The Mccandless Road Journey

Road trip. When you hear this phrase, what comes to mind first? The most common answer would be the sights, sounds, or smells that come along with this journey. However, while these are undeniably a major component of a road trip, it is far from the focal point. “Certainly, travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living.” was said by Mary Ritter Beard, exemplifying this concept that travel (or any road trip) is about much more than the physical experience. One piece of literature that embodies this internal change caused by a road experience is Into the Wild by John Krakauer. Into the Wild is a non-fiction book based on the life of Christopher McCandless, an intelligent young man who devotes his life to finding his identity. While the physical experiences that McCandless experienced throughout his travels around the Western United States were life changing, the most powerful impact of this road trip was the effect it had on his view on life and of his own identity. Two other examples of road works that exemplify this character development are On the Road by Jack Kerouac and The …show more content…
McCandless was raised by two middle-class Caucasian parents in the suburbs of Virginia before he went on to study at at Emory University, earning high honors. However, throughout his childhood and early adulthood he developed a sharp opposition to the rising American materialism. McCandless rejected the importance being placed on material goods and wealth that had become increasingly popular amongst his peers. He decides that the life he currently lives is not providing him with happiness, so he sets out “on the road”. McCandless donates his life earnings to charity and embarks on a journey in search of happiness and his true identity, documenting his thoughts and actions in his