Life in the Wild (NF2)

From the numerous movies, documentaries, articles, etc. about McCandless, so many people know about his various adventures, most notably his final. Those, however, do not give the whole story of who Christopher McCandless truly was. Almost all of the things that he is known for can be drawn back to specific events from his upbringing, so a crucial part of understanding Chris is understanding his backstory. Although it has been nearly twenty-eight years since McCandless' passing, considering how many people were impacted by his story, I feel that it is only fitting to write a eulogy for Chris, documenting his life, his journey, but most importantly, his character. 

Christopher J. McCandless

Alexander Supertramp

(2/12/1968 - 8/18/1992)

Chris was born in El Segundo, California but was primarily raised in Annandale, Virginia after his father, Walt McCandless, accepted a position as a NASA rocket scientist. Chris had a troubled childhood, experiencing physical and mental abuse from his often-drunk parents. In addition, little did he know, his father was a bigamist. When Chris was born, his father was married to his mother, Billie, but was also in the midst of a preexisting marriage. Chris spent lots of time during the summers with his father's other family, a family of 8, and it was not until his early twenties that he learned the truth behind the situation. As a result of all of those problems, from an early age, Chris had to learn to cope with the trauma that he experienced.

He quickly discovered that nature was the perfect outlet for escaping his feelings. His parents would frequently take Chris and his sister, Carine, on camping, fishing, and hiking trips. Despite the abuse that Walt inflicted on Chris, the two went on many trips and adventures in nature, forming annual father-son traditions. Chris was only eight years old when he went on his first backpacking trip, "A three-day hike in the Shenandoah to climb Old Rag" (Krakauer 109). It was from that point that Chris became completely obsessed with all things nature. Chris would go on to complete many impressive feats such as hiking the entirety of Longs Peak, the highest summit in Rocky Mountain National Park, reaching a humbling 14,256-foot elevation.

Throughout Chris' schooling, he had always been a model student. While attending W.T. Woodson High School in Fairfax, Virginia, Chris received As with minimal effort. At the same time, he had a high level of interest in his subjects, showing a particular passion for literature and history. Despite his great grades, Chris did not want to attend college. This upset his mother who was a strong advocate for higher education, saying that a college education was necessary for having a sustaining career. Chris disagreed, responding that "Careers were demeaning 'twentieth-century inventions,' more of a liability than an asset, and that he would do fine without one" (Krakauer 114). Although the exact reason for his change in mind is unknown, Chris eventually caved in and attended Emory University, graduating in May of 1990.  At Emory, Chris earned a bachelor's degree with a double major in history and anthropology. Chris' interest in anthropology drastically shaped the way that he viewed the world around him; throughout his journals, he frequently quoted Leo Tolstoy, Jack London, and Henry David Thoreau. A few months prior to his graduation, Chris donated a large portion of his tuition money to OxFam, a charity organization that, ironically, battles against starvation and aids malnourished communities. While the reason behind this decision is still unknown, the act itself highlights just how selfless and charitable Chris was.

While Chris was attending W.T. Woodson High School, he began running cross-country because he found that it was a good way to relax during the school year when trips into nature were not as readily available. As with everything else he ever did, Chris poured all of his energy into cross-country, devoting hours every single day to training and running. Chris' impeccable work ethic was one of his greatest strengths but it also became his greatest weakness. He would be extremely hard on himself when he felt that he under-performed during a race, ostracizing himself from his family and society. Regardless, not long after joining the team, Chris became the captain which gave him the power to control the team workouts. Chris invented a workout that he called "Road Warriors," in which he would lead the team into long, tough runs through places like construction sights and farms, places that they were not supposed to go, with the intention of trying to get lost. A former cross-country teammate, Gordy Cucullo, explained that "The whole idea was to lose our bearings, to push ourselves into unknown territory. Then we'd run at a slightly slower pace until we found a road we recognized and race home again at full speed" (Krakauer 112).

In many ways, the Road Warrior workout is a good analogy for the way that Chris lived his entire life. After graduating from college, Chris became a self-proclaimed vagabond, traveling across the country and doing little jobs here and there. Not once was Chris concerned with making a surplus of money or gaining any material wealth for that matter. Chris treated daily life as an experience rather than a routine, something that billions of people could benefit from.

That was the true Chris. The true Chris was a selfless individual who always put those in need ahead of himself. The true Chris was an extremely hard worker who always pushed himself to achieve his greatest potential. The true Chris was not afraid to go against the grain, constantly questioning political and social ideologies. The true Chris was someone who knew the dangers of the uniformity in our society, one of a few people to not die until he was dead. Chris lived life in a way that almost nobody can relate to. Christopher McCandless was a true inspiration, a model of what it is like to actually live.