Chris’ happiness truly shone …show more content…
I just need truth." Chris desires to be true to himself, living in his lifestyle. He wants everyone to live life to what he sees fit, which is living with bare essentials. He sees life as an opportunity to connect with the earth and be yourself. Chris learned to be himself from a young age: “His teacher pulled us aside and told us that ‘Chris marches to a different drummer’” (Krakauer 107). Chris wanted to be himself from a young age, failing to do so until he graduated from college. Once he departed from college in his Datsun with the intentions of being a vagabond, Chris had essentially set himself free. Being a kid his entire life, he passionately preached his ideals to anyone willing to listen. He preached the ideas of giving up greediness and becoming one with nature, not flocking to the bus in which he perished and treating it as a tourist attraction. A trooper employed in the area of the bus said, “Obviously, there’s something that draws these people out here. It’s some kind of internal thing within them that makes them go out to that bus. I don’t know what it is. I don’t understand” (Saverin 2). “McCandless Pilgrims,” as labeled by
Existing isn’t the same as truly living. Chris McCandless, who would be about the age of my father, died at twenty-four. Prior to his death, he had the opportunity to truly live. All of his life, Chris’ parents managed his life for him, urging him to do things he didn’t want to do. Instead of going to law school, as his parents wished, he chose to abscond from their grip and dive into what he saw as the optimum lifestyle. Chris’ adventure allowed Chris to be himself, and although it ended in his death, the importance of the trip emanates through the pure joy he experienced in the last weeks he spent alive.
Chris’ vast intelligence allowed him to prepare as much as one trying to live his lifestyle …show more content…
Many say Chris ran away from his family, giving the impression that he lacks intelligence, but he yearned to follow his calling. As said by Henry David Thoreau, “No man ever followed his genius till it misled him. Though the results were bodily weakness, yet perhaps no one can say that the consequences were to be regretted” (Krakauer 47). Chris’ body degraded to a very extreme point; in addition, he also put himself in very dangerous situations regularly, an example being the trip to Mexico in the canoe. But, in reality, how is an outsider to properly judge whether Chris’ trip was a waste? Compared to the numerous pictures he took over the course of his excursion, he appeared to be having the time of his life, smiling brightly in every photo. Chris aspired to go to Alaska, and he did. He allowed himself to set society by the wayside and take care of himself finally. He did not reject society altogether, he simply left society with the intention to return. In the song “Society” by Jerry Hannan, he asks society to “have mercy on me, I hope you’re not angry if I disagree” (Hannan). Society’s greed perturbs Chris, urging him to have to have excursions in which he can relax and be on his own. He asks to be forgiven for his need to fulfill his yearning passion. As stated by James Joyce, “He was unheeded, happy, and near to the wild heart of life” (Krakauer 31). Chris’ happiness truly shone …show more content…
I just need truth." Chris desires to be true to himself, living in his lifestyle. He wants everyone to live life to what he sees fit, which is living with bare essentials. He sees life as an opportunity to connect with the earth and be yourself. Chris learned to be himself from a young age: “His teacher pulled us aside and told us that ‘Chris marches to a different drummer’” (Krakauer 107). Chris wanted to be himself from a young age, failing to do so until he graduated from college. Once he departed from college in his Datsun with the intentions of being a vagabond, Chris had essentially set himself free. Being a kid his entire life, he passionately preached his ideals to anyone willing to listen. He preached the ideas of giving up greediness and becoming one with nature, not flocking to the bus in which he perished and treating it as a tourist attraction. A trooper employed in the area of the bus said, “Obviously, there’s something that draws these people out here. It’s some kind of internal thing within them that makes them go out to that bus. I don’t know what it is. I don’t understand” (Saverin 2). “McCandless Pilgrims,” as labeled by