The Character of Chris McCandless in Jon Krakauer’s, Into...

The appeal of being a coward is the opposite of being an adventurous, free-spirited young man; both behaviors contradict each other. Nevertheless, an individual with both characteristics can be identified in Jon Krakauer’s, Into the Wild. Christopher McCandless has a sublime life, until he decides to abandon his standard of living and isolate himself in order to endure a risky life-taking adventure. One may consider McCandless as an adventurer for challenging himself and living off the land, but still others consider him to be a coward for turning his back on his problems. McCandless’ actions cannot be characterized to one specific behavior, due to the fact that throughout his journey he is a well-rounded character. The relationship†¦show more content†¦Nor could anyone in his family have foreseen that a chance discovery during this initial journey would ultimately turn him inward and away, drawing Chris and those who loved him into a morass of anger, misunderstanding, and sorrow.† (116) Instead of trying to work out issues with his family, McCandless turns the other way and leaves his problems behind. He leaves his parents feeling remorseful about not spending enough time with him when he was younger. It is undeserved for a parent to have to live everyday feeling regretful due to their son’s faint-hearted negligence. His decision to completely leave his family without a word is not right, hence him being a coward. While being a cowardly individual, McCandless was also adventurous. He did not abandon his lifestyle solely to hurt his family, but to reconnoiter himself within, â€Å"McCandless [goes] into the wilderness not primarily to ponder nature or the world at large, but rather, to explore the inner country of his own soul.† (183) As a result of his admiration towards Henry David Thoreau, McCandless pursues wildlife from a diverse perspective than other individuals of his generation. By finding enough confidence in himself and nature, he prepares himself by means of only carrying nature books and an inadequate quantity of nourishment, mainly rice. He doesShow MoreRelatedExamples Of Foolishness In Into The Wild866 Words   |  4 PagesJon Krakauer glorifies Chris McCandless in his book, Into The Wild which puts rose tinted glasses on the reader, they don’t get the full story. Examples of Krakauer bias would be that he mentions other stories of people who have a similar experie nce to Chris. Foolish men whose foolishness lead to their demise in the wild. But Krakauer says that Chris was similar to them but different. His reasoning for their difference is due to Chris being well †¦ Chris. The real reason that Chris is different thanRead MoreUse of Literary Techniques in Into The Wild, by John Krakauer1073 Words   |  5 Pagesthat led to his eventual demise and truthfully telling the somber story of Christopher McCandless. Krakauer enhances the story by using irony to establish Chris’s unique personality. The author also uses Characterization the give details about Chris’s lifestyle and his choices that affect his journey. Another literary element Krakauer uses is theme. The many themes in the story attract a diverse audience. Krakauer’s telling is world famous for being the truest, and most heart-felt account of ChristopherRead MoreLabeling of McCandless in Jon Krakauers Into the Wild Essay1219 Words   |  5 Pagesthey believe is sacred. Jon Krakauer wrote the book, Into the wild, to express his thoughts about his disapproval on what several people assume about Christopher McCandless, the main character. This people label McCandless stupid for leaving to Alaska without the vital equipment. To prove that he is not â€Å"stupid† for doing this he used appeal to pathos, appeal to logos and appeal to ethos. By comparing Krakauer’s own life experiences and other peoples too to McCandless, he gave a little perspectiveRead MoreInto The Wild By Jon Krakauer1349 Words   |  6 Pagesthe Wild by Jon Krakauer is a true story about Chris McCandless who is found dead in the Alaskan wild during September 1992. After discovering that his father had a secret secondary family when Chris was young, Chris pushes away his friends and family and eventually isolates himself. He obtains $25,000 from his parents by lying about attending law school and drives away from home, deserting his real name. He later leaves his car in Georgia after an engine breakdown due to rain damage. Chris goesRead MoreUse of Literary Techniques by Jon Krakauer When Writing Into the Wild1585 Words   |  7 Pages In the novel â€Å"Into the Wild† by Jon Krakauer, Krakauer tells the story of a Chris McCandless through different points of view perceived from people close to him. Despite the fact the Krakauer did no t personally know Chris McCandless, Krakauer uses opinions from himself and others to help conclude meaning and impact behindMcCandless’s journey. Krakauer introduces events in the story in an order such that it also introduces the significance behind them. These techniques help the reader conclude theRead MoreAnalysis Of Jon Krakauers Into The Wild778 Words   |  4 Pagesshe wonders about a certain purpose in life. In extreme cases, when a person attempts to find ones self, he or she may find his or herself in a dangerous or even deadly position. In Jon Krakauers Into the Wild, Chris McCandless goes out into the wilderness of Alaska to find himself, but he never returns. Jon Krakauer organizes his novel in a circular way, which ties the story together well, and he uses long, periodic sentences to detail and emphasize his points about life and death situationsRead MoreEssay On Chris Mccandless1092 Words   |  5 PagesChris McCandless, the subject of Jon Krakauers "Into The Wild,† whose off-the-grid Alaskan adventure ended in starvation is a hero and an idealist whose sense of independence and adventure inspires us to reach for our dreams. McCandless was a courageous man. He wanted to live a life that was completely different than the one his parents lead. And wanted to submerge himself in the world that we live in and be sequestered from people who take it for granted. However, most students see McCandless asRead MoreInto The Wild By Jon Krakauer1856 Words   |  8 PagesInto the Wild by Jon Krakauer 1. Who was the most compelling character? Why? What conflicts did this character face? How did the author develop this character? Include one or two supporting quotations with page number or e-book location cited in parentheses after the quotation. Jon Krakauer’s odyssey Into the Wild follows Christopher McCandless through his last year of his life traversing the North American frontier. As a biography based on McCandless’ journals and interviews, much of the detailsRead MoreChris Mccandless s Into The Wild3734 Words   |  15 PagesNovember 23, 2014 Into The Wild Themes Jon Krakauer’s Into The Wild chronicles the journeys and events leading up to the death of a young man named Chris McCandless. Chris was a vagabond who traded friends and family in exchange for adventure, but ultimately wound up dead in the Alaskan wilderness. Within this recollection readers can discover various themes. Primarily, the subjects of materialism, ultimate freedom, and even man vs. nature all recur in this text. Materialism refers to the desireRead MoreInto the Wild Paper1504 Words   |  7 PagesLeisure, amp; Play April 13, 2011 How Krakauer Balances his Bias? Jon Krakauer s non-fiction novel  Into the Wild  explores the mystery surrounding Christopher McCandless and his life before he inevitably ran off  into the heart of the Alaskan wilderness in an attempt to discover himself in some manner.  In order to tell this story as accurately as possible, Krakauer uses a variety of techniques to give different perspectives to Chris’ life. The most prominent decision Krakauer makes though is in regards