Identity is the primary catalyst of existence. Identity is derived from the independent exploration of the individual, a journey that shapes personality, belief systems and moral judgement within the person. To truly differentiate oneself from dependence on social configurations, complete independence must be attained, consciously dictating which attributes to retain from the dependent state and extrapolating additional desired traits from the subconscious nether. American culture embodies the spirit and determination of independent actions and ideologies. A society born from radical independence, American culture itself personifies unfettered identity, a freedom that extends itself into American Literature. American authors exemplify the granted rights of unencumbered transcendence of traditional thematic imprisonment. In Jon Krakauer’s introspective novel Into the Wild, the interwoven personal narrative of Jon’s identity search and the informal biography of Chris McCandless’ extensive exploration for his true identity challenges the conformist tendencies breached by both Americans.
