Growing up as You Walk Into Your Path.

Topic: Growing up from not just on the outside, but from the inside.

“It is easy, when you are young, to believe that what you desire is no less than what you deserve, to assume that if you want something badly enough, it is your God-given right to have it. When I decided to go to Alaska that April, like Chris McCandless, I was a raw youth who mistook passion for insight and acted according to an obscure, gap-ridden logic. I thought climbing the Devils Thumb would fix all that was wrong with my life. In the end, of course, it changed almost nothing. But I came to appreciate that mountains make poor receptacles for dreams. And I lived to tell my tale.” (Krakauer 155).

Based on the quote, it illustrates Krakauer's feelings about McCandless. He believes that McCandless is wiser and more humble than anyone in Alaska can believe, but McCandless follows the things he experienced as a child and he sometimes misjudge the world like other youths. He claims that was his character flaw. The passage's implication is that, if McCandless survived, he would likely mature mentally and emotionally - learning to bond with others, forgive the shortcomings of his loved ones, to interact with not only human society itself, but the world as a whole. However, because of his death - which is not necessarily deserving than if Krakauer had on Devil's Thumb - McCandless will never have that chance in life, and instead is blamed for his ignorance, hubris, immaturity, and his refusal to grow from the inside, like everyone else.

I Now Walk Into the Wild

Topic: Venturing through your journey no matter what, even if it will cost you your life.

“Please return all mail I receive to the sender. It might be a very long time before I return South. If this adventure proves fatal and you don’t ever hear from me again, I want you to know you’re a great man. I now walk into the wild.” (Krakauer 69).

This quote is completely written in McCandless's words, written on his last postcard to Wayne Westerberg before going to the Alaskan wilderness. Because of his acknowledgement of death, it is used as evidence that McCandless is intentionally suicidal on his journey of truth, but many people find it untrue. On the flipside however, McCandless's acknowledgement of the danger shows that he is not as arrogant as many imagine, at least he is not arrogant at extreme levels of course, but it shows that he does not want to die, but he knows how dangerous his journey is, and his margin for error is slim. He believes that the journey is worth it, because he believes that he can experience the wonder of complete independence and freedom, and his joy is seen in the last sentence of his postcard sent to Wayne Westerberg, the last person he has interacted with before venturing into the cold unknown.

Walking Alone

"McCandless was thrilled to be on his way north, and he was relieved as well—relieved that he had again evaded the impending threat of human intimacy, of friendship, and all the messy emotional baggage that comes with it" (Krakauer 55).

Topic: Ignoring Your Past Friends and Family. (Family Dynamics).     

     In this quote, McCandless is finding joy and excitement on his journey towards the North, and he feels more relaxed when he completely ignores his relationships or any communication towards anyone he has met in the past, be it his father, mother, sister, friends, and so on. However, that relief will be short lived, as the act of suppressing his past relationships shows how deep McCandless's problems with social interactions are, which are very vital in his two-year journey for meaning and peace, which will end with his fatal death. During those two years, McCandless doesn't make any contact with his sister, despite how close they are, and while he may have met many potential friends, he prevents any bond from forming, because these relationships can shatter like glass, leaving a black void inside of his soul, and the grief can distract him from his journey.

Whenever he makes any potential bond, McCandless leaves without any notice, good bye, letter, gift, or anything else; it's just like he had simply vanished. There is no remorse nor regret for his abandonment of his potential bonds, as he simply walk into the woods, where the only person he can look after is himself. As he intentionally forgets the responsibilities people have in any close relationship, he ignores the harm done to those who love him when he risks his safety, and of course, his life, which will seal his fate by the freezing cold