'Into The Wild: Christopher Johnson Mccandless Beloved'

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Jasmine Shah Priest Into The Wild Final Paper 22 November 2011 Into The Wild Final Paper Derived from the Declaration of Independence, the quote, “we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”(The Declaration of Independence 89), helps shape the way many Americans define there happiness and go about there daily lives. Basing his ideas off the declaration of Independence Alexis de Tocqueville states, “ one will then find people continually changing path for fear of missing the shortest cut leading to happiness”(de Tocqueville 166). This statement shows how Americans will do anything to find their happiness, even if they don’t achieve it. A man who goes by the name Christopher Johnson McCandless rejects these ideas and believes to achieve happiness one must invest their time in non-materialistic…show more content…
In his last few days, he notes, “happiness only real when shared”(krakauer 189). By writing this in his journal, it is noted that McCandless finally realizes that happiness cannot be selfish. To share happiness you must share your stories with others and allow them too experience that same feeling. By going against ideas of de Tocqueville and American society, Chris McCandless is able to create a path to find happiness. To find this happiness he realizes that you do no need this cliché idea of the “American dream” or materialism. True happiness lies within the human relationships created and the stories shared with others. By the end of his life Chris McCandless was able to truly be happy, as he wrote, “I have had a happy life and thank the lord. Goodbye and may god bless all” (Krakauer 199). Chris McCandless’s life journey was the antithesis of that created by American

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