good thesis statements for into the wild

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Into the Wild by John Krakauer Thesis Statements and Essay Topics

Below you will find four outstanding thesis statements / paper topics for “Into the Wild” by John Krakauer that can be used as essay starters. All four incorporate at least one of the themes found in “Into the Wild” and are broad enough so that it will be easy to find textual support, yet narrow enough to provide a focused clear thesis statement. These thesis statements offer a short summary of “Into the Wild” in terms of different elements that could be important in an essay. You are, of course, free to add your own analysis and understanding of the plot or themes to them. Using the essay topics below in conjunction with the list of important quotes from  “Into the Wild”  on our quotes page, you should have no trouble connecting with the text and writing an excellent essay.

Thesis Statement #1: The Allure of the Wilderness

To many people the wilderness has a certain allure as a pristine place free of the evils of modern society, a place where one can be free and get in touch with his soul. However, the reality of living in the wilderness can be quite different from the romantic notions harbored by those who see it as an escape. How does Chris McCandless handle this conflict between appearance and reality as he journeys into the wilderness alone? Is he deluded by a romantic view of the wilderness, or does he actually find what he is looking for there? Write an essay with textual support in which you explore this conflict and how McCandless deals with it.

Thesis Statement #2: Isolation

Chris McCandless isolates himself from the other students at Emory, from his friends, and from his family, resulting in his decision to make a solitary trek into the wilderness, where his isolation will be complete. Yet, at one point in the story, he pleads, “Mom, mom, help me.” Does McCandless really wish to be isolated? If so, why? If not, why does he behave as he does, pushing away the people who care about him the most and going headlong into a potentially dangerous situation? Write an essay using solid textual evidence in which you explain McCandless’s behavior as you understand it, keeping in mind his journal entries and reflections.

Thesis Statement #3: Forgiveness

Chris McCandless is a study in contradictions. On the one hand, he is a compassionate person, who feels a responsibility for the many people who are poor and hungry. On the other hand, his actions toward his family and friends are selfish and hurtful. His inability to forgive what he perceives as his parents’ greed and materialism affects his entire life, contributing to his decision to isolate himself at Emory and to his disgust with society, which prompts him to go alone into the wilderness. If he had found a way to forgive his parents for their mistakes, would he have gone to such extremes in his search to find himself? Write an essay using evidence from the text in which you explain how McCandless’s attitude toward his family and society and his inability to forgive contribute to his ultimate demise.

Thesis Statement #4: The Search for Identity

Many books about young people focus on the main character’s quest for identity. Chris McCandless, at nineteen, is no exception, as evidenced by his rejection of everything his parents stand for. Desperate to separate himself from them in every way possible to explore his very soul, he isolates himself physically and emotionally, hoping to find freedom and peace within. He will go to any lengths to avoid being like his parents, even, out of a sense of moral certitude, rejecting the gift giving he and his friends once enjoyed, oblivious to the fact that he is hurting his friends as a result. How could someone so kind, compassionate, and intelligent heartlessly reject his parents and friends, with no thought to their feelings? Is his kindness merely a charade by which he fools himself into thinking he is different from the others? Does his cruel behavior reflect the person he really is? Who is the real Chris McCandless? How does his identity struggle affect the decisions he makes for the rest of his all-too-brief life? Write a persuasive essay with textual support in which you explain who Chris McCandless really is and how you have come to that conclusion.

Into the Wild

By jon krakauer, into the wild themes, the allure of the wilderness.

To McCandless and many others of his ilk, the wilderness has a very specific allure. McCandless sees the wilderness as a purer state, a place free of the evils of modern society, where someone like him can find out what he is really made of, live by his own rules, and be completely free. And this is not just naïveté; McCandless's journal entries show that he does find some answers, some keys to living the way he wants to live.

Yet, it is also true that the reality of day-to-day living in the wilderness is not as romantic as he and others like him imagine it to be. McCandless spends so much time trying to find food to keep himself alive that he has little time to consciously appreciate the wilderness, as is evidenced by the fact that his journal consists almost solely of lists of the food that he finds and eats every day. Perhaps this explains why many of his heroes who wrote about the wilderness, for example, Jack London, never actually spent much time living in it.

Forgiveness

Forgiveness, and the danger inherent in the inability to forgive, are central themes in Into the Wild . Chris McCandless is shown to be a very compassionate person, who is unwilling to ignore the fact that so many people are starving or hungry around him, and feels a personal responsibility to help them. Yet his actions are ultimately selfish, and do great harm to those who love him most. Moreover, his inability to forgive his parents’ mistakes seems to be at the center of this seeming contradiction between his compassionate nature and his sometimes cruel behavior.

