In his novel, Into the Wild, Jon Krakauer portrays Chris McCandless as a courageous man. Through Krakauer’s use of symbols and motifs, as well as themes, the reader can easily describe McCandless as a non materialistic, independent human. Although some readers view McCandless as an insane lunatic, McCandless was truly a humble man who wanted nothing more than to understand how the less fortunate in society live.
Throughout Into the Wild, the reader can envision how McCandless was independent throughout his upbringing as a child. McCandless, although a brilliant child, had parents who worked day and night, leaving him to take care of himself and his sister, Carine. Although he lived in luxury, he did not have a strong relationship with his parents, …show more content…
His view on non materialism speaks to his values in life. McCandless, although he came from a wealthy home, feels as though money does not equal happiness. To McCandless, happiness has nothing to do with the amount of money lurking in the pockets of civilians. Thinking this way, McCandless burns all of his money and gives a large sum of it to charity. By burning his money, the reader sees that McCandless feels as though the cash has no real value and no impact on human life. Krakauer claims in chapter four that, “Chris was very much of the school that you should own nothing except what you could carry on your back at a dead run” (chapter 4). In addition to the burning of his money, McCandless ignores the yellow Datsun he encounters in the desert. As McCandless leaves the car, a material object, in the desert, the reader is reassured about McCandless’ non materialistic views. Although the Datsun may have made McCandless’ adventure easier, he believed that the easy way was not always the most ideal way to explore the world.
Chris McCandless, an adventurous and independent man, was a man of idealism and non materialism. Even though McCandless’ journey may seem surprising and abrupt, it was also inspiring. To drop everything and live a new life, especially coming from a well-off family, must have been a challenging but relieving moment for the college graduate. As humans reflect on the technological advancements and material objects they possess, they must remember that material goods do not satisfy them, but rather other humans, animals, and nature do, such as Chris McCandless discovered in his short time on