Blog 29: Nature writing

There is nothing admirable about Chris’ solitary wild life. Chris Candless’ died of starvation, due to the lack of equipment needed to survive the harsh and rugged conditions of Alaska. He refused help from friendly characters he encountered in the story. Chris Candless, a recent graduate of Emory University decided to embark on a journey to experience total freedom. He decides to leave behind his family, friends and the security of a home, everyday conveniences and a successful career. He decides go on a cross country backpacking trip through the Alaskan wilderness alone. He hopes to get by on his wits and the kindness of strangers. Although he meets some people along the way who care about him and decide to help him out, he leaves them to continue his quest for self fulfillment.

Chris, the main character, goes beyond limits, and finds himself hitchhiking up to Alaska. Catching a free ride up to Denali National park, he meets up with a confused and friendly electrician, Jim Gillian. He first encounters him four miles outside of Fairbanks. He cannot help but wonder why this young man is traveling to Alaska. Jim Gillian out of the kindness of his heart tells Chris that he can drive him up further and purchase the proper equipment for hunting. He feels that Chris will not survive with his .22 caliber rifle. In this story, he says that if they boy attempts to kill a large animal like a bear, for instance, he will only evoke anger from the bear and is likely to get severely injured. Chris idiotically, refuses what Jim Gillian has to offer to him. Chris is naive and an amateur at hunting; doesn’t know how to be an experienced hunter.

In the beginning of the story, it mentions that Chris died in a sleeping bag inside an old 1930’s rusty bus. He tore a page off this book he was reading and wrote an S.O.S note. Chris died before anyone found him. Chris not knowing what the wildness has in store for him dies. This means that Chris was not prepared. He brought endless amounts of pain to his family and friends. In the story they say that the most plausible case of his death was starvation. They’re correct. Also the extremely cold temperatures could have killed him too.

He throws himself into danger. Some might say that he is impulsive and others might say he is a brave man. Chris McCandless didn’t realize that he was leading himself towards his death. The question still remains, why would he want to live a lonely life in the wild? He has a successful life and a caring family. He isolates himself from his life achievements to go live in the Alaskan wilderness hunting down game and reading books. What is so special about what he is doing? There’s nothing positive about what he intended to do in the outskirts of the cold Alaskan terrain.