There is certainly more behind his odyssey than just anger at his parents, but his resentment of them does spread into the rest of his life, and seems to be closely connected to how isolated he becomes at Emory. This, in turn, adds to his revulsion against society generally, which is clearly a driving factor in his deciding to go into the wilderness. One is left to wonder if, had McCandless found a way to forgive his parents for their shortcomings, he would not have felt the need to go to such extreme lengths in his quest for answers.

Ultimate Freedom

McCandless describes what he is looking for on his odyssey, particularly on the Alaska trip, as “ultimate freedom.” It would seem that this largely represents, to him, freedom from other people’s rules and authority over him. Throughout his whole life he finds authority particularly oppressive, especially when exercised by anyone who he feels only has such power over him for arbitrary reasons. To live completely alone, in a world where the only laws he feels the need to follow are those of nature, is to him ultimate freedom.

Yet this level of freedom requires total isolation, for to be with others means to have obligations to them. Thus, McCandless’s quest for freedom becomes, also, a refutation of any and all intimacy with others. This kind of freedom is inherently selfish. By living only according to his own rules and those of nature, no matter how principled and deeply-thought, McCandless is implicitly living only for his own best interest. For example, he refuses to get a hunting license because he doesn’t think it is any of the government’s business what he eats; were everyone to act this way, animal populations would be destroyed, and food supplies threatened. McCandless's ultimate freedom is thus limited in scope, for on any larger scale it would be dangerous and potentially disastrous.

The Allure of Danger

The allure of danger and high-risk activities is central to Into the Wild . Krakauer does not believe that this allure is significant to everyone, but it certainly is to a specific kind of young man -- one who is intense, passionate, driven and ambitious, but not satisfied with the opportunities or challenges society presents to him. These young men also always seem to have some kind of demon driving them, whether it is a troubled relationship with their fathers, as with McCandless, Krakauer, and John Waterman , or something else.

For Krakauer, at least, the risk in his activities brought him to a point of meditation—because he is often only one mistake away from death, he has to focus utterly, and this allows him to escape from those problems that would otherwise eat away at him. There is also the thrill of pure accomplishment, man against only nature and himself, which allows him to feel that he truly knows what he is capable of, that he doesn’t need to rely on others, or on society, to survive.

Valuing Principles over People

One of the primary qualities McCandless constantly exhibited, which in turn led many to respect him, was his adherence to principles. He does not simply preach that his parents are too materialistic, or state that he won’t be as greedy as he believes them to be. Instead, he lives by his anti-materialism completely, giving away all of his life savings to charity, only making the bare minimum of money that he needs to survive, and keeping as few possessions as he possibly can.

While this adherence to principle is admirable and, unfortunately, unusual, McCandless does seem to put his principles above people, which leads him to cause hurt without really intending to do so. For example, in college Chris decides that he has a moral problem with gifts, and so will no longer accept or give them. Although this decision is based on a sense of morality, it in fact causes McCandless to hurt those who care about him. This may be related to his intimacy problems, for as long as he doesn’t let people get too close, he won’t be put in a position of having to choose them over his principles.

The Elusiveness of Identity

The elusiveness of identity, or of truly understanding someone’s identity, is a theme both explicitly and implicitly present throughout Into the Wild . Krakauer spends about three years putting together first the article on Chris McCandless, and then this book. He talks to almost anyone who met McCandless, even fleetingly. He follows McCandless's trails, reads his journals, even reads the articles he wrote for the student paper at Emory. Krakauer also feels he has an extra level of understanding, because he was much like Chris when he was in his twenties.

Yet even with all of this, at the end of the book, Krakauer acknowledges that McCandless’s presence remains elusive. As closely as he may have studied him, as well as he has come to “know” him, there are a few fundamental questions which no one, not even Chris’s parents, can find a satisfactory answer to. Most important of these is how someone so compassionate, kind, and intelligent could have ended up devastating his parents, and all of those who loved him, so profoundly. The ultimate inability to truly know another person is thus at the heart of Into the Wild .

The Father-Son Relationship

The father-son relationship, and the potential for dysfunction within it, is an important theme in Into the Wild . Both Krakauer and McCandless are highly ambitious, and have highly ambitious fathers. The problem arises in that their fathers’ ambitions for them are very different from their own, and their strong wills and passion for their own kind of ambition—in Krakauer’s case, mountain climbing, and in McCandless’s, the wilderness and anti-materialist living—cause great rifts between father and son.

For both McCandless and Krakauer, the combination of trying to please a difficult-to-please father, resenting authority, and discovering their fathers’ own great failings leads to an almost insurmountable rift. Krakauer was able to forgive his father only once he was no longer the same man. McCandless died before he had the opportunity to grow out of his anger.

Into the Wild Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Into the Wild is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

Remembering that the Latin prefix ir- means "not," use the context clues in the first paragraph of the passage to define the word irrelevant.

I do not know what specific passage you are referring to.

This chapter begins with a quote from Jack London. Who is he and what has he written?

Jack London is a famous author. He wrote The Call of the Wild, White Fang, To Build a Fire , and a variety of other books.

