Postby bobenns » Fri Dec 10, 2010 7:36 am
The thesis you are seeking will be very much individualized to the person who replies. We all have our own take on this story and it has a lot to do with our own lives and how we perceive ourselves and our place in the world.
My personal take on your questions is this.
Chris came from a typical American middle class home with parents who loved him, raised him to high intellectual and moral standards, but were not perfect. His father was a genius and a philanderer. His mother was his obedient servant and victim. Being very sensitive and above average intelligence Chris saw the hypocrisy in their lives. He suspected, then discovered the double standards of his father and his mothers endorsement of her own subjugation and he hated them for it. It brought into question his entire existence, his values, the meaning of life. So there was tremendous conflict between his outward appearance, behavior and performance and his inner turbulence and rebellion. It appears he did not act out, but rather he internalized and was rather "monk like" in his social life.
As he grew older he became more disappointed and disillusioned with Western middle class life and values as reflected in his emphasis on Apartheid etc in his studies and his increasing focus on the Philosophical works of alternate values.
At some point he concluded that he had to make a clean break away in order to save himself.
He rebelled by leaving his family, running away without a trace, cutting them off from the joy of knowing him and sharing his joy, his life and character. However, Chris remained true to himself with others or on his own. He did not become a criminal type Vagabond, stealing and breaking all the rules. He was very consistent in honesty and integrity, even when no one else would know. He always maintained his own high moral standards and often challenged others including his seniors to look and reach higher. "Rather than love, than money, than faith, than fame, than fairness... give me truth."
Chris was seeking the meaning of life. He felt he was not real or whole. He sought to escape from society and to find his true self in adventure and eventually in nature. The adventures leading up to Alaska led him to conclude that "So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more dangerous to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future." The Alaska journey was the ultimate search for self, alone in the wild. I'm sure he believed he would find the true essence of who he was and understand his place in the universe. He wanted to become his true self. He felt betrayed by his parents and even his own self. "And now after two rambling years comes the final and greatest adventure. The climactic battle to kill the false being within and victoriously conclude the spiritual pilgrimage."
In his quest he reached for the ultimate truth and realized at the end that he had to accept life on life's terms. That reality was it cost him his life to chase the dream. But he did accept it and so his farewell note and photo. He was never truly happy and I he was terribly pleased with having to face his demise the way it played out. He had come to realize one of life's profound truths. No man is an island. He had tried to get out and had failed. So he had no other choice and being honest with himself, he accepted it and faced eternity, alone.
I know its very late and I'm on the west coast. Those are my thoughts, that would be my thesis. Hopefully it helps you. Good luck and may ...
There is no greater scripture than nature, for nature is life itself.
. I thought it would be easy but it wasn't. Everything about Chris is so complex and I'm very fascinated of his choice of lifestyle, but for me, as a not really adventurous person, it's hard to understand why the hell he did what he did. So I could neep some help 