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Into The Wild Transcendentalism Essay

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Christopher McCandless, a 29-year-old dreamer, went on the journey of a lifetime to involve himself with nature and being truly independent. He had lived a life of privilege, made amazing grades in school, and even went to school at Emory College, getting degrees in both history and anthropology. Even though he seemed to have everything good going for him, it’s not the life he wanted. McCandless decides after law school to go deep into the “wild”, with no map, no resources. All he kept was a small journal and camera in which he captured and recorded all of his experiences in, allowing people for the rest of time to read and learn about his journey in his book titled Into the Wild, by Jon Krakauer. This impulsive decision that McCandless made would soon cost him his life, and most people would see him as being crazy for it. A man named Shaun Callarman, for example, believed that he “ had no Common sense. . . he was just plain crazy.” I disagree with this statement, however, and believe that Christopher had a very transcendentalist view on life,agreeing with most all of the great Henry David Thoreau and his ideals, but just made a few careless mistakes that would have been the difference between life and death. …show more content…

It is simply waiting out there for you to grasp it, and all you have to do is reach for it” (pg 57). Christopher McCandless is a remarkable man who sincerely believed in the transcendentalist view of having a simplified life, mirroring Henry David Thoreau’s ideals. Christopher broke out of his life of conformity to accomplish something he was immensely passionate about. Lots of people admire him for his braveness and independence, and others think he went nuts. When it comes down to it, Christopher McCandless ended his life the way he wanted. On his last journal entry, he says, “I have had a happy life and thank the Lord. Goodbye and God Bless all” (pg.

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