The purpose of ch 4 in into the wild

The purpose of chapter 4 is to show Chris's wish to shed his worldly possessions, even his identity, and make his way unencumbered by societal possessions. In October 1990, McCandless’s Datsun is found abandoned in the Mojave Desert by Bud Walsh,...

Study Guide for Into the Wild

Into the Wild study guide contains a biography of author Jon Krakauer, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About Into the Wild
• Into the Wild Summary
• Into the Wild Video
• Character List

Essays for Into the Wild

Into the Wild literature essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer.

• Jim Casy and Chris McCandless: Transcendentalism Gone Wrong
• The Many Mistakes of Chris McCandless
• Fatherly Influence in Into the Wild
• Feeding by Starvation
• An Unconventional Genre: Evaluating John Krakauer as a Biographer

Lesson Plan for Into the Wild

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to Into the Wild
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• Into the Wild Bibliography

Wikipedia Entries for Into the Wild

• Introduction

Into The Wild

75 pages • 2 hours read

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Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Author’s Note-Chapter 3

Chapters 4-6

Chapters 7-9

Chapters 10-12

Chapters 13-15

Chapter 16-Epilogue

Key Figures

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Discussion Questions

Many Alaskans feel that McCandless brought death upon himself due to his own ignorance. After reading Into the Wild , do you agree with them?

McCandless refused gifts of food and advice throughout his travels. Why do you think he did this?

After graduating college, McCandless cut off all contact with his parents. Do you think he was justified in doing so? Or was this unnecessary for his freedom?

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Into The Wild - Essay Samples And Topic Ideas For Free

Into The Wild is a non-fiction book by Jon Krakauer that was later adapted into a film, chronicling the journey of Christopher McCandless into the Alaskan wilderness. Essays could explore themes like the quest for identity, the allure of adventure, and the critique of materialism presented in the narrative, as well as the broader societal reflections it offers. We’ve gathered an extensive assortment of free essay samples on the topic of Into The Wild you can find at PapersOwl Website. You can use our samples for inspiration to write your own essay, research paper, or just to explore a new topic for yourself.

Why did Chris Mccandless Go into the Wild

Chris McCandless was an outside kinda individual and appreciated the life as one. Many viewed him as an untouchable, trap or blundering individual, anyway that was not the circumstance. McCandless was searching for another kind of big business and this drove him to Alaska and into nature to investigate and get another span on life. He surrendered everything finally including: cash, property, and needs. To him none of this was the best approach to ecstasy as his key was life […]

Into the Wild about Society

Transcendentalism is the era that "transcends" the limits of intellect, reason, and society, allowing emotions and the soul to aid in creating a relationship with the universe or nature to achieve perfection. This era occurred in the 1800s and was made from the start of controversial debates between "New Light" theologians and the "Old Light" opponents. The "New Light" members believed religion should focus on the people's personal experience, unlike the "Old Light" members who valued to have reason in […]

Comparing Chris McCandless, Everett Ruess and Jon Krakauer

Many people decide to live their lives alone. Though, only a few choose to live in the wild. In the book, Into the Wild, Jon Krakauer vividly depicts the adventuresome trek Chris McCandless left. From the friends and colleagues he made to the hardships he went through, McCandless is defined as a warm, sociable and friendly person despite the fact that he was a traveler. Other than McCandless, there are even more people that have decided the risks to live […]

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Perspectives of into the Wild by Jon Krakauer

Jon Krakauer is an American writer and a mountain climber. He was born April 12, 1954 in the State of Massachusetts. Jon Krakauer is well- known for his writing about the outdoors; one of the main topics that he writes about is mountain climbing. Into The Wild is a nonfiction novel, written by Jon Krakauer. It was told in third person omniscient. The story takes place in the Alaskan wilderness. The protagonists named Chris changes his name/identity to Alex because […]

Literary and Rhetorical Devices in into the Wild

In the story Into the Wild you follow a man by the name of Chris McCandless and his questionable thoughts. The author of a novel always plays an essential role in portraying the purpose to the audience. The story was written by a man with the name Jon Krakauer. Krakauer is an American writer and mountaineer, who is primarily known for writing stories about the outdoors, mostly mountain climbing. Jon Krakauer utilizes vivid imagery, specific details from Chris' journal, and […]

What Kind of Person was Chris McCandless?

