Life Life to the Fullest

"Satisfied, apparently, with what he had learned during his two months of solitary life in the wild, McCandless decided to return to civilization: It was time to bring his "final and greatest adventure" to a close and get himself back to the world of men and women, where he could chug a beer, talk philosophy, enthrall strangers with tales of what he'd done" (Krakauer 168).

Topic: Fool or Inspiration

            Chris lived the finals months of his life exactly the way he wanted to, and he accomplished exactly what he set out to do. Chris was tired of the negativity that his family brought him, so he set out for an adventure to find happiness. In this adventure, Chris ended up finding what he searched for and was ultimately satisfied with what it brought him. To some, Chris' adventure may have seemed suicidal, but Chris was excited and eager to find the answers he sought. Though Chris had lost his life in the end, he died happy and in peace. The argument that could be made here is that Chris chose to life for the quality of it and not the quantity which in my eyes, makes him an inspiration.

Escaping the Negativity

"Although a couple of times he mentioned wanting to get married and have a family some day. You could tell he didn't take relationships lightly. He wasn't the kind of guy who would go out and pick up girls just to get laid" (Krakauer 65).

Topic: The Dynamics of Family

            This quote foreshadows the relationship that Chris had with his father. Chris' father had cheated on his wife countless times and had been extremely abusive to her and their children. It is apparent that because of the way his dad treated him and his family, Chris wanted to make sure that his kids don't through the same experience that he went through. This also ties along to the reason why he "divorced" from his parents and lived away in peace. With the amount of negativity that went around in Chris' household, escaping was his only solution in finding happiness. This problem apparent in our society where families are in abusive relationships and some people are just constantly looking for an opportunity to leave. Chris was put into one of these relationships and he made sure that he did not become like his father and to end his relations with his family.

Do Not Set Yourself Up For Failure

"Alex admitted that the only food in his pack was a ten-pound bag of rice. His gear seemed exceedingly minimal for the harsh conditions of the interior, which in April still lay buried under the winter snowpack. Alex's cheap leather hiking boots were neither waterproof nor well insulated. His rifle was only .22 caliber, a bore too small to rely on if he expected to kill large animals like moose and caribou, which he would have to eat if he hoped to remain very long in the country. He had no axe, no bug dope, no snow shoes, no compass. The only navigational aid in his possession was a tattered state road map he'd scrounged at a gas station." (Krakauer 5).

Topic: Inspiration or fool?

            In this quote it is clear to see how Alex's gear is not fit for survival in the back country of Alaska for many months. With the substantial amount of snow in Alaska during early spring, Alex's gear will not be able to keep him warm. Not only will the cold be a problem, but so will food. His rifle will give his trouble hunting big game and he only carries around a bag of 10 pounds of rice to eat. No matter how good of a survivalist Alex may be, surviving in those harsh conditions with limited food and subpar gear is nearly impossible. Even Jim Gallien, an accomplished hunter and woodsman, noticed how extremely light Alex's load was and tried to persuade him not to go on his journey.  But no matter what Gallien said, there was no talking Alex out of it. The situation that Alex has put himself in brings me to believe that Alex is a fool.