Would you consider someone who walked into the Alaskan wilderness alone with nothing but boots, and a bag of rice brave, or utterly foolish? The novel Into The Wild, written by John Kraukner is based on a true story, following a young man who leaves his whole world behind to find his true purpose in life, ultimately leading to his death. John Karaukner’s 1996 novel, sparks many opinions on the main character, Chris McCandless. His journey made him a controversial figure  to many all over the world.

Was his decision reckless? Should his story be praised, or discouraged?

Who was Chris McCandless?

Chris McCandless was born in February 1968 and grew up in El Segundo, California. From a young age, he was interested in life in the mountains and had a passion for adventure, which he pursued through endless hikes and trips with his family as a child. 

He grew up in a well-balanced family. They were wealthy and Chris had a decent relationship with each of his parents. Chris was said to have been intelligent in school, and involved in several clubs and societies.           

After high school, he went to Emory University and excelled academically but wasn’t very social. He valued his time alone and didn’t spend his time pursuing the typical college experience.

Even though he had a good childhood, Chris felt differently about the world. He disagreed with many aspects of modern, civilized life. He hated society because he thought that people only focused on material things and money, rather than nature and what we have around us naturally.  

These views of society made him want to run away. He thought if society couldn’t change, he would change his way of life. This ultimately leads to his adventure in the Alaskan wilderness.                     

The Journey

Chris’s adventure began with a trip to Arizona in July 1990. From there, he traveled all over the country ,mainly by hitchhiking and walking. He found jobs in places like Bullhead City, Arizona, and Colorado, and even canoed into Mexico searching for work. During his journey, he met several  people who made his experience more enjoyable.

In August 1990, Chris was picked up while hitchhiking by an older woman and her husband. They allow him to stay with them for a week, and they soon become “parents” to him. The month after, Chris makes his way to Carthage, South Dakota, and meets Wayne Westerberg who gives him a job in a grain factory. Finally, he meets Tracy, a younger girl, as well as many others during his time at “The Slabs”, an abandoned Air Force base. 

He makes intimate connections with each of these people and truly values every moment he has with them. From the beginning of his story, many may view Chris as antisocial or even unlikeable, but the beginning of his adventure reveals that he truly does care about his relationships with others.

This pattern of moving around didn’t stop for over two years. 

Chris had no money, no place to stay, and nobody there to fall back on if he got into trouble. Even though his goal was to leave everything behind, his actions were extremely dangerous and led to a devastating ending for the young man. 

The Stampede Trail

On April 28th, 1992, Chris decided that he was done moving all over, and had his mind set on exploring the Alaskan Wilderness. He had his eye on the Stampede Trail, a remote section of mountains close to Denali National Park. 

This is where he stayed by himself for over 100 days. He brought nothing with him but a bag of rice and a pair of old boots. Chris was extremely unprepared, and it shows through his experiences. He lived off the land with very little knowledge. 

Bus number 142 is what Chris McCandless is known for. During the midst of his journey, Chris found an abandoned city bus and made it his home for over three months. He slowly started to decline mentally and physically. He became noticeably sick, and was starving for weeks after he could no longer leave the bus. 

He began to journal his experience, which was found later after his death. Through his writing, you can see how exhausted and weak he had become. 

On August 18th, 1992, Christopher McCandless passed away, alone in the Alaskan wilderness. His cause of death was ruled as starvation, after ingesting seeds that made him unable to keep food down. 

Was it Worth it?

He made every decision on his own from the moment he left home, without the guidance of others. When he left for Alaska, he knew that the terrain would be difficult to live off of, but still would not accept suggestions, or equipment from the people he had met. Chris’s actions and journey as a whole prove how dedicated he was to changing his situation, but was losing his life worth it? He was aware of how dangerous the journey would be and didn’t re-evaluate any of his choices, which ultimately led to his death.  Though his reasons for leaving his world behind were valid, his attempt was foolish. He sacrificed everything he had to experience a more fulfilling life. 

There were other ways for him to channel his love for nature, and his desire to run away from it all, but his journey was ultimately a suicide mission. In the end, Chris’s story should inspire people to look for a greater meaning in life, but the specific actions he took to manage his feelings should not be encouraged.