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Michelle Ashby
Miss Meyer
AP English 11
8 September, 2015
A Look Into The Wild, Cautionary Tale of Chris McCandless
Truth be told most people would like to look at anything and romanticize it. A good
ending is always better than a bad one, but even a bad ending can give cause to an inspired
audience. A story of a man lost and trying to find his way in the world could be played up to be
inspirational. Yet, a tragic ending and a path that goes in circles shouldnt be seen as anything but
cautionary. Chris McCandless had a tragic beginning as he was lied to his entire life making him
hate his family and ultimately caused him to go on a detrimental and fatal journey. Tragedy
arouses pity and with pity can come inspiration. However, in actuality the true story of Chris
McCandless life, Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer, though tragic, is not one to look to for
inspiration but rather hear and beware.
Chris McCandless wanted to start anew and away from his family. After learning about
the other family his father had kept hidden from him as a child, Chris was driven into a stage of
isolation. He drove away his friends he managed to make in his years of college, cut himself off
from his deceitful parents and unknowing sister, and turned away from the life he had planned at
law school. He instead got rid of his money, changed his name, told no one from his previous life
about his plans, and lived a nomadic life until the day he died. His story is not only a cautionary
tale, but also a tragic true story of how one secret made a man self-destruct. However, no matter
how much pity his story might arouse from the audience, Chris McCandless is not blameless in

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his demise. He isolated himself, he gave away or burned all the money he had, he abandoned
every mode of transportation he managed to get, and he chose to live in the wilderness. His
parents deceit is only a minor factor and although he may seem a tragic hero, the only true
villain in his downfall was himself.
Chris McCandless wasnt prepared, wouldnt take others advice, and wasnt fighting
death. In Krakauers book it is told that McCandlesss story wasnt perceived well when first
published in an article in Outside magazine. Krakauer wrote about how one commenter even
remarked, Entering the wilderness purposefully ill-prepared, and surviving a near-death
experience does not make you a better human, it makes you damn lucky. (71) In Krakauers
book it is described that he believes McCandless died of seed poisoning. Since the books release
many other conclusions have been drawn. However, to those who find his story a cautionary tale,
he died simply because of his incompetence to bring a map and his suicidal tendencies. Craig
Medred, a man who did not find his story to be inspirational, said, McCandless wasn't killed by
the seeds. He was killed by his own inability to find food or find a way out (Medred). Medred
then goes on to criticize another writer that found Chriss story inspirational. Nevertheless,
whether one finds his story inspirational or not, facts are facts, McCandless did not bring a map,
did not take anyones help, and purposefully did not prepare for the hard journey he knew he
would have.
It is true anyone can draw inspiration from almost anything. It is arguable that Chris
McCandless went against his stereotype as the rich boy who goes to college and gets a very well
paying job. He followed what he wanted to do without his parents consent and managed to take
somewhat care of himself at first. It is possible to draw inspiration from his story when he
rebelled against all odds and tried to succeed in his new life. In an article about Steve Jobs work

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habits and personality, Ben Austen writes, We turn to the lives of successful people for
inspiration and instruction (Austen). However, as Chris McCandless did not succeed, did not
overcome all his obstacles, and did not manage to break the stereotype, where does one draw
inspiration from? How is a man who showed to have no common sense, a man who rebelled
against his family over a lie he didnt even confront them with, and a man who denied help and
advice from anyone with a good idea a successful and inspirational person?
Chris McCandless succeeded in cutting himself off from everyone that loved him. He
succeeded in barely surviving on his own for nearly two years. He succeeded in the way that he
died in the manor he wanted. Most people who support McCandlesss point of view even think
McCandless was able to surpass merely existing and think Chris achieved a varied form of
sainthood (Hodes). He went into the wild without proper knowledge, without a map, and without
proper necessities. Somewhere in the back of his mind there must have been knowledge that he
could if not would die in the Alaskan wild. Inspiration is, according to the Merriam-Webster
dictionary, something that makes someone want to do something or that gives someone an idea
about what to do or create. So, if there is a possible way inspiration can be drawn from a man
who was angered by the deceit of his family and went off on a tough and dangerous journey only
to die slowly and alone, then yes Chris McCandless is an inspiration. If his story inspires
someone to go off living life alone and nomadically, always encountering hardships, relying
completely on the generosity of others, and dying in one of the worst ways possible, then his
story truly is an inspiration. However, it is very promising most people would disagree. Putting
ones own life in danger is not inspirational its suicidal.
Chris McCandless was human. He made mistakes just like everybody else. However,
unlike most peoples mistakes his proved fatal. Whether he directly died from eating the wrong

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thing or letting himself starve, Chris McCandlesss story isnt inspirational. Wondering the
world, ignoring wise advice, and disregarding any useful resource you could obtain is not
encouraging. Cutting oneself off from everyone that loves you over something from years passed
is not motivating. Dying in the manor that he did is not inspiring. Chris McCandlesss life is a
sad one. His death is tragic. However, he lived the life he made for himself. He ignored the
advice, he cut himself off, and he died in the way he knew he could. His story is sad, but it is not
motivational, not encouraging, and not inspiring. Chris McCandlesss life was a tragedy.
However, he was not the hero. Into the Wild is not a bedtime story, not one to read to the kids and
have them be inspired, and not one to gain motivation to live in the wild or on your own. Chris
McCandless is not inspirational; his story is a cautionary tale of a man who brought about his
own demise.

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Work Cited
Austen, Ben. "The Story of Steve Jobs: An Inspiration or a Cautionary Tale?" Wired. Conde
Nast Digital, 23 July 2012. Web. 18 Aug. 2015.
Hodes, Ivan. "What Everyone Is Getting Wrong About Chris McCandless." Alaska Commons.
N.p., 21 Sept. 2013. Web. 18 Aug. 2015.
Krakauer, Jon. Into the Wild. New York: Anchor, 1997. Print.
Medred, Craig. "Examining Chris McCandless, 20 Years after He Went 'Into the Wild'" Alaska
Dispatch News. N.p., 20 Aug. 2012. Web. 18 Aug. 2015.
Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.