Holly Hunter

Bowyer
English
Who Was Chris McCandless (Alex Supertramp)?

Chris McCandless, the main character in Jon Krakauers novel Into the Wild,

wasn't a mad man on a suicide mission, he was simply an adult on a healing journey.

While many worried about Chris McCandless, also known as Alex Supertramp, he

would reassure them he has a college education and is not a destitute. [He's] living like

this by choice (Krakauer 51). This argument however did not ease their thoughts.

When McCandless would talk about his big odyssey to Alaska people would try

to warn him of the dangers, but there was no way talking him out of it. Westerberg

commented when Alex was leaving for his expedition that McCandless would not have

been crying unless he intended to take some risks and he knew he might not be coming

back (68 Krakauer). McCandless wasn't an idiot, he thought in realistic ways, he

listened to what everyone was telling him about how it was dangerous, but he needed

this for himself, so instead of being arrogant he considered the possibility of death

during his venture to find happiness.

McCandless was trying to find tranquility, peace of mind, and an escape from his

realitylike the monks did. The Monks took remarkable voyages simply for the wish to

find lonely places, where these anchorites might dwell in peace, undisturbed by the

turmoil and temptations of the world (Krakauer 97). His turmoil was the unfaithfulness

his father had shown to women, which had affected McCandless greatly. Westerberg

noticed how affected McCandless was however, and sensed a chill between Alex and

his parents that stood out in marked contrast to the warmth he exhibited in Carthage

when he himself was with McCandless (Krakauer 64). His pain could be argued the
focal point of his escapes into the wild. He couldn't be around people for too long or he

would become temperamental, which caused many people to think the boy had a few

screws loose. This was not completely true, however, for it was brought upon him to be

temperamental when he was unable to discuss his feelings with the world he had lost

trust in.

It can be assumed McCandless did indeed find what he was looking for. He

made an epic journey, he traveled far and wide, he proved many people wrong with

surviving in the wild for 113 days without many people or even proper equipment for the

trip he was taking. Even if McCandless did not actually meet the goal he intended, he

did in fact make an impact on many people's lives. In a letter to Ron Franz, McCandless

wrote my point is that you do not need me or anyone else around to bring this new kind

of light into your life. It is simply waiting out there for you to grasp it, and all you have to

do is reach for it (Krakauer 57). His letter to Franz instructed him to go out into the

world and live off the land or enjoy the world as much as McCandless did, and Franz

did, moving to one of McCandless's old spots. McCandless would not have instructed

his friend to have done such a thing if McCandless did not believe it was amazing, nor

would he suggest it if he was unhappy with the way he lived proving the fact that

McCandless found happiness in a world he was unhappy with.

McCandless lived in an abandoned bus when he was in the wild. He had also

attempted to leave his residence of bus 142 on the Stampede Trail, but when he got to

the stream he had crossed in the spring it had turned into a raging river with nowhere to

cross, so he turned around and headed back with no evidence of trying to find another

escape. At the site of McCandless's death, there was a note asking for help on the
doorproving this was not a suicide mission. He also left a note saying I have had a

happy life and thank the Lord. Goodbye and may God bless all! yet again establishing

the fact this man was happy till the end.

Chris McCandless may not have been prepared to the rest of the world's

standards, but he survived exceptionally long. He proved he could do it, and would have

walked out alive if he had considered that the stream would swell once winter was over.

He found the peace the monks found and, to some degree, had accepted his father's

wrongdoings. Alex Supertramp came so far, and accomplished so much on his journey

that it would be disgraceful to pin point this man mad for he had found peace, and

proved everyone wrong while doing it.

Word Count: 782