Into The Wild is a novel by John Krakauer, that tells the story of Chris McCandless. Chris McCandless was a hiker and internet traveler from El Segundo, CA who was also known by the name of Alexander Supertramp. He came from a well to do upper-middle class family in Virginia, and was set to live well to do life. But Chris McCandless didn't want to live a life of materialism and decided to become a nomad and go into the […]

Into the Wild Freedom

In the book Into the Wild Christopher McCandless went to Alaska to live in nature with very little supplies. He was inexperienced and uneducated but he had his reasons to be out there, emotional reasons. Chris was searching for Answers, he wanted to explore the unknown, and get away from society. Chris also wanted to live a life without responsibility and he didn’t need to rely on other people for his survival, he was an independent man and he wanted […]

Into the Wild: the Quest for Adventure, Freedom, and Solace

In the novel Into The Wild, by Jon Krakauer, advances to catalog the life of an intelligent graduate student and former athlete, Chris McCandless. As well as how he suddenly decided to drop everything such as his possessions, all of his money, and a possible career. After realizing he didn’t need a wealthy lifestyle, he sets out on a massive hitchhiking journey from the east coast, all the way towards the outdoor freezing portions of Alaska. Only after a short […]

Is Chris McCandless a Hero?

Chris McCandless said, “The very basic core of a man's living spirit is his passion for adventure.” Chris McCandless was an adventuristic tramp who enjoyed the glories of nature and the wild, traveling all over North America by foot. McCandless lived out Transcendentalist philosophies by showing that nature is reliable in all aspects of life. McCandless’ journey was quite courageous and inspiring. Chris McCandless, also known as Alex Supertramp, was an adventurous man who sought the joy of freedom that […]

Into the Wild Materialism

“What is the purpose of life?” This simple question intimidates many who refuse to confront the reality of life. Living in a fast paced world consumed by technology and materialism, it is difficult for one to examine what is truly important to live life wholly. Because of this struggle, many settle with unhappy lives, wallowing in fear, regret and dissatisfaction. In John Krakauer’s novel Into the Wild, he examines the short life of Christopher McCandless, a courageous man who detached […]

Into the Wild Nature

There is no doubt that nature has given back to mankind. Everything individuals have anticipated that would continue was given by the ordinary world around us: food, water, medicine, materials for shelter, ect. Individuals, on the other hand, have caused issues that will keep on influencing the nature around us, for example, contamination through the improvement and advancement of technology. So, the real question is do we need nature or does nature need us, because as it seems that nature […]

What was Chris Mccandless Seeking in the Wilderness?

In April 1992, Christopher McCandless lands at the remote zone only North of Denali National Park and Preserve in Alaska. Seeing Chris' ineptness, the newcomer who drops him off gives him a pair of boots. Chris goes into the wild and sets up an campfire at the relinquished automobile, which he calls "the Magic car". At first, McCandless is happy with the separation, the excellence of world in him, and the energy of living off the earth. He carries with […]

Seeking the Raw Essence of Existence: a Deep Dive into “Into the Wild”

The pursuit of authenticity, a life unencumbered by society's trappings, and a quest for raw, unfiltered experiences – these themes course through the veins of Jon Krakauer's compelling narrative, "Into the Wild". Chronicling the real-life journey of Christopher McCandless, who adopted the moniker "Alexander Supertramp", the book stands as a haunting exploration of the lengths a person might go to find genuine meaning in life. McCandless, a young man freshly graduated from Emory University, chose to leave behind a life […]

Christopher Mccandless: a Transcendental Philosopher

Into the wild is a biographical drama and it is based on true story, telling us about an adventurer called Christopher McCandless. This is a cinematic masterpiece, where the main character denies himself of the luxury of an upper middle class family and dives into a lifestyle of nature and self discovery. This movie offers us an insight on how we construct nature, especially wilderness,as a place for self discovery, transcendence and an escape from society. Chris, the main character, […]

Chris McCandless’s Extreme Ethics

Once in everyone’s life time people start to realize they can make their own decisions. We become independent and self sufficient. Chris McCandless in the non-fiction book “Into The Wild” was a person who was separated from everyone, didn’t have many friends, And was known for being a weird person by his classmates. His family was together, but broken. Chris had never really been independent in his life. This is what motivated him to take the trip to Alaska to […]

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How To Write an Essay About Into The Wild

Understanding 'into the wild'.

Before starting an essay about Jon Krakauer's 'Into the Wild,' it's important to understand the book thoroughly. 'Into the Wild' is a non-fiction book that explores the life and death of Christopher McCandless, a young man who ventured into the Alaskan wilderness in search of a more authentic existence, away from societal constraints. Begin by analyzing the main themes of the book, such as the allure of wilderness, the critique of materialism, and the search for meaning in life. Familiarizing yourself with McCandless's journey, Krakauer's narrative style, and the book's structure will provide a solid foundation for your essay.

Formulating a Thesis Statement

Your essay should be centered around a clear, concise thesis statement. This could be an argument about the book's central themes, Krakauer's portrayal of McCandless, or the broader implications of McCandless's journey for understanding the relationship between humanity and nature. Whatever your focus, your thesis should guide the direction of your essay and provide a unique perspective on 'Into the Wild.'

