Pasley 1 Sarah Pasley Mr.

Brecht English III 21 November 2011 Avant garde

Chris McCandless in the novel, Into the Wild by Jon Krakuer exemplifies courage, high moral standards, and commendable philosophy. He chose to live according to his own rules and standards. He made his own path, he wasnt the traditional kid out of college hoping to live off the land. He saw no point to having extra baggage. When his car was no longer of any use he saw fit to rid himself of the burden and carry on as though it was no great loss. He saw beauty in simplicity. He enjoyed friendship but also saw great value in solitude. He had an exquisite love of beauty that was echoed both in when he had no food to sustain himself living in the wild and also when his friends provided for him when he lived in the city.

Chris McCandless showed amazing courage. He really believed in what he was doing and wasnt going to let people tell him he couldnt do that. He believed in himself. Kind of different. But him and McCandless at least tried to follow their dreams. Thats what was great about them. (Krakauer 96.) Chris was admired for the dreams that he had and he wanted to prove that it wasnt just a dream but it was an experience that was going to happen. Chris writes, The joy of life come from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy that to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun. (Krakauer 37.) He believes in experiences he doesnt just want to dream he wants to go do it. He realizes that its a

Pasley 1 big chance but hes willing to play out the cards. Chris writes excitedly, It is the experiences, the memories, the great triumphant joy of living to the fullest extent in which real meaning is found. (Krakauer 37.) He loved moving around, he enjoyed having a new and different sun. This shows that he had courage he was not willing to settle down and accept that his dream wouldnt come true, he challenged that way people thought about living their lives, and he challenged people to join him in the way he lives. Chris showed exemplary moral standards in challenging how people around him lived. He challenged his father when he found about the son born after him. He could not accept that he was living a lie. Karine tells Krakauer, He measured himself and everyone else by an impossibly rigorous moral code. He didnt like how society worked. He saw the corruption and lies but not much else. He wasnt able to ever see the true love and kindness in the world or in his father. Her son, the teenage Tolstoyan believed that wealth was shameful, corrupting, and inherently evil (Krakauer 115.) He didnt see a reason to having money if it was unnecessary. Many people will say that money is a necessary evil and to Chris it definitely was but once he didnt need it anymore he burned it up. He didnt want living on the road to be easy, he wanted it to be hard and to show he could survive on his own without any help. Krakauer writes understandingly, McCandless was something else-although precisely what is hard to say. A pilgrim perhaps. (Krakauer 85.) He was on search to find what was right and wrong. And he understood that he was going to get a new perspective on life. That this was going to be a life-changing experience for him and he wanted to see how it would affect him. Chris McCandless illustrated his philosophy by urging people to come and join him in his erratic lifestyle. Chris urges, Id like to repeat the advice I gave you before, in that I think you should make a radical change in your lifestyle and begin to boldly question things which you may

Pasley 1 have previously never have thought of doing, or been too hesitant to attempt. (Krakauer 66.) Chris wanted others to see the beauty in nature and that by living in a house you are missing out on so many things. He can live under the stars and see all of nature change with the seasons. He doesnt understand why people would choose such a disparate life than his when they have no nature. He cant see the beauty in the city either, he doesnt understand what could be so beautiful in a place that never changes. And now after two rambling years comes the final and greatest adventure. The climactic battle to kill the false being within and victoriously conclude the spiritual revolution. (Krakauer 163.) Chris writes emphatically. He is finally about to embark on his journey to really find what he truly believes and this is the start of something new and exciting for him. He finally understands what is so important to him about the outdoors and what it means to him. Chris was an idealist with the boldness to question his authorities and question everything he had been taught. He realized that you have to go out and find out for yourself why something is important or what it means to you. He also took his philosophy and moral standards to heart he realized the people who wrote his books didnt live according to their philosophy but he pushed past their flaws and lived according to their books. He never backed down and he didnt let his dreams go. That is what he did to earn being an idealist.