Chris Mccandless Research Paper

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Unpacking the Misunderstood McCandless I disagree with Shaun Callarman's argument that “I think that Chris McCandless was bright and ignorant at the same time. He had no common sense, and he had no business going into Alaska with his romantic silliness. He made a lot of mistakes based on arrogance. I don’t admire him at all for his courage, nor his noble ideas. Really, I think he was just plain crazy.” While McCandless certainly made some mistakes on his journey into Alaska, I believe his actions were driven by a drive for self-discovery and the curiosity of transcendence. One of the main examples from the book that supports McCandless's intelligence and thoughtfulness is his extensive preparation for his journey. As Jon Krakauer notes, McCandless …show more content…
This level of preparation tells us that McCandless was not simply acting on "romantic silliness" but that he really did have a clear plan and a big understanding of the challenges he would probably face. Diving deeper into this, McCandless's decision to go to Alaska was not made lightly. Krakauer writes, "McCandless was not a mere ignorant who went into the bush and got lucky" (Krakauer 69). So you see, his actions were driven by a big disillusionment with all the materialism of modern society, and just a craving to be away from civilization. In addition to McCandless's practical skills and preparation, his journal entries also demonstrate a level of intelligence and perception that disproves that he was simply "bright and ignorant." As Krakauer notes, McCandless's journal entries reveal "a young man of uncommon intelligence and strength of character" (Krakauer 189). For example, McCandless would write about his desire to "live simply and free from the trappings of civilization" (Krakauer 167), suggesting an underlying message from his actions. McCandless's relationship with his father, while it was not great, does not support the idea that he was "just plain

Chris Mccandless Research Paper

Chris McCandless and his sister, Carine McCandless, went through a childhood that held a lot of negligence and abuse. They both saw how their mother was physically and psychologically abused. If they ever did anything “wrong”, in the eyes of their father, they would feel the same abuse as their mother did, by the one person that was supposed to love them and protect them, their father. Child abuse at an early childhood can lead to many, not only physically but psychological, problems. Many of the…

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Chris Mccandless Research Paper

way they felt they were born to live it. Then why do we criticize Chris McCandless for doing that same thing? I will be identifying how Chris and I relate in some ways through our life experiences.…

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Chris Mccandless Research Paper

The story of Chris McCandless’s life was an inspiration to many, giving them the courage to set out for nature to engulf them in peace and serenity. Still, many doubt his beliefs and intentions, claiming he was some mental person who could not stand his life saturated with societal expectations. The fact of the matter is that McCandless has always been infatuated with nature and literature, therefore he set out to fulfill an odyssey he was not prepared for yet. MCandless’s childhood, writings, and…

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Chris Mccandless Research Paper

Transcendentalism is individuality, as conformity was believed to squash the human spirit. One notable (and quite recent) figure of these beliefs is Chris McCandless. Chris was a young man born into a wealthy family in California, who rejected the opportunity to become a lawyer and ventured out into the Alaskan wilderness. Despite numerous offers of assistance from others, Chris carried on to his final destination– and final resting place. McCandless’s firm belief in self-reliance and anti-materialism ran far back…

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Chris Mccandless Research Paper

Chris McCandless is a man known for leaving his home and going on a journey. Many think of Chris's journey and where he traveled to, but not many question why he did leave. It was told by his siblings that it was caused by home problems between their parents in the household, his parents say it was because of his inner ambitions of traveling and being independent and journeying. The verbal abuse towards Chris when he was young was one of the factors his siblings say that made him feel the need to…

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Research Paper On Chris Mccandless

I believe that Chris McCandless lived a deliberate life and all of the actions that he made throughout his life were all for true happiness. Ralph Waldo Emerson writes, “Nothing can bring you peace but yourself. Nothing can bring you peace but the triumph over principle.” I believe that this quote can very well describe the way that Chris McCandless lived his life and can justify the actions he made along the way. Chris lived a deliberate life and achieved true happiness through means that were well…

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Objectivity In Into The Wild

magazine about Christopher J. McCandless, a vagabond, nature enthusiast, and dropout from society, who left his home in 1992 for a journey into the wilderness in the American West. In 1996, Krakauer published the book Into the Wild for which he revises his research by chronicling the travels of Chris McCandless and explaining what it was that drove a young man, equipped with only a 10-pound bag of rice and a small-caliber rifle, to embark on such an adventure. In 1990, Chris graduates from Emory University…

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Tips In Nathaniel Hawthorne's 'The Scarlet Letter'

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