"Into the Wild" and Me

“So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future.” (56-57)

Christopher McCandless took the initiative to change his situation, venturing into the Alaskan wilderness, where he would become one with his surroundings. It's ironic because he wanted nothing to do with his surroundings in the “real” world, where he felt plagued by consumerism and conformity. Most of those who speak of McCandless's adventure and subsequent death focus on one issue: whether or not the young man was mentally stable. Before I read Into the Wild, when I only had sketchy details of McCandless's story, I, like many nay-sayers, thought the man was a little “off his rocker,” and that his unpreparedness cost him his life. However, after finishing the tragic tale, I'm not so sure.

I was immediately overwhelmed and drawn in by Into the Wild. There was something so haunting, so disturbing, so passionate about the story that I couldn't put it down once I started it. To see someone so brave stand up for what he believed in, and to learn of how he lost his life to the very thing he was investing in, was heartbreaking.

McCandless ventured into the wild without telling his parents. He felt that his mother and father stood for everything he despised. A lavish life was not what he desired, although his parents were quite well-to-do and expected him to follow in their footsteps. On pages 21 and 64, McCandless talks about his estranged relationship with the couple, first telling his sister that he'd no longer accept gifts from his parents because “they will think they have bought my respect,” and later, “Once the time is right, with one abrupt, swift action I'm going to completely knock them out of my life.” It must have been so terrible for the couple to learn of their son's death, and hard for his sister when she realized this adventure may have been the “swift action” her brother was talking about. Statements made by McCandless such as this make one wonder if he knew his demise was imminent all along.

While many people criticize McCandless for being too unprepared for the Alaskan wilderness, I beg to differ. Yes, he took the expedition without a map or a compass, but he managed to find his way around just fine. And while critics claim his lack of knowledge about nature and hunting is what killed him, I think if McCandless hadn't had a mishap with moldy potato seeds, he just may have survived.

“Circumstance has no value. It is how one relates to a situation that has value. All true meaning resides in the personal relationship to a phenomenon, what it means to you.” (168)

Into the Wild meant a lot to me because there have been many times I've wanted to pack up and hide away from civilization. But I simply couldn't do it if I tried. I praise McCandless's name for his efforts, and I will never forget the story of his admirable protest.