Jenna Fiamingo Fiamingo1
Reds
29 March 2010
Chris Walks Into Remembrance
By: Jenna Fiamingo
Have you ever lived in the wild for 119 days? Most people would think it is crazy to do something like that. Chris McCandless did something that would one day take his life. Chris was an average man who was very intelligent and decided to go live in the wild. He had many challenges and went through many obstacles. Chris lived out in the wild to find his true self and to explore the earth that he lived on. In this essay you will learn about the journey, aftermath, and his effect on the people he met during his trip into the wild. In my point of view, Chris is a hero who went into the wild despite his critics; and he accomplished what he wanted to do all within himself.
Chris McCandless was not a crazy man who wanted to live in the wilderness. Chris had morals and values that he abided to in everything he did. He was an intelligent and warm-hearted man. Chris is not crazy despite all the negative criticism he gets about living in the wild. Chris did what he did because it was something he wanted to do and no one would ever tell Chris that he could not do something. Everything Chris did, it was his choice. People cannot assume that Chris is crazy because he wanted to take an adventure. “Alex could really play. I mean he was good. We were all blown away by it” (Krakauer 68). Ask yourself, why such an intelligent man would want to go live in the wilderness just for living there. A person that had a good education and was good in sports, would not turn crazy and want to go live in the woods. Chris obviously went out there to live for an experience that he always wanted to accomplish. Chris McCandless had a lot of talent, smarts, and had a great heart. Do you think he would want to be known as the crazy man who lived in the wild? He accomplished many great things, how could he be considered less than what he deserves.
The reason Chris went into the wild is unknown, but we think from his journal that it was because of his family. Chris loved his sister and extended family a lot, but did not like his parents very much. His parents never spent time with him or his sister, and Chris was very hurt by not feeling loved by his parents. Walt and Billie, his parents, would always work from morning to the night. Chris was really close to his sister, because she was the only person he could really talk to. They did everything together. Once Chris found out about his father’s affair, he was even more hurt. Chris had enough of the materialistic and no loyalty in his life. I believe that is another factor in him going into the wild. Chris felt betrayed by his parents. He was very strong and brave for doing what he did. Chris never gave up and did what he thought was best. Chris wanted to start a new life for himself. He wanted to do things on his own. “I think it was one of the reasons why we were so close. We learned to count on each other when Mom and Dad weren’t getting along”(107). Chris depended on his sister for comfort, and then he had finally had enough. Chris did not want his family to find him; he was done with the family troubles.
In my point of view, I think that Chris did not want to be prepared. Chris also did not want his parents or anyone else to find him, because then he knew they would try to persuade him to come back. He wanted to experience truly living in the wild. In order to do that he had to leave everything and create a new life for himself. “To symbolize the complete severance from his previous life, he even adopted a new name. No longer would he answer to Chris McCandless; he was now Alexander Supertramp, master of his own destiny”(23). Chris’s life was now in the hands of himself. He could do whatever he wanted whenever he wanted. No one could tell him to do anything. He was also refreshed and ready for his new adventure. He wanted to experience an actual life or death adventure. Chris left everything he had behind and wanted to start new. He left his car at a National Park with “the doors unlocked, a Gianini guitar, saucepan with $4.93 in loose change, a football, bag of old clothes, twenty-five pounds of rice, and the keys in the glove compartment”(26). The only thing Chris had was a ten pound bag of rice and his full backpack. He burnt all his money in his wallet and left everything else in his car. Chris did not want to be prepared. All his life he had nice things, and finally he did not want that anymore. Chris wanted to survive on his own.
I think that Chris McCandless was a great guy. He accomplished many things and was a graduate at Emory University. Chris always had a good personality, had friends, was good in sports, and had an effect on everyone he met. On his journey, he changed the lives of many people, such as, Wayne Westerberg, Ron Franz, and Jan and Bob Burres. Chris taught them to have a new perspective on life. He was a very inspirational person and wanted to have an effect on everyone he met. I would have to agree with all the things that are positive about Chris. Chris was not a man who was stupid and did stupid things. People who think Chris is a wacko are wrong about him. His critics are making negative remarks about him, and they know nothing about his background. Chris was not the only person who ever went into the wild either. Critics have said “entering the wilderness purposefully ill-prepared, and surviving a near-death experience does not make you a better human, it makes you damn lucky”(71). Chris did not want to be lucky; he wanted to do this for himself and no one else. He wanted to take the adventure, so no one should worry about someone they don’t even know. Chris does not deserve the negative criticism that was told about him. He was just like anyone else; he just wanted to have a new start. I guess helping others and doing something for your self is wrong in today’s society.
During Chris McCandless’s journey, Chris was on his own. He made his own decisions, met new people, discovered new techniques, and learned how to survive on his own. His life before was the main factor of him going into the wild. Chris also wanted to show people that he could do it. He was not prepared for a reason, had enough of his family, was not crazy, and did this to find his true self. Readers, you should be on the side that you think is right. Would you rather be on the side of Chris that was an average guy who wanted adventure, or the side of him who people thought was crazy and dumb for living in the wild. Think about Chris and what he did while you’re making your decision. Think about the decision that Chris deserves for his bravery and courageous journey. “Into the Wild” will give you a greater perspective on life and how it is in your own hands.
Works Cited
Krakauer, Jon. Into The Wild. 1996
