Jacob Isard
3-1-17
3A
Christopher McCandless is a 23-year-old man with a very odd set of goals and morals that made him a unique individual that many people never understood. He was always independent and believed he didn’t need friends or family to be happy. The word hero is defined as a person noted for courageous acts or nobility of character, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities. Chris McCandless fits this definition perfectly. During Chris’s adventure, he showed all the qualities of a hero. He abandoned, sold, or burned everything he owned because he wanted to start fresh and didn’t want material possessions to control his life. This was a dangerous and bold risk but he was confident that it was what he wanted to do. He left in order to enjoy life and this is what he believed was going to make him truly happy That’s why Chris is a hero, he did something that most people would never even consider.
Throughout Chris’s adventures he met a lot of people, like Ron Franz and Wayne Westerberg. He gave them advice and helped them with hard situations. For instance, Chris told Ron, “My point is that you do not need me or anyone else around to bring this new kind of light in your life”. Chris is always trying to influence people’s lives for the better. Whether it be by giving advice or by physically doing something for someone. Either way, he was kind, generous, and was always willing to help someone out. One of the physical jobs he did was for Wayne, “Doing dirty, tedious jobs that nobody else wanted to tackle: mucking out warehouses, exterminating vermin, painting, scything weeds”. Even these small acts of kindness help build his reputation as a hero. Everyone he comes in contact with is changed for the better.
One of the major things that makes Chris so admirable is that he wasn’t doing this for fame or publicity, he was doing it to part ways from the rest of society and hopefully find himself and be truly happy without the struggle of an average life. This is inspiring and makes other people think about what their purpose in life is and what they really want to do. The book states that, “Even when he was little, he was very to himself. He wasn’t antisocial, he always had friends, and everyone liked him, but he could go off and entertain himself for hours. He didn’t seem to need toys or friends. He could be alone without being lonely”. This shows Chris’ independent nature and how he was content with relying on only himself. You can see how he carried these traits through childhood and how they impacted his decisions later in life.
Some people say that Chris McCandless is reckless, foolish, and naïve, and in some ways, they are right. Yes, he wasn’t prepared to survive in the cold Alaskan winter, and yes, he didn’t know what he was getting himself into but that doesn’t disqualify him from being admirable. It still took immense courage and confidence to do what he did. The people who say he was an arrogant kid that shouldn’t be getting praised, forget to acknowledge the meaning behind his actions. It doesn’t matter that he was reckless or foolish, he decided to follow a dream. It doesn’t matter what the dream is, what matters is that he had the passion to pursue that dream to the full extent of his capability.
Some people are quick to judge someone by their obscure ideas on society and happiness but don’t stop to realize that people straying from the norm is what can bring new light into our lives. Very rarely do you come across someone as brave as Chris. Someone who is willing to go against what everyone has told him to do, in order to live his life to the fullest. He left the life he knew to become the person he has always wanted to be and that to me is truly inspiring.