The novel Into the Wild written by Jon Krakauer revealed the true identity of Chris McCandless, or as one might say, Alex Supertramp who was his alter ego when he left home to start a new adventure. Chris did not know his long journey to Alaska would end up taking his life. There are many different opinions about Chris, but the question is “Is Chris McCandless a hero?” While Chris, by definition is a Romantic Hero, he was not a hero using the traditional definition because he hurt everyone that loved him. What is a Romantic Hero? A Romantic Hero is a person that is self - centered, rejects authority, loves nature, and is haunted by the past. While Chris does show all the characteristics of being a Romantic Hero, the one that stands out is …show more content…
He is self-centered because he does not care about hurting others along the way. He only cares about getting what he wants, for example, he was offered a plane ticket but he did not accept it and choose to walk to his destination. Being offered a free ticket and turning it down, shows that he wants to do things his own way at the risk of hurting others. There are many reasons why Chris was not a hero, but the most significant reason is that he hurt everyone that got close to him. For instance, he hurt his family by packing up and leaving without telling them. Chris’s parents found out that he was gone “When they arrived to his apartment, it was empty and a FOR RENT sign was taped to the window. The manager said that Chris had moved out at the end of June” (Krakauer 22). It took his parents two months to realize that he had just up and left. His family was the first set of victims Chris hurt but they were not the last. Throughout the story, Chris met many people who became his adopted family. By far, one of the most important people Chris ended up hurting was an eighty-one year old craftsman named Franz. When Chris met Franz they immediately became
He did not require praise in order to commit good acts, but merely the knowledge of knowing he was helping others, which gifted him more than other’s words could. In that same chapter, his parents wanted to buy him a new car as a graduation present. Krakauer announced “Chris had only recently upbraided Walt and Billie for expressing their desire to buy him a new car as a graduation present” (Krakauer 20). This shows that Chris values more in life than superficial items that someone else has bought for him. Chris has clear morals that affect his respect for others and their actions.
Donating $25,000 to charity, which was meant to be used for college, and burning all his identification and cash, he creates the new identity for himself which he can explore the country with, especially Alaska. Though it takes a while, he eventually makes it to Alaska, however a couple of months after entering the bush he is found deadly hunters and tourists. Jon Krakauer, author of Chris’s story Into the Wild, write an article in Outside Magazine speaking of Chris’s death. Chris alarmingly gains fame very quickly even though there had been people who had ventured to Alaska before him in order “to find themselves”. Around the country, people wondered what Chris’s purpose was, how did he die, who or what was Chris McCandless?
Relationships have the power to affect a person, positively or negatively. The abundance of trust, or lack thereof, can lead to contentment or heartbreak. Jon Krakauer’s Into the Wild follows a character venturing on a transcendentalist path, and by doing so, highlights on all of the people he impacted and how he changed them. Specifically with three people. As seen with Chris McCandless’s relationships with his parents and Ronald Franz, it is apparent how much impact a person can have on someone else.
Jon Krakauer, fascinated by a young man in April 1992 who hitchhiked to Alaska and lived alone in the wild for four months before his decomposed body was discovered, writes the story of Christopher McCandless, in his national bestseller: Into the Wild. McCandless was always a unique and intelligent boy who saw the world differently. Into the Wild explores all aspects of McCandless’s life in order to better understand the reason why a smart, social boy, from an upper class family would put himself in extraordinary peril by living off the land in the Alaskan Bush. McCandless represents the true tragic hero that Aristotle defined. Krakauer depicts McCandless as a tragic hero by detailing his unique and perhaps flawed views on society,
In the book, "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer, Chris McCandless wanted to disappear from the American society. McCandless disappeared and traveled through the country by himself. In 1990, a group of Alaskan hunters discovered his body in the Denali National Park. Chris McCandless has a INFP personality type because he was an open-minded, humane, and curious person. People who have the INFP type, typically are in search of their purpose in life.
Christopher McCandless is seen by many individuals as an inspiration, an inspiration to not be afraid. “Chris was fearless even when he was little.”(Walt McCandless) Chris’s father made a comment about how he believed Chris was fearless, Chris was a fearless individual even was he was just a young boy, he showed how he was fearless and brave, his strong character was acknowledged as a young age by his father and his family. How many people have packed up a few of their belongings and just took a journey into the wild? Chris did and he took nothing along just what he could carry on his back, he proved to many individuals that all you really need is yourself to get you through the tough situations that you will encounter along they way.
