Into The Wild Materialism

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Many people believe the story Into The Wild by Jon Krakauer of Chris McCandless's final years is dangerous because it encourages young people to follow Chris’s footsteps and will result in their ruin or death. These critics are wrong, this is an important book for every young person to read. It is a story of a young man that didn’t like the way he was living and so he choose to leave everything behind to find what life was really about, who he was, and how he fit into the world. It is a question every person has in some point in their lives and in this book takes us on a journey and makes us think about the meaning of our own lives and how we want to live with them.

Chris McCandless choose not only to question the concept of materialism but to act upon his ideas. Chris gave up everything he owned and left behind his friends and family and former life in search of a simpler life and going back to the state of nature. Although Chris’s journey didn’t actually end the way he had planned there are still important lessons to learn from his mistakes and actions. Many people may dream doing the same thing Chris did but they are too frightened. By having the chance to read about Chris’s journey they can place themselves in his shoes and experience what it is like to give up materialism, to walk away from everyone they know, and to live in the wild without even having to leave their home. …show more content…
A key lesson to get from this book is that determination is important but without reality and preparation we cannot find success. Chris did not prepare before he went into the wild and he did not have a backup plan which led to his demise. Any young person who chooses to follow in Chris’s footsteps will succeed if they learned how to handle different situations in different ways as Chris has shown us as

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“Into the Wild” shows two individuals lives that are heavily influenced by the ideas of transcendentalism. Though both individuals, Chris and Ivan, do not live in similar ways, they both display similar aspects. Chris shows that transcendentalism through isolation physically, while Ivan isolates himself mentally. The main idea of transcendentalism, commonly known from the writings of Thoreau and Emerson, is shown throughout “The Death of Ivan Ilych” by Leo Tolstoy and the film “Into the Wild”. In the…

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Comparing Chris Mccandless And Henry David Thoreau

their approach to success. Unlike Mccandless, Thoreau prepared very thoroughly for his journey. He started out by building a cabin for shelter in the winter. He brought all the supplies he thought were necessary for the time he would spend alone in the wild. Thoreau thought it was important to let people know where he was and what he was doing ( Essay Judge ). He spent a lot of his time writing books about his ideas of transcendentalism. One of his wellknown…

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Into the Wild Essay

Into the Wild, by Jon Krakauer is a nonfiction story. A significant theme I found in Into the Wild is Chris’s desire for exploration, and explanation of true happiness, freedom, and beauty. Christopher also wanted to travel, because he wanted to find out about mankind and get away from society. The main character Christopher did some unusual things many that led others to believe that Christopher was crazy, insane, or mentality ill. Despite what he did he was well educated, and highly respected…

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Mccandless Wild Characteristics

Chris McCandless shows different charecteristics throughout the story. His curiosity about the wild leads to traits such rebeliousness, uniqueness, and distancy. McCandless reads Tolstoy and Thoreau which inspires him to go into the wild. McCandless tries to follow in their footstep by living the same life style in the wild. McCandless believes he doesn’t have to follow society rules which describes his disobedience. Walt McCandless states, “He didn’t think the odds applied to him. We were always…

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Chris Mccandless Materialism

longer conforms to his society’s expectations. Materialism is considered high in value in contemporary society, however, Chris “arranged all his paper currencies in a pile [-about 120-]” (pg. 29) and set it on fire for no apparent reason other than to be free-spirited and no longer be restrained to society’s perspective of importance. As a result of his actions, Chris ended his relationship with endless consumption and instead decided “to live amongst the wild” (pg.69) where he would be able to experience…

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Chris Mccandless Research Paper

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 into his childhood, and some could argue hindered his relationship with his parents. The myriad of people touched by Chris’s journey and beliefs cannot be ignored, as it represents the path of a truly free human…

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Mccandless In Jon Krakaure's 'Into The Wild'

Jon Krakaure’s national bestseller, Into The Wild, tells the cautionary story of Chris McCandless’ treacherous journey into the Alaskan wilderness. The first time reading Into The Wild, the reader develops an idea that Chris is rebelling against his parents, against the materialistic society and even against himself. But, when the reader reads the book more carefully, they discover that Chris is also a hero, in a way, because he is brave and courageous enough to reject most of the important things…

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Chris Mccandless Research Paper

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…

Words 446 - Pages 2