Opinion on McCandless (MB2)

Now that I have finished reading Into the Wild, I think that I can make a full, educated decision about my opinion on Christopher McCandless. As I mentioned in the previous microblog, the point of argument about McCandless is: Was McCandless a hero who, through his bravery and ideology about freedom, inspired millions, or was he an ignorant fool who traveled into dangerous territory completely unprepared, this setting himself up for position for failure (his death)?

Before revealing my current stance (I say "current stance" because it is very possible that my opinion will change as time goes on), I think that I owe Krakauer some acknowledgment. This book was truly amazing! It's not too often that I find a nonfiction book to be particularly gripping, so I think that is a testament to just how well-written this book is. So Jon Krakauer, well done.

My Verdict on McCandless:
Coming to my final decision was extremely tough since there were many factors that led to each side of the argument. After reading the book, I was pretty split in my decision. I saw McCandless as a passionate person who wasn't afraid to do what so many people dream of. At the same time, I couldn't ignore his lack of preparation and reckless decisions; He entered the wilderness without many survival essentials and refused to accept a map of the area, just to name two of his costly mistakes.  So, I was left with conflicting feelings about McCandless... That was until I did a bit more research and watched a TEDTalk from Chris's sister, Carine McCandless. 


One of the things that Carine discusses during the video is the household in which Chris was raised. While Krakauer touches on Walt McCandless' (Chris' father) bigamy, Carine discussed the abuse, mental and physical, that Chris' parents inflicted on him. After learning more about his motive to go into the wild, I have come to my conclusion. 

I do not think that McCandless was ignorant for embarking on his expedition. I have come to realize that he didn't go on his journey just to conduct his experiment. Rather, he yearned an escape. He was at his mental breaking point, and he needed to get away and escape from his family and the societal pressures that he faced. Knowing the factors that led the vulnerable McCandless to going on his journey, I do not think that he was ignorant. He is someone that, I imagine, almost any person can relate to in one way or another. Whether it be is backstory, his ambition, his fearlessness, his natural sense of wonder, etc. I believe that there is a little bit of Christopher McCandless in everyone.

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