Chris McCandless was only 22 years old when he decided to commence his excursion to Alaska. He met people on the way, but he never stayed in one place for long. Is anyone who does not agree with society a transcendentalist? McCandless does not conform to society but does not prove to be a transcendentalist but rather a spontaneous idealist. The movements do, however, bounce off each other in many ways.
Transcendentalism, started in the 1830s, was best known as a theoretical movement with the belief that your knowledge based on life and nature was more important than social status and knowledge based on social class. Idealism is best defined as impractically alluding without thinking about the practicableness of the situation. Transcendentalists are well known for their general beliefs of living simply, knowing your own value, and appreciating nature. Idealists are people who believe things should be the way they see it, instead of how reality truly is. Idealism is a …show more content…
Chris had deep rooted anger with his parents. He felt as if he had been lied to his entire life. His dad had another family and it frustrated him that his mom swept the situation under the rug. His parents did not want people to know there was problems within their family because they wanted the perfect upper class appearance. They even offered to buy Chris a brand new car because the car he was driving was not as good looking as they would have wanted for him. He refused to take them up on the offer and defended his car as if they had really struck a nerve. He took off because he was tired of living his life for his parents. He did not want his parents to know about this for the simple fact, they would try to talk him out of it. A stubborn individual will not have their mind changed. Even his sister, name, believed he set off because he wanted to never associate with their parents