Into the Wild Editorial

Alexander Supertramp Proves That Being Unprepared Doesn’t Always Turn Out

By Mackenzie Bailey

According to Dictionary.com, the definition of adventurous (adj.) is inclined to undertake new and daring enterprises; hazardous, risky. In my opinion, I think Chris’s trip completely applies to this word. I believe Chris was the kind of guy brave enough to take risks, whether he succeeded or not. I, however, do not agree with some of the decisions Chris made. He could have died sooner than he really did. I would never take a trip like Chris did because he was not well prepared or ready to take on something that extreme.

The main reason I feel like Chris made a bad decision by taking his trip into the wild is because of stupidity. The first mistake he made was deciding to sell all of his belongings. The next mistake he made was not packing enough for a trip that lengthy. A normal person traveling into the wild would have carried much more clothing, food, and shelter. As I began to read about the beginning of Chris’s trip, I immediately knew that he would be very unsuccessful. On page 29, Krakauer says “He could simply abandon the Datsun and resume his odyssey on foot. And that’s what he decided to do.” This shows that unfortunately Chris’s foolishness only took him so far.

The second reason I did not have any respect for Chris’s adventure was because he was very impulsive. He never thought about the consequences of making a wrong decision. Chris
knew exactly what he wanted and didn’t care what anyone thought. He was determined to get his way and succeed. The only time he ever gave up was towards the end because he knew he could not go on any longer. “There was just no talking the guy out of it, he was determined. Real gung ho,” said Gallien. (Page 6) This quote shows that Chris didn’t accept any type of help from others. All he wanted was to travel into the wild alone and no one could stop him.

Lastly, I feel that Chris wasn’t caring and was very self centered. All he was concerned about was taking his trip. He never thought about how his parents would feel about his trip, nor did he care. In my opinion, I think that shows very bad character. I know many teens are very concerned with themselves and get caught up in the moment; however, Chris was old enough to realize that what he was doing could affect his family in a very tragic way. I would never put my family through the misery that the McCandless’s went through.

Many people seem to think that Chris was a very brave and courageous kid. They also think he was full of spirit and just wanted to explore nature. I do not completely disagree with these opinions. But, Chris handled many situations incorrectly. It does take a lot of bravery to travel in the wild alone, but he should have had more protection with him in case something dangerous occurred. In the author’s note, author Jon Krakauer says “He was an extremely intense young man and possessed a streak of stubborn idealism that did not mesh readily with modern existence.” I disagree with Krakauer because I feel that McCandless was self-centered, not stubborn. I feel that he was craving attention and finally received the fame and glory that he wanted.

I would never take on a trip that extreme and dangerous like Chris McCandless did for numerous reasons; no matter how unhappy I was in my life. I believe that if Chris did not make
stupid decisions, thought before he acted, and was not consumed in just himself, his trip would have been more successful then it turned out. If you were in Chris McCandless’s shoes what would you have done? Do you think you would have acted the way he did? You never know what someone’s life is like until you’re in their shoes.

Works Cited

• Krakauer, Jon. Into the Wild. 1996.