Taking an Individual Pathway in Life Chris McCandless, the main character of the book Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer, takes much inspiration from many transcendentalist works; during his travels out west, Chris reads Walden by Henry David Thoreau, and Chris acts on the quote “Let him step to the music he hears” (Applebee et al. 390) from Walden throughout his life. The quote means that a person should make actions and choices based on what they want to do, and those choices and actions do not have to fit society’s expectations. It is a quote that fits in the beliefs and values of transcendentalism, which encourages independence and discourages conformity. Chris has these same values, even at a young age. During school, Chris has to write physics
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Chris’s father says, “He told his boss that he had other plans.”(Krakauer 116) These plans are traveling across the country for the summer. While the company’s proposal would have been very enticing to many, Chris would rather spend his time exploring the country. He ends up making his own decision that is not influenced by general expectations or others opinions. After a few years of college, Chris makes another choice not unlike the one he made during high school; he donates the money that was going to pay for law school and leaves unannounced for the wilderness of the west. During his time wandering around different areas of the country, Chris is genuinely living for himself. By following his own path, he finds true happiness. He even gives a man he meets a letter with the advice to “have the courage to turn against our habitual lifestyle.”(Krakauer 57) Chris believes that sticking with conformity is no way to live and advises others to live their own way. He not only follows a lifestyle of independence and unconformity, but encourages others to do so as well. Chris is an accurate example of a person who steps “to the music he hears”. (Applebee et al. 390) He makes his own unique decisions in life which leads him to believing that
Chris’s father says, “He told his boss that he had other plans.”(Krakauer 116) These plans are traveling across the country for the summer. While the company’s proposal would have been very enticing to many, Chris would rather spend his time exploring the country. He ends up making his own decision that is not influenced by general expectations or others opinions. After a few years of college, Chris makes another choice not unlike the one he made during high school; he donates the money that was going to pay for law school and leaves unannounced for the wilderness of the west. During his time wandering around different areas of the country, Chris is genuinely living for himself. By following his own path, he finds true happiness. He even gives a man he meets a letter with the advice to “have the courage to turn against our habitual lifestyle.”(Krakauer 57) Chris believes that sticking with conformity is no way to live and advises others to live their own way. He not only follows a lifestyle of independence and unconformity, but encourages others to do so as well. Chris is an accurate example of a person who steps “to the music he hears”. (Applebee et al. 390) He makes his own unique decisions in life which leads him to believing that