Gathering Supporting Evidence

To build a strong argument, gather evidence from the book to support your thesis. This might involve analyzing specific events in McCandless's journey, Krakauer's use of other adventurers' stories, or the way he incorporates his own experiences into the narrative. Select quotes and instances from the book that align with your thesis, and use them to support your argument effectively.

Analyzing Krakauer's Narrative and Themes

In your essay, analyze how Krakauer narrates McCandless's story and the themes he explores. Discuss Krakauer's narrative technique, including his use of flashbacks, letters, and interviews. Examine how Krakauer develops the themes of adventure, idealism, and the harsh realities of nature, and how these themes contribute to our understanding of McCandless's character and motivations.

Concluding the Essay

Conclude your essay by summarizing the main points of your analysis and restating your thesis. Your conclusion should tie together your interpretation of 'Into the Wild' and reflect on the broader significance of the story. You might also want to consider the impact of McCandless's story on contemporary society or how it fits into the genre of adventure and wilderness literature.

Reviewing and Refining the Essay

After completing your essay, take time to review and refine it. Check for coherence in your argument and clarity in your writing. Ensure that your essay is well-structured and free from grammatical errors. Consider seeking feedback from peers or instructors to further improve your essay. A well-crafted essay on 'Into the Wild' should not only convey your understanding of the book but also demonstrate your ability to engage critically with literary texts.

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Persuasive Essay About “Into the Wild”

Table of contents:

• Introduction
• Body paragraphs

When looking into writing a persuasive essay about a controversial, yet deeply human story such as that of the death of Christopher McCandless, it’s important to bear in mind the nuances of the stories about him. While your thesis statement should take a strong stand, it need not take a harsh or unforgiving black-and-white one that ignores subtleties. You should acknowledge the complexity of what you are writing about.

Here are some potential prompts for theses you could use when completing your assignment about this topic.

Introduction examples

Thesis: Christopher McCandless’ death was a tragic lesson in the failure of preparation for survival in the wild.

Thesis: The life of Christopher McCandless provides important insight into why he died the way he did; his sister’s memoir shows that something inside him needed to disappear into the wilderness.

Thesis: Christopher McCandless’ death leaves more questions than answers, even so many years later, but ultimately, it’s a failure to diagnose and treat mental illness that killed him.  

When you move on into the body of your essay, bear in mind that this is where you prove your thesis and do the bulk of your persuading. With a topic like this one, where there isn’t much in the way of facts, emotional appeals will probably have to form the bulk of your argument. You can also take the theme more widely and discuss survival in the wild in general, pulling in facts and figures from other cases and sources.

Body paragraphs example

Body: Unfortunately, Christopher McCandless, in leaving civilisation, signed his own death warrant. He was simply not ready for living off the land in the way he thought he was. Some of the food he had harvested and eaten may have contributed to his death by poisoning him, and although he shot a moose, he had no knowledge of how to properly preserve the meat, and so it spoiled quickly. Far from being the Thoreau-like figure that some people think him, he was just a foolish young man who got lost within easy access of safety and rescue.

As you move into your conclusion, consider once again what your thesis is and who you are trying to persuade. Summarise your arguments briefly to reinforce them in your audience’s mind, then close the essay with a final call to action, even if this just to think about the topic differently.

Conclusion examples

Conclusion: Christopher McCandless was woefully underprepared for life in the wild. He didn’t know the area, he didn’t know what was safe, or how to preserve the food he caught. This is what ultimately led to his death. Don’t make the same mistake if you go exploring in the wilderness. Take a map, take enough food, and let people know where you are going.

Conclusion: Mental illness is very much underdiagnosed even today but back then, things were even worse. If the many warning signs hadn’t been overlooked by everyone he encountered, his story might have ended far more happily. Be aware of those around you, especially people acting odd or out of character, and always provide what help you can. You may prevent a tragedy.

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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Chris Mccandless — “Into The Wild” by Jon Krakauer

"Into The Wild" by Jon Krakauer

• Categories: Chris Mccandless Into The Wild

About this sample

Words: 1606 |

Published: Dec 18, 2018

Words: 1606 | Pages: 4 | 9 min read

Works Cited

• Carine McCandless. (1999). The Wild Truth. HarperOne.
• Krakauer, J. (1996). Into the Wild. Anchor Books.
• Krakauer, J. (2007). Into the Wild (Movie Tie-in Edition). Anchor Books.
• Krakauer, J. (2015). Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town. Anchor Books.
• Krakauer, J. (2019). Classic Krakauer: Essays on Wilderness and Risk. Anchor Books.
• Thoreau, H. D. (1854). Walden, Or Life In The Woods. Ticknor and Fields.
• Tolstoy, L. (1889). Family Happiness. Nordbok.
• Tolstoy, L. (2013). The Kingdom of God Is Within You. Dover Publications.
• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. (2007). Into the Wild [Motion Picture].
• Woodworth, M. (Ed.). (2017). The Philosophy of John Krakauer. University Press of Kentucky.

