In 1996, Jon Krakauer published a nonfiction book called Into the Wild. Into the Wild, is a true story about a man named Chris McCandless who is a young Emory graduate who is found dead in the Alaskan forest around September 1992. McCandless grew up very wealthy living with his parents, he was into sports and a very good student. After he graduated from high school, he spent summer alone on a road trip across the country. After from graduating from college, McCandless gets dropped off by Mt.McKinley and hikes into the wilderness. He then spends the next 16 weeks in the mountains. He was successful for the most part. Whereas Chris McCandless worked to earn money in between adventures, Chris is a transcendentalist given that Chris was self reliant and he had his own individual vision on success.
Chris McCandless is a transcendentalist because he had his own individual vision on success.“...it was important for him to see how independent he could be.” (Krakauer 125). This quote shows the side of Chris that he is testing himself, not only for the aspects of independence and solitude but for his experience out there in the wilderness. While out there Chris McCandless saw it as black and white, but not as a good thing. Even after all the discoveries Chris had made during his adventure, he didn’t ever get the chance to tell his family of the self-discoveries he made, the adventures he had, and the new out look he had about himself. “According to the moral absolutism that characterizes McCandless's beliefs, a challenge in which a successful outcome is assured isn't a challenge at all.” (182) Even though Chris’s death probably could have been avoided, he still achieved what he wanted. The definition of ‘self-reliance’ in the webster dictionary is: reliance upon one’s own efforts and abilities. Since Chris made sure everything was his own efforts and the success of his abilities, he stayed true to self-reliance throughout his journey. He went into the wilderness not primarily to ponder the outdoors, but to explore who he really was. The only way Krakauer would believe that his way of life would have been meaningful is that he had to do what he wanted for himself, not anyone else. He did everything he set out to achieve, even though it may not be what other people think is success, it was his own vision. While in traveling in the woods, Chris …show more content…
Emerson wrote “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” Chris wanted the unwanted, he didn’t want what everyone else had, he decided to make his own path and do something that no one else has done before. He basically followed transcendental beliefs. He was willing to live his life by his intuition which is exactly what Emerson and Thoreau said. “Nature always wears the color of the spirit.”(Emerson) This explains Chris well because he loved to be outdoors, he left his whole life just to be outdoors. Although I found Chris leaving his family and other things back at home very foolish, I love the courage not to only stand out from others, but to do something someone has never done before. Self-reliance describes Chris perfectly. Chris did not care if people understood him or not.. This shows that Chris is a great example of
Chris McCandless is a transcendentalist because he had his own individual vision on success.“...it was important for him to see how independent he could be.” (Krakauer 125). This quote shows the side of Chris that he is testing himself, not only for the aspects of independence and solitude but for his experience out there in the wilderness. While out there Chris McCandless saw it as black and white, but not as a good thing. Even after all the discoveries Chris had made during his adventure, he didn’t ever get the chance to tell his family of the self-discoveries he made, the adventures he had, and the new out look he had about himself. “According to the moral absolutism that characterizes McCandless's beliefs, a challenge in which a successful outcome is assured isn't a challenge at all.” (182) Even though Chris’s death probably could have been avoided, he still achieved what he wanted. The definition of ‘self-reliance’ in the webster dictionary is: reliance upon one’s own efforts and abilities. Since Chris made sure everything was his own efforts and the success of his abilities, he stayed true to self-reliance throughout his journey. He went into the wilderness not primarily to ponder the outdoors, but to explore who he really was. The only way Krakauer would believe that his way of life would have been meaningful is that he had to do what he wanted for himself, not anyone else. He did everything he set out to achieve, even though it may not be what other people think is success, it was his own vision. While in traveling in the woods, Chris …show more content…
Emerson wrote “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” Chris wanted the unwanted, he didn’t want what everyone else had, he decided to make his own path and do something that no one else has done before. He basically followed transcendental beliefs. He was willing to live his life by his intuition which is exactly what Emerson and Thoreau said. “Nature always wears the color of the spirit.”(Emerson) This explains Chris well because he loved to be outdoors, he left his whole life just to be outdoors. Although I found Chris leaving his family and other things back at home very foolish, I love the courage not to only stand out from others, but to do something someone has never done before. Self-reliance describes Chris perfectly. Chris did not care if people understood him or not.. This shows that Chris is a great example of