Into the Wild Blog #2

1.   In chapter one, the provisions listed that Christopher McCandless used in his journey were extremely limited.  All that he had was a ten pound bag of rice, an old pair of raggy hiking boots, and a gun.  I believe the Christopher wished to go on his journey with as little objects as possible, but I am sure that he realized that he did not have enough supplies or even experience in order to survive successfully in the deep wilderness of Alaska.  I also deeply believe that Christopher was attempting to completely reinvent his way of life.  He was wishing to live in the simplest way possible.

2.  I actually really enjoy the fact that the author of the novel, Jon Krakauer, began the story at the very end.  By doing so, the author added a sense of mystery and eeriness that would have been completely absent if not incorporated.  Knowing the outcome but not the reason behind it makes one know what they are searching for within the novel.  I also feel as if I understand McCandless' motivation a little better by beginning the story in the exact way that he did, but it only made known a tiny aspect of his life, which made me judge him a little more harshly.

3.  The S.O.S. quote in the book actually scared me a little.  It made me realize just how dire the situation McCandless was in and just how completely unprepared he was for this whole situation.  The note that he left showed great desperation.  He was willing to do anything in order to get back the life that he had so wanted to get rid of.  I believe that Christopher was extremely unwise to go into this wilderness so unprepared, especially since he had previously been living in an extremely civilized part of America with everything being provided to him.  I see deep regret in his note, but this regret came much too late to save his life.

Into the Wild Blog #1

From what I've read so far in the novel Into the Wild, my conclusion on Christopher McCandless' actions is that he was an extremely confused individual. He felt as if something in his life was missing, and he wished for some deeper meaning of what life truly had to bring. The novel clearly describes McCandless as an extremely smart man. He read Tolstoy and appeared to be very well-educated. In chapter three, Westerberg states that “You could tell right away that Alex was intelligent (Krakauer 18).". Alex was Christopher’s alias; a way of him concealing his past. While McCandless’ decision to go out into the woods seemed quite brash,he most likely spent a long time contemplating the consequences of his actions, even though they ended up in his untimely death. That being said, I cannot be sure of the fact that Christopher or "Alex" was completely mentally stable. Christopher McCandless must have had something truly life changing go on in his life in order to commence such a journey.
It would take a whole lot for me to drop everything and leave it behind in search of the great unknown. He left behind his whole life: his family, friends, school, money, home, and every single possession he owned. For most people it would take an extremely significant emotional event, whether it be the death of a family member, friend, or loved one, going through a tragic event, a change of mind, a change or heart, or simply getting tired of going through the motions. I really do admire McCandless for being able to go through what he did. I personally would not call Christopher McCandless revolutionary, but nobody can deny that he was an extremely brave man indeed.