“I wished to acquire the simplicity, native feelings, and virtues of savage life; to divest myself of the factitious habits, prejudices and imperfections of civilization… and to find, amidst the solitude and grandeur of the western wilds, more correct views of human nature and of the true interests of man”(Krakauer 157). Christopher McCandless is neither a pilgrim nor a suicidal narcissist. A pilgrim is defined as one who journeys for a religious purpose. Although “God” is mentioned multiple times throughout the novel, McCandless never states that his reasoning for traveling to Alaska was because “God put him in the land of righteousness- Alaska”. McCandless also did not journey on his Odyssey to find God or improve his relationship with …show more content…
Every day, people worldwide take course of action in search for happiness- a gift that everyone deserves. If this is true, then why is McCandless’s journey considered so different? Yes, he traveled across the country, but so did millions of others. Where they took the train, he walked nature’s gift. Yes, he faced danger in his attempt to be rightfully happy, but so did millions of others. Where they risked a vehicle accident, he risked disease. And yes, he was alone throughout his journey, but so were millions of others. Where all they had were the walls of their first apartment to comfort their loneliness, he had the changing horizon to guide him. The only aspect of Chris’s journey that was different from everyone else’s was that he was willing to go to the extremes to accomplish his life goal. Does this make him a pilgrim? A narcissist? Or does this make him admirable and respectable? The place of happiness that satisfies the heart is not pre-decided. Christopher McCandless is a man who was determined to find pure happiness, and took the necessary steps to get there. He loved along the way, appreciated every moment he had, and followed nature’s guide. He accomplished his goal and overcame himself. A man of great character and incredible qualities, McCandless did something that many other males in society could never do. This makes him different than those males; this makes …show more content…
Chris was smart, and he recognized the possibility that he may not be coming back home. Christopher McCandless was a man who impacted the lives of many. He was admired by everyone he came across along his journey. Most importantly, Chris loved. He continued to write letters to a few families whom he had met and stayed with. In all multiple of these letters, Chris writes, “If this journey shall prove fatal and I do not see you for a long time…” Christopher McCandless knew he could die. He decided the odyssey to happiness was worth the risk- the same way a skydiver will jump miles from the sky because two minutes of joy is worth the risk for a death sentence.
Jon Krakauer did not depict Christopher McCandless as a pilgrim. Krakauer was one author who genuinely took Chris’s documentation, his diaries, notes, and treasured quotes, to form an understanding of who Chris was on the inside. Krakauer did not label McCandless; Jon Krakauer got to know McCandless. Along with studying Chris’s possessions, Krakauer journeyed Christopher’s odyssey so that he could experience what McCandless experienced and to understand him to the highest extent. You cannot judge a man until you have walked two moons in his moccasins, and Krakauer walked many in