Just finished reading the book. My heart and thoughts go out to Christopher McCandless family. I have yet to see the movie.....To me this is just a really sad story, nothing more nothing less. For those of us who have lost a son or a brother (in my case a brother), there is no glory in losing someone...just a lot of pain. Im sure Christopher was a lovely person, but I really hope that I can teach my own two little boys never to underestimate mother nature, and to be greatful for the beautiful life they have been given. I dont believe that Christopher McCandles should be made out to be a hero. Soldiers who die in war are heroes, Doctors who save lives are heroes. Christopher was just a lost boy who unfortunately had to give his life in trying to find himself.
Julia
Just a boy - not a hero
Re: Just a boy - not a hero
I personally have not read the book yet and have only watched the movie. I therefore don't know how the 2 differ in the information about Chris but from the movie I think that you may have missed a little. To say it is nothing more than a sad story is completely missing what should be taken from his story. What should be taken isn't just appreciate mother nature, it is about appreciating the people around you, actually measuring your worth by the way you treat yourself and those around you. He was escaping a life where wealth was measured by material possessions not by family and the love that family can give. I feel that he needed to find himself and be loved by people just for being the person he was. He wanted happiness.
For me it shows me exactly what my family has taught me already and what I will be teaching my children, you can get through almost anything when you have a loving and supportive family around you. Don't measure yourself by the possessions that you have, measure yourself by the amount of love that you are able to give.
He lost his life tragically, I don't think he was ever trying to be a hero, just trying to find happiness.
For me it shows me exactly what my family has taught me already and what I will be teaching my children, you can get through almost anything when you have a loving and supportive family around you. Don't measure yourself by the possessions that you have, measure yourself by the amount of love that you are able to give.
He lost his life tragically, I don't think he was ever trying to be a hero, just trying to find happiness.
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Kindred spirits
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Thu Nov 26, 2009 4:32 am
Re: Just a boy - not a hero
First up, the movie is just that. A movie. It's a beautiful movie and Sean Penn makes them very well. But it somewhat glamourised Chris' "adventure". The book is far more insightful and you very quickly think "Ah ...". Having gone through manic depression / bipolar disorder whatever you want to call soul-sadness in my earlier years, I was particularly drawn to the fine film and always shed a tear when I see it. I recognised Chris. He was clearly at odds with his soul, his father - and being at odds with your father at that age can be literally your ruination. The little signs are there. Tracy. Ron. Avoiding relationships that dared, and wanted to endure. I'm not saying that Chris was suicidal. I don't know. But subconsciously what happened may not have been a million miles from the truth. He went "Into the wild" completely unprepared. Equipment wise, clothing-wise, food-wise. He was clearly somewhat intelligent. Somewhat. Pope reminds us "A little knowledge is a dangerous thing .."
But academic intelligence can get you killed in the wild. No reset switch in the wild.
So why else did he take on nature unprepared ? His rifle was .22 bore - not the kind of weapon you would want to face a Bear or a moose with exactly. No compass or waterproof hiking boots or food supplies that would be deemed sufficient. He weighed 67 lbs when he died. There was food and help just a few miles away, but he had no understanding of what was around him. It was as if he were an elephant who leaves the herd, sensing their death approaching, wanting to die alone, as they had entered the world. The reality of his unpreparedness became very evident very quickly the weaker he got, judging by the comments written into a book on plants he had with him.
"Happiness [is] only real when shared." is the key. He was in search of happiness. Who 'searches' for happiness ? The unhappy. The Depressed. The Bipolar. Insert whatever label you deem appropriate. He was far from the avid explorer. He was done with life, his soul was in pain. He needed his family around him ironically, at a time in his life when he was punishing those that loved him most. The concerned souls that he met on his journery were all pushed away.
A beautiful movie. But a tragic life. Rest in peace Chris, you can travel anywhere now my friend ....
But academic intelligence can get you killed in the wild. No reset switch in the wild.
So why else did he take on nature unprepared ? His rifle was .22 bore - not the kind of weapon you would want to face a Bear or a moose with exactly. No compass or waterproof hiking boots or food supplies that would be deemed sufficient. He weighed 67 lbs when he died. There was food and help just a few miles away, but he had no understanding of what was around him. It was as if he were an elephant who leaves the herd, sensing their death approaching, wanting to die alone, as they had entered the world. The reality of his unpreparedness became very evident very quickly the weaker he got, judging by the comments written into a book on plants he had with him.
"Happiness [is] only real when shared." is the key. He was in search of happiness. Who 'searches' for happiness ? The unhappy. The Depressed. The Bipolar. Insert whatever label you deem appropriate. He was far from the avid explorer. He was done with life, his soul was in pain. He needed his family around him ironically, at a time in his life when he was punishing those that loved him most. The concerned souls that he met on his journery were all pushed away.
