Thoreau And Mccandless Comparison

Although Henry David Thoreau and Christopher McCandless lived in drastically different periods of time, both men shared similar beliefs about the world and its path to fulfillment. Thoreau and McCandless believed that nature was the remedy for a soul, and spent much time in nature embracing its beauty. While Thoreau lived by Walden Pond in a cabin with much comfort and the tools needed to survive, McCandless journeyed place to place carelessly with little supplies throughout his trip to the Alaskan Frontier. This crucial difference between the two expeditions is why Henry David Thoreau would perceive Chris McCandless as a foolish individual who was naive about the dangers of the great outdoors. This can be seen since Chris lacked what Thoreau …show more content…
Krakauer writes, "The only food in his pack was a ten-pound bag of rice. His gear seemed exceedingly minimal for the harsh conditions of the interior... Alex's cheap leather hiking boots were neither waterproof nor well insulated. His rifle was only a .22 caliber; a bore too small to rely on if he expected to kill large animals like moose and caribou, which he would have to eat if he hoped to remain very long in the country" (Krakauer, 5). From this quote, readers can see just how unprepared McCandless was for his expedition. Not only was he lacking a shelter in the Alaskan wilderness, but also an abundance of food to keep him healthy and nourished. McCandless also had poorly insulated boots, a recipe for disaster in the icy Alaskan wilderness. It is evident that McCandless lacked the food, shelter, clothing, and fuel which Thoreau deemed as the only necessities of life. Therefore, Thoreau would believe that McCandless was noble for pursuing a simplistic lifestyle in the direction of fulfillment, although also seeing him as being extremely foolish for following this image without the necessities of