Chris Mccandlessness In Into The Wild

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Dye 1 Paul Dye Prof. Galassi Eng 099, Asst #4 Nov 6, 2012 DEATH IN THE WILD Into the Wild by John Krakauer is about the life of Christopher McCandless and how he let his insistence, passion, and pride lead him to Alaska, while ultimately his selfishness led to his death. Chris’ insistence on following things through, on living the way you think, plays a small part in his death. After leaving Westerberg’s place in South Dakota, McCandless heads south. In Arizona he buys a canoe on impulse, deciding to row down the Colorado River to the Gulf of California. He makes his way south, sending a postcard to Westerberg on the way, and sneaks through the border with Mexico. Once there, though, the river splits up into lots of small and confusing…show more content…
Westerburg received another postcard postmarked April 27, 1992 and it reads, This is the last you shall hear from me Wayne. Arrived here 2 days ago. It was very difficult to catch rides in the Yukon Territory. But I finally got here Please return all mail I receive to the sender. It might be a very long time before I return south. If this adventure proves fatal and you don’t ever hear from me again, I want you to know you’re a great man. I now walk into the wild. (McCandless 69) On the same date McCandless sent a card to Jan Burres and Bob: Hey Guys! This is the last communication you shall receive from me. I now walk out to live amongst the wild. Take care, it was great knowing you (69). This passage consists of McCandless’s own words, written on his last postcard to Wayne Westerberg and Jan Burres before he goes into the Alaskan wilderness. The fact that he acknowledges the chance that he might not survive Dye 4 has been used as evidence that his trip was suicidal in intent, but this…show more content…
Instead, this acknowledgment of the risk, shows that his arrogance and hubris are not as extreme as many imagine—he does not want to die. He knows very well that he is embarking on a dangerous adventure, and that his margin for error is very low. Chris’ pride pushes him to the limit and in the final sentence of his postcard to Westerburg, he feels this adventure is worth it, however, the experience of living completely independent and free scares him because he knows Alaska could kill him. Selfishness seems to be McCandless’s most devastating flaw. In Chesapeake Bay stands Walt, Chris McCandless father, staring outside his window, Seven weeks after the body of his son turned up in Alaska wrapped in a blue sleeping bag that Billie had sewn for Chris from a Kit, Walt studies a sailboat scudding beneath the window of his waterfront townhouse ‘How is it,’ he wonder aloud as he gazes blankly across Chesapeake Bay, ‘that a kid with so much compassion could cause his parents so much pain?’ (Krakauer 103-104) And the question that Walt McCandless poses in this passage is how could such a caring, compassionate person act so selfishly? We start to see some of the reasons for McCandless’s estrangement from his family. Although in some ways it seems like his choice to cut himself off from his family is an important part of his plan to have true freedom, it becomes clear in some ways it is

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