A beautiful movie. But a tragic life. Rest in peace Chris, you can travel anywhere now my friend ....
Re: Just a boy - not a hero
Funny I never really thought of him as a boy or a hero. I thought he was interesting, intelligent, energetic, disillusioned and selfish. Qualities that are seen everywhere, he just chose a romantic adventurer's life that these days is not so common. Like many romantic adventurer's discover, fortune favours the prepared, (not the bold). It does not always favour the prepared, no, but the wilderness is a harsh mistress and nature rarely rewards stupidity. I do not say that in a mean way but he was well read and still had this romantic notion of living in the wilderness that flew in the face of 1000 generations of evolution, learning and preparedness.
I'm glad he gave away his money to charity if it was heartfelt, but as he burned that money under the bridge and refused money from people who cared AND often had a more experienced knowledge of how the world worked I could not help but think of some of the great survivors of your continent..the Mountain Men, and how agast they would have been at burning the money...NOT because it was money but because it was a resourse. It is just madness to destroy tools essential to your survival. That is where the idealistic romantic notion of the noble savage comes in, dangerously encouraged by some notion of a natural world that cares about justice and causes and your specialness.
I think he had the experience of a lifetime and hope he was at peace when he died. If he was able to hold onto that moment of epiphany and those wise words about "happiness shared" then he learned late but still learned. Some people never grow beyond their teenage years. I think he may have been coming to another crossroads. I thought in particular he was extremely unfair to his sister, regardless of his parents (forgivible?) failings. It is the imperfections of the world that allow change, growth and evolution. Romantic ideals are like Plato's Forms, a nice idea, even important ideas.
That is why I don't think he consciencely went out there to commit suicide but there was a part of him that saw such a thing as a noble defiant act of self determination. But he was also smart enough to enjoy life. Maybe this was part of his dillemma, and so IMO there is a small validity to those claims. He was extremely lucky to have survived as long as he did. If he had not found that bus he may never have reached his moment of clarity. He would have perished much sooner than the 112 days. I am curious as to the duration of his stay and his lack of knowledge of his immediate area, so I will have to find the book and see what it says. It seem extraordinary that there could have been such an abundant access to lifesaving resourses and equipment that he did not know about. Did he merely move within a very limited radius of the bus? Most hunters/wilderness folk would have reconned a decent parcel of land around a site of prolonged habitation. Certainly 10+ square miles is not a stretch.
Chris may you wake on kinder shores. I enjoyed and was moved by your story.
I'm glad he gave away his money to charity if it was heartfelt, but as he burned that money under the bridge and refused money from people who cared AND often had a more experienced knowledge of how the world worked I could not help but think of some of the great survivors of your continent..the Mountain Men, and how agast they would have been at burning the money...NOT because it was money but because it was a resourse. It is just madness to destroy tools essential to your survival. That is where the idealistic romantic notion of the noble savage comes in, dangerously encouraged by some notion of a natural world that cares about justice and causes and your specialness.
I think he had the experience of a lifetime and hope he was at peace when he died. If he was able to hold onto that moment of epiphany and those wise words about "happiness shared" then he learned late but still learned. Some people never grow beyond their teenage years. I think he may have been coming to another crossroads. I thought in particular he was extremely unfair to his sister, regardless of his parents (forgivible?) failings. It is the imperfections of the world that allow change, growth and evolution. Romantic ideals are like Plato's Forms, a nice idea, even important ideas.
That is why I don't think he consciencely went out there to commit suicide but there was a part of him that saw such a thing as a noble defiant act of self determination. But he was also smart enough to enjoy life. Maybe this was part of his dillemma, and so IMO there is a small validity to those claims. He was extremely lucky to have survived as long as he did. If he had not found that bus he may never have reached his moment of clarity. He would have perished much sooner than the 112 days. I am curious as to the duration of his stay and his lack of knowledge of his immediate area, so I will have to find the book and see what it says. It seem extraordinary that there could have been such an abundant access to lifesaving resourses and equipment that he did not know about. Did he merely move within a very limited radius of the bus? Most hunters/wilderness folk would have reconned a decent parcel of land around a site of prolonged habitation. Certainly 10+ square miles is not a stretch.
Chris may you wake on kinder shores. I enjoyed and was moved by your story.
Re: Just a boy - not a hero
no he is not a hero, he did what needed to be done, Christopher McCandless is/was an amazing person he understood what nobdy else understood, and he saw the things that nobody else saw. I don't think Chris underestimated nature, that just can't be, it'sthe reason that the wild is fierce and unpredictable that he loved the Wild so much.
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Hannah SANCHEZ
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- Joined: Wed May 19, 2010 9:38 am
Nice post
Really interesting story you got here. It'd be just great to read something more about such matter. Thanx for giving that information.
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