Chris Mccandless Character Analysis in Into The Wild Essay Example

McCandless is an extremely intelligent man but I believe him to be overconfident. McCandless brought not enough food, a gun that can only shoot small animals, sub-pare boots, and a map. No tools, snowshoes, nor bug repellent. He might be well educated but when it comes to survival, not being prepared can be detrimental. “Alex admitted that the only food in his pack was a 10-pound bag of rice. His gear seemed extremely minimal for the harsh conditions of the interior…” (Pg 5). Why wouldn't he at least take enough food to sustain him for as long as he would be out there? Given that he had so much money before even venturing off the Stampede Trail. Despite his mere calculations, he did this based on when he had survived off the coast for months with fish and rice. He thought those same supplies would suffice in the wild Alaskan environment as well. As for McCandless, he's arrogant, but I wouldn't go as far as saying that he's crazy. One must consider the fact that he even set the conditions in the first place. We all know that McCandless thrives on that adventure and is a risk-taker. McCandless could have planned to be scarce with his food and supplies. He could have wanted that adrenaline and felt the need to completely rely on nature.

In trying to understand why McCandless chose to live in Bullhead city for such a short period of time, Krakauer states this. “Maybe it was the affinity for lumped in, who were represented in the communities trailer park and campgrounds in laundromats; perhaps he simply fell in love with the stark desert landscape that circles the town.“ (Pg 39). McCandless may have been in a state of mind reminiscent of when an individual is entranced by nature, so the reader is drawn to the possibility that McCandless may have switched into that state of mind. In a sense, he could no longer distinguish between the paradise he was lured into by nature and the world in which his body and mind suffered.

McCandless was an extremist who was blinded by his quest and became erotic as a result. His preparation was poor, and he seems overly confident at times. He would have had a better chance of surviving if McCandless had been less careless. “Living in the interior bush for an extended period, subsisting on nothing except what you hunt and gather - most people have no idea how hard that ability is. And McCandless almost pulled it off“ (Pg 185). McCandless was ill-prepared and could have achieved greater leaps and bounds if he would have suited up better. 

Having lived through his grand adventure in its entirety, McCandless had become a possible legend. He has left a legacy that lives on, but he does not. McCandless could have achieved more if he had been better prepared. He would have had a better chance of fulfilling his life's goal and reaching his full potential. It's as simple as that. McCandless was driven by his erotic needs and blinded by his quests. To gain the respect of his peers, he should have taken precautions. It is said that McCandless was irrational to some and inspirational at the same time. His state was not crazy, but rather that of a rebellious adolescent searching for his own identity.