Analysis Of Chris Mccandless In Into The Wild, By Jon Krakauer

The national bestseller Into The Wild written by Jon Krakauer follows one of the best known transcendentalists of the late 20th century, Christopher McCandless, through his journey across the country and into the Alaskan wilderness. The trip helps Chris find pure happiness, and being tested by the elements lets him experience what he believed to be the true beauty of life. In spite of the fact that Chris always seemed to have been drawn to nature, Krakauer hints to other reasons as to why Chris originally left. There are a few reasons for Chris’ departure from civilization, but the push that propelled him away from the only home he ever knew was his parents, Walt and Billie. Despite his overwhelming awe for nature, the most plausible reason

She kept the house tidy, cared for the kids, and even helped Walt with his work. However behind closed doors, she tortured the young McCandless’ psychologically. Walt physically abused Chris and Carine, but Billie had a special knack for hitting their soft spot of mental weakness. As if getting beaten themselves was not enough to have to go through, Walt and Billie forced them to watch Billie get beaten. “‘Kids! Kids! Help! Look at what your father is doing to me!’ She would scream out between breaths” (McCandless, 29). Most mothers would do anything in their power to help their children bloom into the beautiful blossoms of adulthood with as minimal damage as possible. Billie called out to Chris and Carine knowing well that they could not save her. Watching their mother get beaten, and knowing they could not do anything to save her, was like a foot stomping down on their blossoms and damaging them almost to the point of no recovery. Chris left because he could no longer surround himself with this kind of cognitive abuse.

Walt was naturally controlling and abrasive. When Krakauer interviewed the McCandless's, he noted about Walt that “Taking control is something he does unconsciously, reflexively” (Krakauer, 105). A need to overpower his family naturally ran through his veins. “According to members of the extended family, his moods can be dark and mercurial” (Krakauer, 105). His extended family, that does not even live in the same house as him, has obviously witnessed his contemptuous behavior. The controlling behavior was present outside of the immediate family, showing that Walt’s behavior was uncontrolled and