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Christopher McCandless should be recognized for living as he wanted and living by his ideas. Chris was a middle-class kid with supportive parents and a college education. He lived as he wanted and on the ways, he helped and [...]

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Into the Wild Themes

Themes are overarching ideas and beliefs that the writers express in their texts, including poetry, fiction , and plays.  Themes make the story appealing and persuasive and help readers to understand the hidden messages in a story or poem . Themes in Into the World, a masterpiece of Jon Krakauer , presents the dilemma of authoritative parenting and calling towards nature and wilderness .  Some of the major themes in Into the Wild have discussed below.

Themes in Into the Wild

Allurement of the Wilderness

The allurement of nature and wilderness is the major theme of this story. It is not only specific but also highly bewitching. The main character , Chris McCandless believes wilderness may provide him shelter from the painful modern realities of materialism. As he wanted free from the evils of society. His idea is to find out his inner truth and reality and live a stress-free life. However, though his diaries, the readers learn the opposite. It is also surprising that his life in the park does not prove as romantic as he has thought. He spends much of his time finding food to eat. His journal entries about food remind the readers that it is not always easy to survive in the wilderness. Life can be balanced when people live in the community .

Forgiveness

Forgiveness is another central theme of the book. Chris McCandless is a promising and sympathetic young person, empathizes with others. However, his final act seems to be highly selfish as he berates his parents and causes them to feel ashamed. He is unable to forgive his parents gave him a good life and a good education. Abandoning the family shows unforgiveness towards his parents. It also shows his resentment against the prevalent social norms of materialism.

Chris believes his Alaskan trip would be the ultimate destination to enjoy absolute freedom. According to Chris, freedom was to not be a burden on others and avoid submission to authority, especially parents. The world, community, and family abide by the laws. Hence, to escape these laws, Chris decides to leave for the wilderness. However, it is interesting to note that this freedom was the end of intimate relationships Chris could have had .

Temptation of Danger

Chris was tempted to walk into danger and adventure . The risk -taking was enticing to him. In fact, Chris’s hitchhiking and final entry into the Denali National Park proves that he is bewitched. Hence, he left a life of comfort and works for others. He even feels excited and happy when helping other starving people. Sadly, his risks take him to the forest, where he eventually faces death.

Search for Identity

Search for identity can be seen in both explicit as well as implicit. Chris was almost clueless and was heading for in-depth research of his life, his ways, his interaction with the people and nature. This search is actually an investigation into his identity. As readers dig into his personal journals, they find out his real identity. The writer also believes that Chri’s search for his identity has always remained indescribable. He finds that there are various fundamental questions that nobody can answer about Chris, his life and his death.

Father-Son Estrangement

The father-son estrangement or fractured relationship is also an important theme. Both the narrator , as well as the protagonist , are ambitious persons belonging to reputed families. The strong-willed fathers and strong-willed sons soon develop differences. Both defy family traditions and take their own path. This creates a rift among the sons and fathers leading them to develop estrangement. In the case of Chris, this estrangement is very much clear in his journal.

Valuing Principles

Chris McCandless adhering to the principles of altruism and the welfare of others. That is why when he comes across any hungry or needy, he tried to help them all. His anti-materialistic stance went with him everywhere. He enjoyed giving to charities and keeping enough for his survival. One of the reasons for his estrangement with his parents was that he did not like their materialistic outlook toward life. For example, he stopped giving and taking gifts when he made a decision.

Role of Chance

Chance plays an important role in human life, as depicted in the book. When McCandless leaves for Alaska, there is no plan. He just befriends the people during his journey and sees the deaths of four people before reaching Alaska. This is merely a chance. Another example of chance is when Chris faces a flash flood in the desert of the Mojave. He stares the death in its face when his car breaks down. Some boaters come to take him out of the Lake Mead, he suffers from heatstroke, it is another good example of a chance. However, he is resolved that he would not come back to civilization. However, until his death, he spends on the roads and in the park is merely a chance.

Man Versus Nature

The story of Chris is the story of a man versus nature. He leaves for the wilderness in the hope that he would live close to nature. He has seen the natural scenery and nature around his home town and during his journey. However, Chris did not realize that nature could be cruel in the wilderness. Hence, he left for the Denali National Park to have communion with nature. If he had learned from his confrontation with nature during the journey through the Mojave desert, he might have returned home. But his romantic idea of nature was so strong that he lived in the wilderness until his death.

Struggle for Relationship

Chris’s story revolves around his fight to leave this society. He wanted to lead his life in isolation and find a relationship with the people he comes across during his journey. So, he becomes highly expressive when he meets strangers on his way to Alaska, but at the same time, he hates his parents and loses contact with them. Therefore, it seems surprising that he expresses himself that he feels discomfort in society. His constant escape from his home town and his own people shows that he was running away from society. Surprisingly, he also helped other people.

