PaddleNorth is a memoir written by Jennifer Kingsley, chronicling her journey down the Back River in the Arctic wilderness. The book explores themes of adventure, resilience, and personal growth, as Kingsley faces numerous challenges and undergoes significant transformation along the way. The central themes of PaddleNorth, include the transformative power of nature and human connection, the importance of environmental sustainability and conservation, and the resilience and adaptability of the human spirit. One of the central themes of PaddleNorth is the transformative power of nature and human connection. Throughout the book, Kingsley describes how her journey down the Back River challenged her physically, mentally, and emotionally. She writes …show more content…
However, Kingsley also highlights the ways in which her journey allowed her to connect with nature and with her fellow travelers in a deep and meaningful way. Kingsley writes about the sense of awe and wonders that she experienced when encountering the natural beauty of the Arctic wilderness. She describes the stunning landscapes, the vast expanse of the tundra, and the incredible wildlife that she encountered along the way. She also writes about the sense of community and camaraderie that developed among her fellow travelers, as they relied on each other for support and encouragement. Kingsley notes that "the sense of purpose and camaraderie that came from being part of a team that was working together to achieve a common goal was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life" (Kingsley, 2014, p. 63). Kingsley's journey down the Back River allowed her to gain a deeper understanding of herself and her place in the world. She writes about how the experience challenged her preconceptions about her own limitations and …show more content…
Throughout the book, Kingsley describes the numerous challenges and obstacles that she and her fellow travelers faced on their journey down the Back River. From fierce headwinds to treacherous rapids to encounters with grizzly bears, Kingsley writes about the many moments of fear, uncertainty, and doubt that they experienced along the way. However, Kingsley also highlights the ways in which these challenges brought out the best in herself and her fellow travelers. She writes about the strength, determination, and courage that they exhibited in the face of adversity, and how these experiences brought them closer together as a team. Kingsley notes that "the Back River tested us in ways that we never could have imagined, but it also showed us what we were capable of when we worked together and refused to give up" (Kingsley, 2014, p. 164). Kingsley's journey down the Back River allowed her to gain a deeper appreciation for the resilience and adaptability of the human spirit. She writes about the ways in which the Inuit people have adapted to the harsh and unforgiving environment of the Arctic over thousands of years, and how their traditional knowledge and practices can serve as a model for resilience and sustainability in the face of environmental challenges. PaddleNorth highlights the resilience and adaptability of the human spirit, while also underscoring the importance of working
Chris's desire to break free from social expectations and build his own life led him to start his journey in the Alaskan wilderness. Throughout his journey Chris's interaction with nature and the people he met along the way were shaped by his struggles with his parental figures And his desire to find meaning and purpose in his life. Chris's story highlights the importance of positive role models and support
The Alaskan Wilderness: cold, lonely and, for some people, their final resting place. John Krakauer’s book “Into the Wild” describes the story of Chris McCandless, who was a normal American man on the verge of entering adulthood with a college degree, over $20,000 in savings, and a beloved Datsun car who met his fate in Alaska. One day, he dropped everything to live alone, and eventually die alone, in the middle of nowhere, Alaska. Chris McCandless believed that conformity was too restrictive. He trusted that anyone could find true happiness and passion by leaving everything behind and starting a new lifestyle, which would allow for him to become free and independent.
Chris McCandless was an American adventurer who traveled to the Alaskan wilderness in April 1992. He look little food and equipment with him, before embarking on his journey McCandless abandoned his car and burned his money. He wanted to live simply in solitude away from the materialistic world. Timothy Treadwell, an environmentalist, also ventured to Alaska to study grizzly bears. Both Chris and Timothy set out to explore what the wilderness had to offer and they didn’t let anyone stop them from doing what they desired.
The compelling novel Into The Wild, by American Journalist Jon Krauker is an inspirational and deep look inside the mind and life of a beloved young adventure Chris McCandless. Krauker himself was once a adventure, who also faced many obstacles throught his endevers. Krauker uses Retorical Stratieges in Into The Wild to show readers that know matter the outcome of the adventure, its the lessons of perseverance and determination that is ones biggest success. Chris McCandless is seen by many as careless, naive, and reckless. Krauker however viewed Chris as brave and just being young.
