What seemed like an entirely stable and normal family one person had the urge to get away and experience life. This person is what the book Into the Wild was based on. The author Jon Krakauer retraces the steps of Chris McCandless as he goes on his journey that eventually leads him to complete solitude in the Alaskan wilderness.
From the beginning, the book had an unusual twist. The reader knew that the main character was going to end up dead in Alaska. This took away some of the suspense that normally comes with reading a book. Once the reader knows what the outcome is going to be, what’s the use in reading the actual book. Even though the author didn’t live the story, it would have been more interesting if the book went through Chris’ journey in chronological order.
With the beginning of each chapter, a series of quotes occurred that seemed to summarize the chapter in just a few lines. A majority of these quotes were from Jack London. These quotes had a unique way of explaining Chris’ state of mind during that specific point in his journey. It was great to find someone that wasn’t associated with the main character at all, and yet Jack could relate to Chris so easily. To some extent, anyone could read these quotes and get an idea of what Chris was like.
The book was written through the eyes of the author. If he weren’t as enthusiastic about finding out what happened, the book would never even have been written. The author even went as far as comparing himself to Chris. When he decided to climb Devil’s Thumb it symbolized the journey in his own life. The only difference between the two situations is that Chris was not as fortunate to live through it. Since the author could relate to Chris, it let the reader know that it wasn’t just another average person that wrote the book.
One of the most memorable parts of the book occurred when Chris’ parents visited the place that he died. The details revealed that anyone can change to accept something that they never have before. In this situation, however, it was too late to change the outcome. The most moving part of this was that the parents left survival necessities. This proved that even though they didn’t support anyone that decided to live outside civilization, they were willing to offer help.
The final point that will be addressed is what the entire book revolves around, survival. It shows people, somewhat, how to get by on little or nothing. Anyone that reads this book could get a greater sense of confidence, and realize that everyone has more potential than they are given credit for. It just emphasizes happiness can be achieved through individuality.
After the main points were analyzed, it was decided that this book received a silver rating. It wasn’t one of the best books that we have ever read, but it definitely wasn’t the worst. It’s just that sometimes it was difficult to concentrate on the book, which caused a deduction of a few points. In the end, it was a decent book written about a decent person.