Essays on Into the Wild

In the book” Into the Wild” Jon Krakauer told us many reasons why Chris McCandless left and what he was searching for. He was searching for truth and happiness. He loved nature and loved to be adventurous. And with going to the wild he would be able to be happy and find the truth. “ rather than love, than money, than faith, than fame, than fairness….give my truth”. And because of going to the wild, he was able to do what he loved. Even though it did not turn out how he expected it to. Towards the end of the book, Jon Krakauer mentioned the quote that Chris had written before he died. “ Happiness is only real, when shared”(189). He was looking for happiness but realized it's better when you share it with other people.

Into the Wild essay (350 words)

In the book, many people mention that Chris McCandless loved the wild. Such as Jim Gallien, Everett Ruess, Wayne Westerberg, Billie McCandless (his mom), and Walt McCandless (his dad). They explained how he was adventurous and because he loved nature so much that it was not a surprise that he wanted to go there. Jim Gallien gave him a ride and he explained what he was saying and how he was acting when he was riding with him. He explained that he was not carrying enough food or gear. “ he wasn't carrying anywhere near as much food and gear as you’d expect a guy to be carrying for that kind of trip”. I think Chris was more focused on finding happiness than realizing that he needed more food and gear to survive. In many of the letters, he wrote he says that the joy in life comes from having new experiences. “ The joy in life comes from our encounters with new experiences”. So to him being in the wild is a new experience. Chris also wanted other people to get out and experience new adventures, such as Ronald A. Franz. He told him to just do things and not to hesitate. “new adventures and experiences behind you. Don't hesitate or allow yourself to make excuses”(58). He wanted other people to do what he was doing and find happiness.

Chris McCandless was searching for happiness and truth. And he thought that going into the wild would give him it. That was because he loved the wild and he liked nature and what it brought to him. He often said in his notes that he loved the beauty of nature. “ The beauty of the country is becoming part of me”(91). Chris had many people he looked up to. Such as Henry David Thoreau, in his quotes, there was always a part that made us think of Chris. In one of his quotes, he says “ Nature was here something savage and awful, though beautiful”. Chris said nature was rough but fun and beautiful. And that was a reason why he loved it so much. It was challenging and that's what he loved most about it.

Into the Wild essay (550 words)

I believe that Chris McCandless’s journeys and adventures were pointless. I don’t think that surviving a near-death experience makes you a better person. Chris McCandless took advantage of the life his parents made for him. He was going to a college all paid for. His dad was a wealthy man that supported his family always. He had no reason to go into the wild and cause this burden on his family. He was being selfish and inconsiderate to his family. He only thought about himself and didn’t realize the effect he would make. McCandless was a lot more privileged than some people. At this time being a college student and having twenty-four thousand dollars in your bank account was considered being wealthy.

“He changed his name, gave an entire balance of a twenty-four-thousand-dollar savings account to charity, abandoned his car and most of his possessions, burned all the cash in his wallet.” (authors note) He had more money than most people yet, he is burning his money and giving it to charity. He, later on, accepts money from people who are less fortunate than his family. Instead of giving his away, he could have just used his own. This also reflects on his selfish personality. Chris didn’t even think twice about how his family would feel. He didn’t leave a note or even give them heads about where he was going. They thought he was missing and had no idea what had happened to him. I think if you are selfish enough to cause that hurt and stress on your parents you are a terrible person. Even if Chris didn’t have that good of a relationship with his family, he should still have the respect and courtesy to let them know. “He never said much about any of them except Carine, his little sister. He said they were pretty close. Said she was beautiful, that when she walked down the street, guys would turn their heads and stare.” (pg. 63)

He is this close with his sister and he doesn’t even care to tell her. I couldn’t even imagine just leaving my family and sisters like that. Chris and Shakur are similar in many ways. They both got lost in the wild. Chris’s wild being the actual wilderness and Shakur’s wild was the streets. The difference is Shakur was doing this for his family. He was going into the streets to get inspiration for his lyrics that would soon make him enough money to support his family. “There Shakur took to the streets, selling drugs and becoming involved in the gang culture that would one day provide material for his rap lyrics.”

Even though he isn’t going down the best path with selling the drugs and things like that, he is supporting his family and making music for millions of people to enjoy. Chris is very uncaring and doesn’t look back once he leaves. Overall, these are the reasons I do not find Chris McCandless a hero. He has done nothing that is heroic and didn’t impress me in any way. What he did is pathetic and shameful to his family. It is very selfish because he has everything a kid at that time could ask for and he took advantage of the opportunities that he could of had.  

