Chris McCandless

McCandless wanted to live an independent and self-reliant life. As a child, he grew up in a materialistic and dysfunctional family. Although he had a close relationship with his sister, Carine, Chris preferred isolating himself. It was unimaginably difficult for Chris to have a relationship with his father after he had found out about his father's second family. Chris's mother, Billie, didn't have much of a relationship with him either.For Chris, being alone was normal and part of his very day routine. As he got older he wanted more and more to live on his own and be in the wild. Chris and his family would go to the mountains every year to visit which gave Chris this love for nature. He wanted to live in his own Utopia, in the wild. McCandless wasn't careless or delusional. He was determined, and focused on his task at hand; to, in his own words, â€Å"no longer be poisoned by civilization, and walk alone to become lost in the wild. He met many people through-out his travels owards Alaska, but didn't stay too long to become attached to them. On April 28, 1992, James Gallien gave Christopher McCandless a ride to the Stampede Trail in Alaska where Christopher set out to begin in Journey into the wild. This was the last date that anyone ever saw Christopher McCandless alive. Walking into Denali National Park with a . 22 caliber rifle and a 10 pound bag of rice isn't necessarily ridiculous, but expecting to survive an entire summer off nothing but the land and wild game certainly is.Chris read many books by his favorite, Jack London being one. Jack wrote a book about the wild and the dangers of being in it, which is where Chris got some inspiration from. Chris carved the phrase â€Å"Jack London is king† in a tree stump near his campsite.. Chris writing that phrase shows that his quest went farther than finding himself. Chris wanted a connection with nature. He did what he was striving for and although his ending was tragic, he still did it by himself and w ithout anyone or anything. Chris McCandless Mishandles was not crazy, he wasn't stupid, and he defiantly was not looking for a way to die. Although some may think of them as selfish, he had his reasons for packing up his few belongings, leaving his family and walking â€Å"Into the Wild. † The death of Chris Mishandles was an accidental tragedy. Chris and his dad never really got along (Source One. ) They were both stubborn making it impossible to agree on anything. They both always had to be right. Chris decided to be â€Å"the bigger person† though and stick to his mother and fathers plan for IM through college.He TLD complain and he even visited them occasionally throughout his college career. He loved his family, but he couldn't handle being around them anymore. He had kept all his anger and frustration built up inside of him and his only option was to leave. He never intended to hurt his family. He just needed some time away. Chris needed some time to cool off and forget about his family troubles. Once he fo und out about his father's marriage problems, forgetting about his family problems seemed impossible.In Chrism's mind getting as far away room his dad and his family as possible was the best option. The only option. So that's what he did. He didn't mean to hurt his family or himself In any way. Some believe that Chrism's family problems had gotten the best of him and that he was ready to put an end to his life. It is ignorant to think that because he went into the Alaskan wilderness completely prepared for the amount of time that he planned on staying there. Even though Source One never mentions Chris having a map, Source two says â€Å"Counter to the portrayal in the Krause book and Penn film, ChrisMishandles carried ‘Into the wild' a wallet with multiple sources of Identification and $300 In cash. As well as a map. † If Chris had Intended to die while he was out there he wouldn't have taken the money, the ID, and especially not the map. Source One says that Chris went to the local Alaska university library to research edible plants and berried that he could gather and eat. If he didn't plan on surviving then he wouldn't have been worried about eating. He took a gun and bullets with him too. He was well equipped to get food and seemed like he planned on surviving.In Chrism's Journal entries In August he wrote that hothouse he had accomplished his goal to live In the Alaskan wilderness and thought It was time to go home. He walked all the way back to the river and couldn't cross because it was too wild. He wasn't all too concerned because he had enough knowledge and supplies to survived for a while longer. If Chris had really wanted to die in Alaska he wouldn't have waited until August to do so. For living on the streets with no permanent home for so long, Mishandles was very good with people.He met lots of them before he went to Alaska and even met a ewe while he was there. Wayne Westerners, Jan Burros, Ron Franz were a few of the people he met d uring his travels (Source One. ) He was very easy to get along with and worked hard for them. They all loved him. He didn't seem like he had a problem with getting too attached to people because he always planes on coming back. He wrote to them and kept them updated and promised to come visit. He was very good forever. The Alaskan wilderness was a very dangerous place to Just wonder into as Chris did and he found that out.He caused his family terrible worry and sorrow and would have been more observant and cautious when crossing the river. Realizing that it wouldn't be as calm in August as it was when he crossed it. He made some mistakes, but then again, don't we all? Christopher Mishandles followed his dreams and not everybody gets the chance to do that. Source one says â€Å"The peculiar thing is that he went out and did the things he dreamed about, not simply for a two-weeks' vacation in the civilized and trimmed wonderlands, but for months and months in the midst of wonder.. â €  And that's exactly what Mishandles did.Yes he died, and it as dangerous, but he died successful. He followed all his dreams and accomplished all his goals before he died, which is not something everyone can claim to have done. Chris Mishandles was an independent, stubborn individual who knew what he wanted and wasn't afraid to go get it. He made a few mistakes here and there (such as crossing the river and not knowing how to clean and cook the moose) but everybody makes mistakes. His Just happened to cost him his life. He didn't go â€Å"into the wild† hoping for death. He went searching for independence and that's exactly what he found. Chris McCandless To me Chris McCandless was a dedicated and adventurous young man. He was very dedicated to the thing he loved. When people told him what to do he very rarely listened to them, so to me he was very independent. When he was put to a job he was very dedicated to it, it didn’t matter what it was. Like when he moved to the town where Wayne Westerberg live he was put to work and all the people he worked with agreed that he was a very hard working person.When Chris decided to go into the wilderness to live, he wanted to start a new life; he wants to find out who he is. Then again what his sister Carine said also seem very true about Chris, â€Å"Chris knew exactly who he was. He was searching for a place in this world that he fit into, where he could be true to himself.† He didn’t just want to think about the meaning of life, he actually wanted to live it for himself. He when traveling to find true happiness and beauty. That is the reason he did all what he did. I think Christopher McCandless went â€Å"Into the Wild† to discover what is summed up in his quote â€Å"happiness is only real when shared†, something I think he found out far too late. He went all that way to discover that something is only really worth experiencing if you can share it with someone else.Before Chris died I do think he found what he was looking for. I think that he felt that there was truth out in the wild that there wasn’t in his life at home. I think that he would have stay as long as he did if he didn’t find what he was looking for. I think that he finally found a place where he belonged and place where he finally fit in. I totally agree with what Jon Krakauer statement when he says that Chris wasn’t a nutcase, sociopath, or an outcast. I think he was a very upbeat and inspirational person.I love how he was and how he thought. I think it was very unique of him to think that live on his own in Alaska would help him find out who he was . I can compare myself to Chris in many ways like when he likes to be alone to think and when he can read his favorite authors books over and over again. With a wealthy and successful family he ditch virtually everything for a new life, it think that was very brave of him. He never had anything planed he just went with it. He never knows what life had waiting for him out there but I’m pretty sure he could wait to find out. I don’t think he was scared in  anyway, I feel like he was more curious and excited then scared.Chris made a decision and many others on his two year journey to Alaska. He made these decisions with certain traits that he possesses, whether they were strengths that helped him or weaknesses that lead to his unfortunate death by starvation but I felt that they all made him out to be who he was. If only he would have brought more things with him on his journey, he could have been destine for many great things.