Who Is Transcendentalism In Into The Wild

A shockingly tragic story of failed survival in the wilderness alongside a sad story of family turmoil left unresolved will spawn controversy over whether or not this sad tale was avoidable in the first place. This upsetting occurrence surrounding a young American hiker who separated from his family completely, never to be heard from again, raised concerns. The logic of the 24 year old Chris McCandless is heavily debated in terms of the mental health of the traveler. Many consider Chris was ill-prepared and irresponsible for cutting his connections and living under an alias. While there are some problems with the way Chris had handled his departure, the story that unfolds is an inspirational tale with many thematic elements supporting the idea of transcendentalism. However, this controversy has caused many to feel that the story is far less emotionally impactful because of Chris’s possible mental instabilities. This unfortunately renders the intended perception of the story to be less of a spiritual journey and more of a crazy man’s unfortunate fate. While Chris McCandless may be argued to …show more content…
McCandless’s parents, Walt and Billie, are complex characters, far from unflawed. Obviously, Chris had trouble understanding how Walt could live a double-life, having many children that intertwined back and forth between two women. Krakauer gradually reveals aspects of Chris’s life throughout the story. Krakauer eventually interacts with the McCandless family, furthering the emotional themes. Those that argue against Chris’s expedition, stating it was irresponsible and stupid, seem to be uneducated as to why Chris had departed in the first place. Chris felt a feeling of regret towards his childhood, unfortunately due to his father’s secret double life. While it may have smart to speak to his father to try to understand, rather than leaving so suddenly, this spurred the adventure that Chris was meant to embark