Into the Wild, the intriguing novel by Jon Krakauer, deals with the tragically short life of Chris McCandless, who forsook the privileges of modern life to experience nature. He ventures into the Alaskan wilderness and consequently dies there. Chris was trying to discover the answer to his own soul in nature, but the wilderness is unfortunately cruel and it is not easy to accomplish this monumental task. People often attempt to find themselves in nature, but the wilderness is unforgiving and ferocious. Krakauer develops this theme through the use of real life examples in order to inform the reader about the dangerous and fascinating nature of the wilderness. Nature has a profound effect on man. The American wilderness holds a certain allure
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Waterman was by all accounts a successful outdoorsman. He climbed a formidable mountain and “…was hailed as a hero by the small fraternity of Fairbank climbers” (Krakauer 78). Waterman accomplished amazing feats through his connection to nature, but this was not enough. The answer to the riddle of the human soul could not be found and he was not at peace with himself. Krakauer writes, “Waterman discovered that instead of putting his demons to rest, success had merely agitated them” (Krakauer 78). No matter how great or amazing the wilderness may appear to be, it drives men to the brink of obsession and despair. Nature did not offer Waterman or Rosellini peace, it only gave them a desire for more until it overwhelmed …show more content…
Because of his obsession with nature, Chris accomplishes amazing feats much like Waterman. What separates McCandless from people like Gene Rosellini and John Waterman is the fact that Chris was not unsatisfied with his experiences, he took joy from them. Waterman’s experience in the wild only left him with a sense of emptiness and a desire for more. Likewise, Chris also wanted more, but he did not feel empty. The reality was quite the opposite, his life became fuller and better with each new experience, which caused him to seek out bigger and better adventures in the wild. While Chris is on these adventures, he writes, “It is the experiences, the great triumphant joy of living to the fullest extent in which real meaning is found. God it’s great to be alive!” (Krakauer 37). The American wilderness causes Chris to appreciate his life, every single part of it. Krakauer writes, “The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences…” (Krakauer 58). In this context, the “new experiences” that this passage mentions are the ones that involve experiencing the wild. The author is saying that the joys of life can be found in nature, Chris found a euphoric happiness by living in and experiencing the wilderness. Even when he is dying he takes a photograph of himself where he is smiling
Waterman was by all accounts a successful outdoorsman. He climbed a formidable mountain and “…was hailed as a hero by the small fraternity of Fairbank climbers” (Krakauer 78). Waterman accomplished amazing feats through his connection to nature, but this was not enough. The answer to the riddle of the human soul could not be found and he was not at peace with himself. Krakauer writes, “Waterman discovered that instead of putting his demons to rest, success had merely agitated them” (Krakauer 78). No matter how great or amazing the wilderness may appear to be, it drives men to the brink of obsession and despair. Nature did not offer Waterman or Rosellini peace, it only gave them a desire for more until it overwhelmed …show more content…
Because of his obsession with nature, Chris accomplishes amazing feats much like Waterman. What separates McCandless from people like Gene Rosellini and John Waterman is the fact that Chris was not unsatisfied with his experiences, he took joy from them. Waterman’s experience in the wild only left him with a sense of emptiness and a desire for more. Likewise, Chris also wanted more, but he did not feel empty. The reality was quite the opposite, his life became fuller and better with each new experience, which caused him to seek out bigger and better adventures in the wild. While Chris is on these adventures, he writes, “It is the experiences, the great triumphant joy of living to the fullest extent in which real meaning is found. God it’s great to be alive!” (Krakauer 37). The American wilderness causes Chris to appreciate his life, every single part of it. Krakauer writes, “The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences…” (Krakauer 58). In this context, the “new experiences” that this passage mentions are the ones that involve experiencing the wild. The author is saying that the joys of life can be found in nature, Chris found a euphoric happiness by living in and experiencing the wilderness. Even when he is dying he takes a photograph of himself where he is smiling