Library changed into the heaviest factor in McCandless' half-complete

backpack, having books authored by means of Thoreau, Tolstoy, Jack London

and many different authors. John Krakauer portrays Chris McCandless, as a
student who grew to become an explorer, as an idealist more conversant in
the principles of numerous authors than the realism. Chris abandoned to
wander around the U.S. like South Carolina, New Mexico and Alaska to enjoy
the life by existing with nature and people he met.

As he explored, he started copying authors mindsets and overlooking

regulations of society. Thoreau advocated a less difficult residing inside the
wilds, where he believed that man may want to come to different phrases
along with his personal existence and find a higher motive. Tolstoy endorsed
an existence of poverty as opposed to glorifying wealth. Chris McCandless
read and appreciated these types of writers, and imitated some of their ideas
in his own lifestyles: I have analyzed, researched and tried to prove
throughout this essay that how these authors and their books inspired Chris
and how he followed them till his death.
Alaska turned out to be McCandless final journey and the vicinity in
which he made a deadly mistake. Mesmerized through London's boring
portrayal of existence in Alaska, McCandless read and reread the Call of the

Wild. Jack London's work, more extra than his

actual personage, stimulated McCandless' journey
into the Alaskan desert. Jack London's work, Call
of the Wild, turned entirely fiction, however Chris,
being a dreamer, apparently let the book take him
over. He entered myth land all throughout his
ultimate voyage, ignoring the need for extra
resources than he had, and the reality that as
many Alaskans mentioned to Krakauer, Alaska's
meals sources are frequently scarce. Due to the fact McCandless had a
difficult time in the wild, wondering how he may want to hunt and feed
himself, he passed away from hunger, because practically, Alaska did not
have sufficient food to provide for him. However, although a few should rule
this writer's affect to be a dangerous one, Jack London also helped shape
Chris's spirit of freedom and his choice to live inside the wild within us.
Jack Londons Naturalism inspired Christopher McCandless. You might
be asking yourself what is Naturalism? Naturalism is a kind of literature that
makes use of realism to indicate social conditions, heredity and environment
shapes the man or woman and determines their destiny. It defines the dark
harshness of existence together with: poverty, racism, intercourse, violence,
prejudice, ailment, corruption, prostitution, and grime while the characters
can be studied thru their association to their environments as they try to
practice free will and discover they may be powerless to external forces
away from their control.
Chris believed that his surroundings shaped the individual and sought
out an atmosphere that might better form him; he sought to go away what
he felt had been poor influences. He took The Call of the Wild pretty serious
as a name to live within the wild to seek ones genuine ability. Londons
socialism might also have contributed to McCandlesss disdain of cash and
anti-materialism. However the truth is Naturalism changed into a literary

motion, no longer a truth of actuality. Few genuinely trust that individuals are
powerless to the impact in their surroundings. Similarly most environments
aren't totally pure or totally corrupt. His hero, Jack London, manifestly
realized his works were fiction and now not do not have intention to follow.
He selected to put in writing to avoid tough hard work and died most of the
conveniences of present day existence.
Henry

David

Thoreau,

the

other

influential

creator, turned into mentioned when Krakauer wrote

that Chris's views about politics have been possibly
first-class summed up by Thoreau's statement 'Civil
Disobedience'...".This

was

the

image

of

Chris

throughout his academy years. Thoreau, born inside the

early 1800s, alike Tolstoy he was also an admirer of
celibacy. What he became most popular for, the year spent thinking and
concentrating on improving his writing at Walden Pond where he constructed
a cabin and survived. Walden Pond was the property of another author Ralph
Waldo

Emerson

that

permitted

Thoreau

to

construct

his

home

there. McCandless, too camped out in Alaska in addition to Lake Mead.

Thoreau's have an impact on is clear additionally when McCandless declines
to carry an identity card, pay a penalty to the law enforcement officials, and
when he burns his money. One in every of McCandless's favorite essays on
Civil Disobedience stimulated through while Thoreau went to prison for a
night because he refused to pay penalty of less amount.
Henry promoted the concept of Transcendentalism this is described as
while a person survives purposely and follows his instinct, he transcends
regular life and reports the sublime. As an example: Henry David Thoreau
left his lifestyles to live intentionally in a cabin in the woods.

Walden
Pond and a
Replica of
Thoreaus

Even

though

following

your

personal

instinct

is

major

part

of

Transcendentalist notion, general solitude isn't always. Thoreau did visit

Walden Pond to stay deliberately, however he became no longer a hermit. He
entertained many visitors. Moreover, self-reliance does now not require
refusing all help and advice. While Chris did the other, he lived by myself and
neither touch with anyone nor took help from absolutely everyone and this is
where he went incorrect in information Transcendentalism.
Leo Tolstoy changed into a Russian creator whose ideals have been
famous inside the past due 19th century and become the writer of War and
Peace which McCandless presented to someone, he encountered on his
travels as a gift. Tolstoy's beliefs explains that people must stay off the land,
exercise chastity, and chorus from proudly owning private belongings and

the use of cash. Chris appeared to be strongly prompted by using these

ideals. For Example, as a sign of devotion to each
Tolstoy and Thoreau that would complete their
proud, he arranged all his cash money in a pile on
the sand and burnt it. This motion befell at the
beginning of Chris's experience and he persisted
earning most effective sufficient cash to live on
considering he often migrated from town to
metropolis. For couple of years that led to his
death,

McCandless

changed

into

basically

tourist, taking shelter under the roofs of others, and shopping for: scant
quantities of food, essentials for residing in the wild (gun, bullets and many
others.), and a couple of postcards. Chris even imitated Tolstoy's code of
celibacy. The text states that there was never proof of him having any kind of
sexual courting in all of the years of his travels. Some other writer he idolized
changed into pretty similar to Tolstoy, sharing a number of the identical
ideals.
Tolstoy turned into a realist author. His works depict cutting-edge life
and society "as they had been." He tried to capture regular sports. The man
or woman is extra essential than motion and plot; complex ethical picks are
regularly the concern. Plots are generally manageable. Characters diction is
natural, no longer heightened or poetic. A majority of these ideas allow Chris
starting to believe that lasting happiness could be found simplest by means
of achieving internal self-perfection, disdain for money, worldly possessions,
and romantic relationships.
These various authors fashioned Chris's preference to break far from
the norm and allow his spirit of adventure to take over. For couple of years
he walks the earth. No telephone, no pool, no pets, no cigarettes. Ultimate
freedom...now not to be poisoned by means of civilization he flees, and walks
on his own upon the land to emerge as misplaced in the wild.

Work Cited
1. Krakauer, Jon. Death of an Innocent: How Christopher McCandless lost his
way in the wilds. New York City, NY: Outside, 1993
2. Krakauer, Jon. Into the Wild. New York City, NY: Villard Books, 1996
3. Ebert, Roger. "The Woods are Dark, Deep and Fatal to an Idealist." The
Spectator: G17. Oct 19
2007. ProQuest. Web. 29 Oct. 2015 .
4. Mason, Pete. Remembering Christopher McCandless 20 Years Later. The
Hiffingtop

Post.

Oct

20

2012.

Oct

29

2015.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/pete-mason/remembering-christop
hermccandless_b_1777825.html >

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