Blog #5

When I was told that I would have to read Into The Wild, a book about a crazy kid, who ran from civilization to become ‘one with nature’ like a crazed jungle man, was “Oh, God. Please no!” But, I soon began to become fond of Chris’ outlandish Alaskan adventure. The thought of a person surviving (more like perishing) off the land brought back memories of my childhood backyard survival adventures. The book was absolutely worth reading. It would have been more enjoyable if Krakauer had more information about Chris, rather than himself or the other misfortunate, senseless, and eccentric travelers. The book made me think of how we really do depend and adhere to modern technology. Most people would be disoriented and lost without their beloved iPhones, laptops, or game consoles. However, Chris is one of the exceptions to the rule. When he schemed of his departure, he did not second guess himself, he just left. Nowadays, we have lost touch with our primal roots. It also made me think of how everyone, no matter how many times they deny it, need interaction and human contact. Overall, it is a very good and interesting book. It is very deep and moving, but a serious note to take is: Do not go into the wild with ignorance and a lack of skill!

Krakauer illustrates that Chris McCandless was known to almost effortlessly make friends and acquaintances on his travels. What do I think of him? I feel that to like someone as a person, requires actually meeting someone, not reading about them. But, if I had gotten to know him before he met his demise, I would probably like him, as I like most people. Chris’ critics say that he is a narcissistic, ignorant, naïve, mentally ill idealist. I would have to say that I do agree that he is naïve and ignorant of survival, but I don’t believe he is narcissistic or mentally ill. I can somewhat see their reasoning behind the belief that he was a narcissist, but normal people just do not leave their family, without telling them, for no good reason. One reason for leaving could be that there was an emotional strain between Chris and his parents. Krakauer says that Chris’ father had made some mistakes in the past. He was not mentally ill because he was most likely an impressionable kid who dreamed of living out the stories of his favorite literary heroes, as Krakauer says. For those who knew Chris, or Alexander Supertramp, he was an intelligent, hardworking and overachieving young adult that loved to read, and often referenced everyday life to quotes from novels he had read. As the late Chris McCandless once said, “I HAVE HAD A HAPPY LIFE AND THANK THE LORD. GOODBYE AND MAY GOD BLESS ALL!”