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.