Into the Wild

Chris would have been 45 if he had not died on his journey into the wild. This is a blog of a freshman college english group analyzing Chris's story.

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Into The Wild Synopsis

After graduating from Emory University, top student and athlete Christopher McCandless abandons his possessions, gives his entire $24,000 savings account to charity and hitchhikes to Alaska to live in the wilderness. Along the way, Christopher encounters a series of characters that shape his life.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0758758/?ref_=nv_sr_1

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Chris’s Past

Chris went to W.T Woodson High School in Fairfax County,Virginia. As of 2014 there were 6 suicides in 3 years at Chris’s high school. The pressure to get good grades and do extra curricular activities puts a lot of stress on the students there.  17% of students in Fairfax County reported considering suicide in 2014 in Fairfax County. 

Chris felt this as well even through college. When he left to travel the US, he was already accepted into med school but didn't want to conform to what his parents wanted from him. He wanted to forge his own path. Since he had such a stressful past and just disappeared without warning, it comes off as if the pressure got to him like other Fairfax County students and he was choosing to end his life in a more theatrical way.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/crime/after-woodson-high-suicides-a-search-for-solace-and-answers/2014/04/11/a394dc64-b069-11e3-a49e-76adc9210f19_story.html

http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/demogrph/pdf/youthsurveyfacts_depression_suicide.pdf

train track picture by Cal Cary

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Chris’s Death

24 years old

Fairbanks, Alaska

Body was found in an old abandoned Fairbanks City Transit Bus numbered 142

Located on Stampede Trail

September 6, 1992

Body decomposed discovered by moose hunters

Outside northern boundary of Denali National Park

Death: 67 lbs

According to diary- dead for 19 days before found

http://www.christophermccandless.info/

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There are always 2 sides!

With every incident there are always two sides, Chris McCandless’s death was no different. Some claim his death was an accident and others claim he intentionally committed suicide.

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OUR ARGUMENT!!

We believe that Chris’s death was an accident for many reasons. He had an S.O.S note which can be viewed above that told he was in bad shape and was in dire need of help. Chris had a book on wild plants which explained what plants were edible and which were deadly. Unfortunately, he made a fatal mistake when choosing what to eat because the plant he ingested is non-toxic according to the plant book, but according to research by Ronald Hamilton, the Wild Potato plant is toxic especially to “young men between the ages of 15 and 25 and who are essentially starving or ingesting very limited calories, and who have been engaged in heavy physical activity.” Chris died at the age of 24, so this shows he falls right into that category and he matches all qualities that Hamilton discussed. Another point that leads us to believe that Chris’s death was an accident was how hard he searched and hunted for food; a few of which are in a picture above.

http://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/how-chris-mccandless-died

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COUNTER ARGUMENT

Alaskan Park Ranger Peter Christian joined the park ranger team the same year Chris McCandless died. He makes strong arguments as to why Chris’s death could be considered a suicide.

He wrote, “ When you consider McCandless from my perspective, you quickly see that what he did wasn't even particularly daring, just stupid, tragic, and inconsiderate. First off, he spent very little time learning how to actually live in the wild. He arrived at the Stampede Trail without even a map of the area. If he [had] had a good map he could have walked out of his predicament  using one of several routes that could have been successful [...] Essentially, Chris McCandless committed suicide.”

Others, particularly Alaskans, have expressed negative views about McCandless and those who romanticize his fate. Others have attempted the feat that Chris did and realized the journey was too difficult and would turn around. 

Chris was suicidal because of his unwillingness to prepare himself and “wanted to die (whether he realized it or not).” 

“He spent very little time learning how to actually live in the wild.”

McCandless’ decision to come to Alaska “unprepared” and “unskilled” was a suicidal act in itself.

http://www.teachwithmovies.org/guides/into-the-wild-files/Peter_Christian_Response-1.pdf

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Summary

Even though there is a significant amount of evidence supporting the idea that Chris was ultimately committing suicide it’s not a solid argument because he left a S.O.S note, tried to stay alive by hunting and scavenging for berries and he had a book to help identify plants. It’s more likely that he just made some fatal errors along the way that ultimately lead to his death. Chris McCandless wanted to live to tell his tale, but since he couldn't tell it himself Jon Krakauer did Chris justice and told his story for him.