Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer

Posted: August 27th, 2021

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Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer

How Does the Story of Christopher McCandless Fit into the American Tradition of Self-Discovery in Nature Embodied by Thoreau?

Into the wild problematizes about seeking a pure and true self in nature and shows how to always construct the self through social discourse in which people participate. However, the story ends with the affirmation of the authenticity of McCandless’s achievement. Therefore, this return aims to consciously explore American traditions, a series of tourists’ internal beliefs and values ​​. Significantly, the story takes place on the road of self-discovery in the wild. This is a survival mechanism. Hence, Americans do not have to face the terrible possibility that humans can never reconcile with nature. The story began as a hopeful opposition to self-discovered pictures and became the primary travel novels genre.

By establishing a relationship with nature, Americans will discover themselves inadvertently. For instance, McCandless asks the people he meets and seeks knowledge and advice in the books he reads to approach the main stages of self-discovery. Although McCandless has different relationships with those close to him, in the end, family values ​​are the foundation of his motivation and urge him to travel more physically and mentally. Thus, at each stage of self-awareness, Chris will lead to climatic conditions, which are the ultimate self-realization.Chris was inspired by Thoreau and sought inspiration from nature. Although Chris has a philosophical understanding of nature’s power, Chris still believes that he can survive in the Alaskan Wild. Therefore, although nature was the center of Chris’s self-realization and growth, it destroyed him.

According to The Author, Jon Krakauer, What Were McCandless’s Reasons for Setting Off On His Alaska Adventure?

Jon Krakauer uses specific and concrete language to show the realism and subtleties of the wilderness. For example, when describing the location of McCandless’s journey to Alaska. Further, he used a specific technique to describe the scene, including “river,” “snow,” “water,” and “stone” (173). Adopting a unique style shows Krakauer’s view that nature is a physical entity, not an imaginary concept. The main reason for setting off on Alaska adventure was to know what it is like to live in the wild with only five pounds of rice, a shotgun, and a book about nature. He learned what it means to live in the wild and alone (37). Thus, when things did not go according to plan, and he was hungry, he left a distress message, but it was too late. Sadly, Chris went into the wild to find the answer but died due to a lack of preparation, common sense, and food supplies.

In Your Opinion, Was McCandless’s Journey a Greater Defiance of Society and Cultural Norms Than Thoreau’s?

Chris McCandless is a true adventurer. I believe Chris McCandless was an unknown character throughout the novel. Also, I think Chris McCandless is an idealistic young dreamer. He tried to realize his dream but failed due to his mistakes, which turned out to be fatal and impossible than those of Thoreau. However, the bravery and passion of Chris McCandless is something we all should be proud of him. Likewise, I think Chris McCandless arrogantly portrays himself as a man who can survive in flesh clothes compared to Thoreau. He wanted to explore the unknown and found life without responsibility, no property, no one, and money. He insisted on making a fool of himself, but in the end, he was just stupid. Therefore, in my opinion, Chris McCandless is just a victim of self, self-esteem, and self-confidence. All these make him ignore the fundamental issues of keeping people alive as he was under the control of fantasy, which made him test his strength, which was fatal.

What Journalistic Techniques Does Krakauer Employ in Reconstructing McCandless’s Story? 

The primary genre Krakauer uses in this novel is the new journalism. New journalism combines elements of news and narrative types. Journalism strives to use carefully researched information from various reliable sources to convey facts. Equally, journalism is realistic and reflects more than one perspective. In the new journalism work, Krakauer uses advanced journalism research techniques to synthesize information, translate it into a long narrative story with multiple characters and storylines, and finally solve it. Hence, they tend to provide broader social or political commentary.

Most importantly, Into the Wild is a typical example of new journalism. John Krakauer extracted all the information he used to tell the story of Chris McCandless from various sources. Chris McCandless’s life was interrupted by a series of reckless mistakes. Krakauer tracked down and interrogated everyone he thought he had come into contact with McCandless during the trip. Hence, he went from those that seemed to know him well to those who knew him for a short while.

What Is Your Impression of the Section in Which Krakauer Draws Parallels Between His Own Life Story and McCandless’s?

Into the wild successfully reported on the discoveries and events of Christopher McCandless on his wilderness journey. I believe it is perfectly suitable for autobiographical characters, but Krakauer’s parallels protect McCandless’s behavior from the world’s judgment. Thus, Krakauer did this successfully through a series of comparisons, which expanded readers’ understanding of McCandless as a young man passionate about life and a strong moral compass. 

Does The Author Succeed in Making His Autobiography Relevant to The Story That He is Telling?

Compared with McCandless, Krakauer proved that the pursuit of unpredictability in the wild is common to young people with particular enthusiasm. A survey of McCandless’s relationship with his father revealed that Chris has a strong sense of moral justice, strengthening his image. After all, Krakauer’s relationship with McCandless reflects similar experiences that highlight identity struggles after adolescence. Therefore, I believe that the wild is protecting people who live the life they want and all those who have this passion.

Does Krakauer Succeed in Evoking McCandless’s State of Mind, And If So Does His Journalistic Technique Seem Legitimate to You?

Walking into the wilderness is not only Krakauer’s journey to understand McCandless’s mental state but also his entire lifestyle. During the research process, Krakauer discovered that Chris had a strained relationship with his father, Walter. The root of this tension is that Walter left his first wife and first child, married Chris’ mother, and established a new family with her. Chris sees his father as a hypocrite and begins to see the hypocrisy in the community around him. Also, Chris left his friends and family at home but did not say whether he was alive or dead. Thus, when examining Chris’ personality and trajectory, Krakauer found that he was full of controversy.

How Does This Text Relate to Current Issues of Interest to You and Your Generation?

Krakauer explores wildlife’s influence on the American imagination is not based on abstract vocabulary used in transcendental Orthodox literature but on concrete alternative methods. However, Krakauer believes that the human jungle’s design bridges the gap between nature and civilization, bringing absolute comfort and tranquility. Krakauer pointed out that the advantages of nature, which are reflected in their physical characteristics. Equally, McCandless established close friendships with people he met along the way, such as elevator worker Wayne Westerberg, who worked briefly for him and sent postcards. Therefore, nature creates cultural and humanitarian relationships that we need to involve ourselves. 

                                                              Works Cited                     

Krakauer, Jon. Into the wild. Pan Macmillan, 2018. Print.