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Broxton Abercrombie

ERWC

Period 2

Into The Wild Essay ​(REWRITE)

Life on the road is not suited for everyone. Many people need relationships in life to

function and find happiness however, like Chris McCandless, some are able to isolate themselves

and still achieve happiness. This is purely dependent on the person, if someone seeks solidarity,

then a life on the road is likely the life for them.

Throughout the book, “Into the Wild” by Jon Krakauer, there are mentions of people who

prefer the isolated life over one with frequent human interaction. These people end up leaving

those around them to go into nature. Ken Sleight offers commentary on these types of people,

like himself, saying that, “we can’t stand to be around people for very long.” (96) When this type

of person is presented with this desire to be away, this is when they seek isolation, it can be a

temporary journey like Krakauer’s several day mission climbing the Devil’s Thumb or over a

hundred days like the journey that ended McCandless. This displays the varying degrees of

isolation that are viable for the happiness of different people who life on the road is actually

suited for.

The main factor in determining who this life on the road is suited for is how much

happiness it brings them. People will often describe McCandless as a foolish, young man who

could have lived a much better life. But determining something as subjective as someone’s

quality of life is impossible. Although he died at a young age, McCandless lived a successful
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life. He died doing what he loved. In his last moments, McCandless took a picture of himself, in

which you can see him “smiling,” (199) and Krakauer describes how McCandless was as,

“serene as a monk gone to God,” (199) feeling satisfied with the life that he lived. This just

shows how this life on the road is not for everyone, Chris was starving to death, living his last

hours knowing he would be dead soon. But he was happy because he was living how he truly

wanted. McCandless was living alone in isolation and with this came serenity. This lifestyle,

although not for everyone, is perfect for those who seek it because it is how they achieve true

bliss like McCandless did.

When McCandless writes to Franz, a man who has already lived most of his life, and tells

him to try a similar lifestyle on the road. McCandless emphasized how people are, “conditioned

to a life of security” (57) and how this conditioning has resulted in damaging the spirits of those

who desire an adventurous life in solidarity. Franz is moved by McCandless’ words and decides

to attempt to live on the road and found happiness alone with nature. Even though Franz had

lived his whole life with society and the safety that brings, he was willing to make the change to

solidarity because he knew that it fit his intrepid desires. Franz made the change because he

knew that is was the change he desired, that’s why the life on the road was suited for him.

Chris McCandless definitely made decisions that aren’t suited for everyone, but he was

smart because he did the things that he knew would offer him fulfillment. This lifestyle, almost

complete isolation, is not for everyone, only those who seek this solitude should pursue it.