Kartha 1

Rhea Kartha

Mrs. Stephanie Tatum

AP Language, 4th Period

17 December 2019

The Story of Transcendentalism in “Into the Wild”

John Krakauer, author of “Into the Wild,” writes an account of the experiences and

challenges faced by Chris McCandless in his novel. His account of Chris McCandless is a

transcendental story as Krakauer utilized the idea that individuals can find truth through their

own experiences and ideas as it conveys the true nature of reality. Although created by Immanuel

Kant in the 18th century, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau were the central

figures of transcendentalism during the era of the late 1820s to late 1830s in New England as

well as Margaret Fuller and Amos Bronson Alcott. It stood against intellectualism at that time as

Romanticism, the philosophy of Immanuel Kant, and Indian religions influenced it.

Transcendentalism is emphasized throughout the story by Chris McCandless’s experiences of

nonconformity and self-reliance as described by Krakauer.

In the essence of nonconformity, Krakauer thoroughly describes the new spirituality of

Chris McCandless as he creates a new life for himself: “he was now Alexander Supertramp,

master of his own destiny” (Krakauer 23). Krakauer depicts the abandonment of the past and

childhood in order for Chris to shape himself of a new life and identity which is primarily one of

the elements of transcendentalism - nonconformity. Chris refuses to conform to his old name and

identity in which he forges a new life for himself. Utilizing this element, Krakauer demonstrates

the total control over destiny and conversion into a Transcendentalist. He conveys how true

Transcendentalists live in the present and make new lives for themselves in order to create their

own fulfilling destiny. Furthermore, the audience observes how Chris objects the role of
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relationships in life as he “was relieved … that he had again evaded the impending threat of

human intimacy” when he dodges Ronald Franz’s request of being his grandson (Krakauer 55).

This objection appears as nonconformity as Chris refuses to conform to a human relationship

with Franz as he views relationships as confining. Krakauer demonstrates how the rejection of

relationships depict an avoidance of emotional attachments, so individuals cannot conform to

others and their rules. He truly grasps the idea of relationships in Transcendentalism as

individuals object to all relationships in order to live for themselves and not for others’ emotional

needs. Krakuauer’s depiction of Chris’s new life and rejection of relationships truly conveys the

element of nonconformity in transcendentalism.

On the other hand, Krakauer expresses self-reliance by accounting of how Chris “saw the

flash flood as an opportunity to shed unnecessary baggage” and decides to burn his money as

well (Krakauer 29). He describes how Chris starts to separate himself from modern society and

solely become reliant on himself, an element of self-reliance from transcendentalism. In addition,

Krakauer depicts how the separation from modern society allows individuals to think for

themselves and be completely reliant on their own items. As described by Ralph Waldo Emerson

and Henry David Thoreau, one should “live deliberately” and think for themselves in order to

achieve self-reliance. Krakauer demonstrates how Chris McCandless reaches the element of self-

reliance when he distances himself from his family, close friends, and new friends in his new life

in order to think of himself and live for himself. In addition, he lets go of his material

possessions in order to live by his own resources and not be dependent on certain items.

Krakauer demonstrates how individuals should let go of their dependency on items,

relationships, and people because they will start to live a life worth living by living for

themselves soley. Krakauer truly depicts the role of self-reliance in “Into the Wild” as he depicts
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the separation from society and release of worldly possessions into the wild in order to

demonstrate how individuals should start thinking of themselves and live for themselves.

The account of Chris McCandless by Krakauer demonstrates a transcendental story as he

depicts the two main elements of transcendentalism: self-reliance and nonconformity. Both

elements help Chris achieve full transcendentalism as he liberates himself of his material

possessions and relationships as well as inventing a new life for himself and objecting the role of

relationships in his new life. Krakauer thoroughly describes Chris’s transformation of

transcendentalism throughout the novel to depict how individuals need to let go of their pasts in

order to achieve spiritual liberty.