Thoreau And Mccandless: A Comparative Analysis

In contrast, Thoreau was much more mature, and he was aware of his limitations. He was not impulsive about his journey, and his house and lifestyle were well thought out. First of all, the purpose of Thoreau’s mission is in general different from Chris’s. Chris’s was an extreme test of his survival while Thoreau’s mission was a philosophical journey. All in all, Thoreau did not wish to expose himself to the elements to a severe extent. He just wanted to experience what life was like without technology, so he prepared in like manner. He took great care to prepare and maintain his living space. In fact, he took joy in his work. When he needed to clean his floor, he would place all the furniture out on the lawn, clean the floor and let it dry. To Thoreau, work was a time to meditate. This is why he said, “Housework was a pleasant pastime” (Thoreau 73). He enjoyed taking care of his house, and he was both methodical and relaxed about it. Thoreau discussed how he would hoe beans during his days, and how he never felt rushed into doing his work. His pace of life was so leisurely that some people in town thought it was lazy. This ability to calmly contemplate the world and meditate by himself shows …show more content…
Chris and Thoreau both enjoyed a natural and simplified lifestyle. While McCandless may be praised as a freethinker that a lot of people can sympathize with, he may not be as benign as he seems. He left his family, shunned everyone who cared about him, and was constantly angry about problems that didn’t even affect him. Even though Thoreau’s lifestyle seemed enlightening, Chris’s path shows a darker side to this idea. While it may be beneficial to get away from society for a while and be alone with one’s thoughts, complete and total isolation is never the answer. With this in mind, it’s always better to have the courage to face your problems head on and trust your loved