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Daron Acemoglu, the economist who says technological innovation does not equal prosperity

The turkish-american researcher dismantles clichés. he argues that capitalism is based on the mistaken idea that human beings need to consume, when what they really need is to participate.

Daron Acemoglu is an unbiased economist with a penchant for dismantling the clichés of mainstream thinking. This wild path, almost against the grain, is not new to him. He is the son of Armenians, a minority with a long history of struggle for survival in Turkey, his native country. His passion for observing the links between economics and politics comes from his adolescence, when the coup d’état by Kenan Evren’s military junta brought violence to the streets and poverty to Turkish households. He wanted to delve into the dictatorship’s consequences on the economy , but he had to study that interrelationship from far away. Acemoglu became increasingly critical of the situation in Turkey, and his father, fearing for his safety, advised him to leave the country.

A few years ago, Mark Zuckerberg, a guy with more power than Alexander the Great, revealed that one of his favorite reads was Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity and Poverty . Written by Acemoglu and James A. Robinson, the book reveals that prosperity is not a function of culture or geography, but of the policies dictated by a nation’s institutions. Thus, fact by fact, Acemoglu and Robinson scientifically demonstrated that market self-regulation—the famous laisser faire— is really magical thinking, that what drives the economy is politics, and that what leads to shared prosperity is the democratic system. It was a planetary bestseller.

It is likely that in recent months Zuckerberg has immersed himself in Power and Progress Our Thousand-Year Struggle Over Technology and Prosperity , Acemoglu’s book with Simon Johnson. After in-depth economic, historical and social research, the two authors show that technological innovation in itself does not spur prosperity . Today we live better than our ancestors, but that is not because of successive technological inventions; rather, it is because civil society challenged the choices made by the elites and wealth was generated by distributing and making these technologies participatory.

Acemoglu, 56, is clear on the fact that it is necessary to return to such actions now. If they were feasible during the very difficult years of the Industrial Revolution—when new production techniques enriched factory owners and impoverished workers, to the point of shortening their life expectancy, until they organized and demanded improvements in their working conditions—they are also feasible now. “You have to exercise democratic control over the direction of technology,” Acemoglu says in email conversation. Period.

It seems clear that sooner or later he will be awarded a Nobel Prize. Daron touches on many topics and all of them in a very brilliant way.” Mónica Martínez Bravo, an MIT-trained economist who studied under Acemoglu

When he left Turkey, Acemoglu went to the UK, enrolled in economics at the University of York, and discovered that none of his subjects dealt with political issues. He then decided to do his own research, applying empirical, mathematical and conceptual tools to his analysis of human affairs. At the age of 25, he received his PhD from the London School of Economics and soon after was appointed assistant professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he was warned that mixing economics with politics was an unwelcome heterodoxy. Almost surreptitiously, he continued his studies on these links. He is now a professor there, and one can safely say that political economy is currently in the mainstream at MIT.

Acemoglu’s theses have long been listened to with great interest around the world. Last summer, Gita Gopinath of the International Monetary Fund quoted the economist to urge regulating AI in a way that benefits society . Paul Romer, a 2018 Nobel laureate for his research on the importance of innovation in economic growth, has confessed that the Acemoglu’s research led him to rethink his ideas, and senior officials at leading AI labs discuss his books among themselves.

His capacity for work and analysis are legendary. “It seems clear that sooner or later he will be awarded a Nobel Prize, but among his former students we sometimes jokingly say that the question in Stockholm will be to decide the area in which he will receive it, because Daron touches on many subjects and all of them in a brilliant way,” explains Mónica Martínez Bravo, an economist trained at MIT, where Acemoglu directed her doctorate, and the current secretary general for Inclusion at the Spanish Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration.

Against automatic thinking

Not everything that is said should be taken as gospel. Against the more orthodox airs of American academia, Acemoglu brings a simple statement to his lectures: at the heart of the wildest capitalism there is an insurmountable error, which is that the human being does not need to consume; what he wants, more than anything else in the world, is to participate.

He has proven it a thousand times in his studies. Everything is connected. Exploring the infinite relationships between work, ways of life and political systems, Acemoglu has studied the Sicilian Mafia as both the cause and consequence of an absent state structure, the innovation geared toward alleviating climate change in the energy transition, the connections among culture, democratic institutions and social balance, and between the rise of fascism and war, the danger of too much data, the impact of AI on the labor market , civil power in the case of the Arab Spring in Egypt, and the rise and decline of the general laws of capitalism, among many other issues. “He is a visionary. Before a topic begins to generate academic literature he has already been studying it for some time,” says Martínez Bravo.

Those who know him well say he is a great teacher, that his knowledge is encyclopedic and that he is extraordinarily productive. “Every year he publishes around fifteen research papers in the most reputable economics journals, generating around 20,000 citations per year. His numbers are out of this world,” emphasizes Pascual Restrepo, Acemoglu’s former student and now his colleague in research related to the advent of robots in the labor market.