Into the Wild essay (1000 words)

Chris McCandless wasn't a crazy, insane, or reckless person. He was smart and adventurous and ready to change his life. The characteristics and way he chose to live his life are very similar to many other outcasts, rebels, and extremists. For me, Sitting Bull is very similar in both extreme and small ways. However, they also have many differences between their lives.

Chris McCandless grew up in Annandale, Virginia in a normal American suburb. Sadly, his life was nothing but normal. He lived with his mother, Wilhelmina 'Billie' McCandless and his father, Walter 'Walt' McCandless, and had a younger sister. He also had six half-siblings from his father's first marriage that lived with their mother(red). Oddly, his father was very involved with both families and the author of Into the Wild speculated how this could have affected Chris’s life. Chris McCandless always took care of his sister and she was the only person that he talked to about how much he hated their parents(blue). Once he graduated from college he had a plan to leave society and travel out in the world on his own(book). As he journeyed throughout the United States he encountered many people that he inspired and also inspired him. In the end when he died in Alaska he had accepted his death and was happy with the way he lived the last part of his life.

The extremist that I believe is both similar and different compared to Chris McCandless is a Hunkpapa Lakota leader name Sitting Bull(red). Sitting Bull was a great native-American chief that leads his people through many battles, wars, and was very spiritual. Some of the battles that he won with the Sioux tribe were after gold was discovered in their land in the mid-1870s (black). One of the most famous and important parts of Sitting Bull’s life was when he danced consecutively for 36 hours at a Sun Dance ceremony. During this ceremony, Sitting Bull showed signs of sacrifice as he was dancing by slashing his arms and did not drink any water during this dance. Once the spiritual ceremony had ended, Sitting Bull had received a vision that showed him and his people defeating an American army (blue). Just as his life was shaped by his past, Chris McCandless also changed his life because of his past.

Chris McCandless and Sitting Bull had many parts of their lives that shaped and made them who they were and how people now remember them. Chris was a very outgoing person who was intelligent, stubborn and inspiring to many people(book). Sitting Bull also has these traits as he used his intelligence to lead his people, used his spirituality to guide his people, and refused to accept or surrender to the American Government. Chris McCandless also disliked the government as he believed they were trying to control them. Another part of their lives that was similar was that they both changed their names. In the book Into the Wild the author, Krakauer said how Chris McCandless changed his name to Alexander Supertramp once he left his home, donated all his money, and got rid of all his personal stuff(book). Sitting Bull when he was young had different names. When he was born he was named Jumping Badger and nicknamed Hunkesi (Slow) because of how he was careful and had an unhurried nature (red). Eventually, he has his name changed to Sitting Bull when he was fourteen and showed bravery when he had joined his first war part. Even though Sitting Bull was famous during his life and Chris McCandless became famous after his death, they both had a great impact in people's lives in both similar and different ways.

While Chris McCandless and Sitting Bull had many parts of the lives that are the same there are many parts that are very different. One major part of their lives that is different is how they saw their fathers. For Chris McCandless, he hated his father as he told his sister in letters. His father did not give him anything to look up to because he had two families that he was involved with. Completely different from Chris's life, Sitting Bull looked up to his father who was the chief before him. Sitting Bull desired to be just like his father and eventually received his name after showing his bravery (blue). The way that Chris McCandless and Sitting Bull inspired people is also different. For example, Sitting Bull inspired his people with his bravery in battle, his intelligence to keep his people and their land safe and spiritual through all their ceremonies. Chris inspired all the people he meets on his journey either with his ideas on how people should live their lives without worrying about society and money. One of the people he inspired the most, as said in the book Into the Wild, was a man named Ronald Franz who Chris McCandless has an instant connection. After Chris left Franz for the last time he mentioned that Franz should go and live on his own in a trailer which he did for months until he heard of Chris's death. One of the main ways they were different was how they grew up and lived most of their lives. Sitting Bull grew up in a tribe in the North American Great Plains and learned how to hunt and survive in the wild since he was born. For him, this was how you live and he kept living this way until he died, even after he became famous and could have been rich. This life is completely different compared to Chris McCandless. For Chris, he grew up in a suburban neighborhood with his family. He lived in a house with electricity, running water, electricity, and so much more than Sitting Bull didn't have. Chris never learned how to survive on his own and wasn't prepared to go live on his own in the wild. With all the difference, they were both great men.

Both Chris McCandless and Sitting Bull were great men who inspired and helped people in different and similar ways.