Christopher McCandless was an adventurer no doubt. He spent the last few years of his life living purely off the land and exploring, doing what he felt called to do. However, to venture off on such an intense, dangerous, and wild journey, a person most likely has some deeply thought out reason as to why he or she is embarking on the mission. Chris himself seems to have had some reasons, besides his curiosity, as to why he explored. However, he made a decision to leave without truly thinking about just how dangerous his journey was going to be. Due to his rash actions, Chris eventually died in an abandoned bus out in the wild. Now, some folks today think that Chris was a hero for doing what interested him and for doing his own thing without worrying about the trivial things in life. However, I have reason to believe that Chris was indeed not a hero. Instead, I believe that Chris McCandless’s journey into the wild was rash, ludicrous and foolish.
Since the release of Jon Krakauer’s book Into The Wild there has been controversy on whether or not what Chris McCandless, better known as Alex Supertramp, did was idiotic or heroic based on his journey. People’s opinions vary, like many things, based on their personal experiences. Seeing him either as some jerk kid who ditched a life that many people would kill for, to embark on this own endeavors in his life. Or, someone who truly knew what he wanted out of his life and went after it; which is something to be respected. Nonetheless Chris McCandless did not survive and his legacy is all that stands for him now.
Christopher Johnson McCandless is a respectable man in so many ways but, yet such a foolish man in many others. Chris McCandless possessed a seemingly ever-lasting bravery that constantly shined through his unique and matchless character. He was very righteous in himself to the point in which he kept himself from any sin or evil, committing his life to what seemed like an idea of celibacy, not just in refraining from any desire of flesh but also in all lusts of life with his diligent power of will that constantly shined through his exterior. Onto the contrary of his good characteristics, McCandless remained to be very foolish in his decisions and under takings, whether it be by his arrogance of sheer narrow mindedness.
Many people in this world feel like they are in a constant pattern of their unfulfilled lives and feel like they need to get away. People like this may want to go out into the incredible world to find themselves. Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer is a inspirational story about a man named Chris McCandless and his adventure across the country to find himself. He leaves his materialistic lifestyle behind and journeys to Alaska to live out the life he wanted. Christopher McCandless stands out because he wasn't afraid to go and take a huge risk to find peace within himself. This character can be described as many different things such as intelligent, self efficient, and courageous.
Would you ever try to go to Alaska with the hope surviving its menacing terrain with only a few supplies, along with little to no experience of, actually being in Alaska? Probably not. But what if it was your dream to do something this idiotic and crazy? To be out in the wilderness, away from all of the troubles and worries of society, while living life to the fullest? Alexander Supertramp or his real name, Christopher McCandless, had that same exact dream. Author Jon Krakauer describes the courageous adventures of the young, wild, charismatic Supertramp and his journeys across the United States and untimely demise in Alaska. Some readers agree that McCandless is a hero in his own right, and if you searched up the definition of a hero, you would get: a person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities, all of which,
Life is never easy, no matter how hard we try to short cut and escape the inevitable difficulties. After College is when life sets in, when work becomes a necessity and we all begin to find a place to settle down. People respond differently to different situations. Some of us embrace the freedom and the ability to earn money and spend money indiscriminately. Others crumple under the social pressures placed on us. Christopher McCandless is a perfect example. Settling down and raising a family, providing for that family and creating a sustainable lifestyle are important and high stress things that we all must deal with if we are to enjoy the finer things in life. Chris totally abandoned that, he gave away all of his possessions; even
Everyone has their own definition of a hero. The majority agrees that a hero’s characteristics include voluntarily helping in any way possible and unconditionally showing generosity. Some might think a hero is someone who makes sacrifices for the people they love. A hero has a million different definitions, but not one describes the personality of Creighton Brown. He is dishonest, judgmental, and makes poor choices without thinking.
Hero n. a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities. Though this is the definition of hero according to Random House Webster’s Dictionary, the Romantic interpretation of hero is quite different. A Romantic hero is usually somewhat innocent and carefree, separate from the masses, and is almost always on some type of journey. This hero is idealistic, non-conforming, and rarely lives in the “here and now,” but, on the contrary, is well rounded, skilled in some fashion, and able to communicate with all walks of life. Romantic heroes are found in the works of Nathaniel Hawthorne, Edgar Allen
A romantic hero is a person that seems to be the outcast, he may or may not be wealthy, he will have his own set of moral codes, his life is filled with strife, which he overcomes and wins. He is also in tune with nature and his feelings. The romantic hero is a rebel that ignores the set rules of society in pursuit of their own self fulfillment. Mary Shelly both supports and critiques the concept in her novel.