Jon Burge

Transcendentalism is a very formal word that describes a very simple idea. People have equal knowledge about themselves (ushistory.org). Following these Transcendentalist ideas is a young adventurer named Christopher McCandless-the main character in Jon Krakauer 's book, Into the Wild. Based on a true story of Christopher McCandless, a high achieving University…

to kill so the fact that people are willing to rush in and (hopefully) save you in daring. The surfers life is on the line but the jet ski person is also in grave danger as well if they get knocked off the jet ski. Into the Wild a book written by Jon Krakauer shows traits of when one will survive at all costs. Chris McCandless, the main character from the book, decides that he would give up everything and live as a minimalist essentially. This decision is an odd one and a path that few have…

On April 28, 1992, Chris McCandless stepped foot into the woods, a journey that would last four months, coming to an end much earlier than he would’ve hoped. In August of 1992, just four months after Chris walked alone into the wild, his perishing body was found by a party of moose hunters. Chris went into the wild hoping to get away from corrupt society and to live a transcendentalist lifestyle. His bold journey was going well until he made a silly mistake when he came across seeds from the…

his material objects, carrying only what he could carry on his back, to hitchhike to Alaska where he believed happiness could be achieved through complete absorption in nature. McCandless’s method of attaining happiness is often criticized, seen in Jon Krakauer’s Into the Wild, for being “reckless” (Krakauer Author’s Note), as McCandless’s journey North evidently led to his premature death. While McCandless’s…

Studying the motivations of humanity, American Literature analyzes the positive and negative effects of fearing the unknown. Terror and panic brought on by fear are more paralyzing than any other feeling within the human range of emotions. American Authors assess behavioral changes caused by the crippling fear of the unknown, ranging from personality shifts, to reckless behavior, investigating the way fear affects different individuals. Tim O’Brien uses his war book The Things They Carried to…

Jon Krakauer’s nonfiction narrative Into The Wild is about 22-year-old, college graduate Chris Mccandless who leaves on a two-year adventure on the road and long time dream to live off the Alaskan Wild, so he can find himself and so he did. McCandless burned all identification, donated his life savings of $25,000 to charity, left everything behind including his family, and hit the road and made his final destination in the Alaskan Wild for 110 days before he died of starvation and was found 19…

Purpose: In Into the Wild, while Jon Krakauer shows the consequences of choosing living differently, he clarifies that Chris McCandless’s different life philosophy results in his overall happiness. Jon Krakauer uses Into the Wild to show that being ambitiously different causes overall happiness for the individual. McCandless believes happiness is connected with new experiences; therefore, the key to a happy life is to consistently go through change and chose a different life style (Krakauer…

ideas: Individual, Nature, and God. This quote illustrates how each individual is created for their own unique purpose, each finding their unique niche that will flood their souls with happiness. In the nonfictional book, Into the Wild (1997), author Jon Krakauer sheds light on Chris (Alexander Supertramp) McCandless’ life ending adventure. Krakauer develops his enlightenment through interviews, personal experiences, and visiting the location of where McCandless died. Although many do not agree,…

Into the Wild Summer Reading 1. Was Chris McCandless’ death a “foolish, pointless, death” (71)? Did he lack “the requisite humility” to go into the wild (72)? Explain. While it appears reasonable to throw McCandless into the “cliché” of people who wandered into the wilderness without a clue of what’s to come, it is at the same time harsh to say that his death is worth no more than a killing on the street. Due to the means of his death, it would be more appropriate to call it “untimely,” as there…

A shockingly tragic story of failed survival in the wilderness alongside a sad story of family turmoil left unresolved will spawn controversy over whether or not this sad tale was avoidable in the first place. This upsetting occurrence surrounding a young American hiker who separated from his family completely, never to be heard from again, raised concerns. The logic of the 24 year old Chris McCandless is heavily debated in terms of the mental health of the traveler. Many consider Chris was…