She states, “Some author, that I have met with, compares a judicious traveller to a river, that increases its stream the further it flows from its source; or to certain springs, which, running through rich veins of minerals, improve their qualities as they pass along.” By recalling this anecdote, Adams metaphorically convinces her son that as he sails away from home, he will “improve [his] qualities” and enrich his character like a river as it increases it’s stream. In addition, the presence of his father will present a nurturing and “instructive eye” to assist in the process of his growth as well as providing an ethical appeal. This shows that Adams believes that this venture will result in the betterment of her son’s character and that she will expect nothing less as he is “favored with superior
McCandless was searching for freedom and the chance to truly become an individual. Alaska gave McCandless a place where he could be far away from everything that held him back. One of these was certain human relationships in his life. “You are wrong if you think Joy emanates only or principally from human relationships.” (Krakauer,42) McCandless did not feel that
When we think of going out into the wilderness to explore all its wonders, most of us would be petrified by the thought. However, for Chris McCandless and many others, the thought alone excited them. In the nonfiction novel, Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer, Krakauer introduces to us the story of Chris McCandless and his journey through the Alaskan wilderness. In the novel, Krakauer tries to convey understanding between the reader and McCandles. Krakauer’s use of rhetorical devices such as diction and parallelism helps to defend Chris’s actions and explain the importance of his journey.
His trek to Alaska showcases his bravery and courage in facing an uncertain future and forging his path. This is shown by this quote, “We just have to have the courage to turn against our habitual lifestyle and engage in unconventional living,” (Krakauer). This journey is not only a departure from his comfort zone, but it also makes him self-sufficient, using the knowledge he acquired to create a home in Alaska and subsist off the land.
The experience of relentless action itself is where one could conceivably find refuge, as even when the destination is reached, no further refuge is found. Simultaneously, while the author of Into The Wild, Jon Krakauer, depicted his experience as an adventurous youth, he also mentioned his perspective of actuality concerning the journey’s real association with refuge when he emphasizes how “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 Devil's Thumb would fix all that was wrong with my life. In the end, of course, it changed almost nothing.
“The Cruelest Journey” Analysis Kira Salak, an explorer and journalist, has backpacked across Papua New Guinea and cycled through Alaska, but one of her most arduous journeys took place on the Niger River. Documented in her book “The Cruelest Journeys: 600 Miles to Timbuktu," Salak solo kayaked up the Niger River to Timbuktu, the first person to complete this incredible endeavor. Through her trip, Salak learns about herself and what motivates her to go on these journeys. Her story inspires readers about the importance of perseverance and pursuing their goals.
After reaching Alaska on a small fishing boat, he had met a woman who sheltered him for the night before he was to climb the dangerous slopes of Devil’s Thumb. At first, he began to make steady progress, but on
Heading into the wilderness to hike may seem like a fun adventure, but what would it be like to stay out there for 35 weeks straight, knowing that some of the most ferocious animals are nearby? In “A Walk in The Woods” by Bill Bryson, Bill examines the dangers and challenges of hiking the Appalachian Trail, which stretches 2,000 miles from Georgia to Maine. Along the way, Bryson encounters various obstacles and difficulties that force him to push his limits. Some of the things Bryson encounters range from animals to diseases to dangerous weather conditions. The theme of danger that must be faced to be overcome is presented throughout the book when Bryson and Katz must confront the risks of the Appalachian Trail.
The Alaskan Bush is one of the hardest places to survive without any assistance, supplies, skills, and little food. Jon Krakauer explains in his biography, Into The Wild, how Christopher McCandless ventured into the Alaskan Bush and ultimately perished due to lack of preparation and hubris. McCandless was an intelligent young man who made a few mistakes but overall Krakauer believed that McCandless was not an ignorant adrenalin junkie who had no respect for the land. Krakauer chose to write this biography because he too had the strong desire to discover and explore as he also ventured into the Alaskan Bush when he was a young man, but he survived unlike McCandless. Krakauer’s argument was convincing because he gives credible evidence that McCandless was not foolish like many critics say he was.
In the 2013 online article, “The Chris McCandless Obsession Problem”, author Diana Saverin describes the Alaskan wilderness travel phenomenon along with attempting to uncover the ‘McCandless Pilgrims’ “root of motivation. Sparked by the release of both Jon Krakauer’s and Sean Penn’s “Into the Wild”, numerous individuals pack their backpacks and eagerly step into their (sometimes newly-bought) hiking shoes and tramp into the Alaskan Wild to pay homage to their hero Chris McCandless. Filled with personal anecdotes and interviews, Severin’s Outside article takes a new approach Into the Wild commentary by directing attention to the lives McCandless’s story affected indirectly rather than critiquing on McCandless himself. In response to what appears to be a huge amount of troubled McCandless-inspired tramping stories, Saverin provides an unbiased rationale as a attempt to explain why so many are “willing to risk injury, and even death, to..visit the last home of Alaska’s most famous adventure casualty”. Saverin begins her article with anecdote- telling the unfortunate experience of young lovers and adept adventure seekers, Ackerman and Gros.
Through the course of the journey up the river into dense and increasingly dangerous jungle, Willard confronts not only the horrors and hypocrisy of war that pushed Kurtz to insanity, but the violent primordial nature of humanity and the darkness of his own heart. Discussion of Characters Captain Willard