Two years ago, in a debate with economics guru Martin Wolf, Acemoglu’s thesis made the former confess that economic studies separated from politics and social science—the economic practice rigorously followed for decades—are actually “embarrassingly simple.” And Wolf then gets to the heart of a major problem: “We don’t have a good model for studying society,” he says. That’s what Acemoglu does: he forces you to rethink what you take for granted based on incontrovertible research.

That is why, in these times of automatism and programming, Acemoglu warns against uncritical thinking and insists on reflecting on and deciding the human uses we want technology to provide us with. He argues that there is nothing wrong with automation, that it has been around since the middle of the 18th century and that, of course, it will continue, but that it must direct its powers toward improving human life.

In the movie A.I . Artificial Intelligence (2001, Steven Spielberg), the robot-prostitute played by Jude Law tells the robot-child (Haley Joel Osment) that, in these times, information is the most expensive thing. That’s true now, too. Amidst all the fake news and misinformation, rigorous knowledge, backed by data, such as that produced by Acemoglu, is worth its weight in gold.

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The Book “Wild” by Cheryl Strayed Essay

Introduction, personal journey, emphasis on transformation, personal healing, spiritual journey.

Self-transformation and self-reflection are critical parts of heroic journeys in literature. Often, heroes fail to succeed, but their experiences provide philosophical insights into the essence of personal reflection journeys. In this paper, I explore “Wild,” a hiking memoir of Cheryl Strayed, as she embarks on a 1,100-mile journey through the Pacific Crest trail “to save herself.”

This paper explores the underlying thoughts behind personal journeys because it undermines the idea that Cheryl Strayed pursues the attainment of goals in her narration, Wild. Instead, this paper shows that Cheryl Strayed focuses on the process that leads to the goal of her journey, even when she cannot attain the goal.

Essentially, this paper demonstrates that quest literature (“Wild”) mainly focuses on transformation, as opposed to evaluating how the hero meets or fails to meet her goal. Therefore, this paper suggests that the end of the road is not important in quest literature; instead, people should focus on how the subject transforms throughout the journey.

Cheryl’s adventure throughout her journey is gripping, not because of its adventurous nature, but because of Cheryl’s ability to relate its details with her journey. Through this journey, Cheryl strives to understand herself and the predicaments in her life.

Faced with the emotional torment of her mother’s death, her stepfather’s demise, her heroin addiction, and her failed marriage, it is difficult to ignore the emotional journey that Cheryl experiences. This journey could easily contrast with her physical experiences with rattlesnakes, black bears, and adverse weather conditions that symbolize the emotional turmoil that she experiences in her emotional journey.

Cheryl’s focus on the beauty and loneliness of her journey, through the desert and the mountains, overshadow her quest to reach her destination because the main message in her narration focuses on her experiences, as opposed to how she will reach her destination, or not.

Certainly, Cheryl aims to tell her experiences throughout the journey, as opposed to how she will reach her destination. Indeed, she focuses on describing how she suffered countless bruises, how she repeatedly affirmed to herself that she was fearless, how she overcame the harsh physical conditions of her journey, and how she would accept her grief. For example, she says that whenever she heard a branch break outside her tent, she had to shout that she was fearless.

Cheryl’s relationship with her mother (before her mother’s death) also symbolically shows the emphasis on transformation, as opposed to the end of the journey (her mother’s death). Cheryl does not hesitate to explain how her mother affirmed to her children that she would always be with them (she made most of these affirmations, as she grew sicker).

Cheryl’s thoughts regarding those moments made her stronger in her journey because she understood that her mother was always with her. In fact, throughout her lonely journey, Cheryl’s mother stood out as her only “companion.” Cheryl carefully narrates how her mother’s love proved to be a key mental pillar in her journey because, in her words, it was not the loss of her mother, but rather, the love she had for her mother that was the most important factor in her journey.

Also, concerning her experiences with her family and the disappearance of her stepfather, Cheryl says it was not the rebellion or the abandonment, she had suffered that mattered; instead, the loss of love bothered her.

Her narration clearly shows that the goal (demise of her stepfather and the death of her mother) did not matter in her self-transformative journey because the emotional journey and the loss of attachment she shared with her parents were more saddening for her. Somewhat, Cheryl tries to show that the end is not an important goal in her journey. Instead, the love (or the lack of it) was more important in her transformative journey.

Cheryl’s transformative journey also symbolizes that the end of the road is not important because it does not provide the healing that she desperately needed. Her admission that she lacked all the answers to her problems and questions is also an open acknowledgment that the end is not defined, or important, in her journey. Instead, she focuses on what makes her survive and how it is possible to “find” her inner strength when she has lost the will to live.

Through this analysis, Cheryl bears more emphasis on how she can cope with grief and how she will repair the “hole” in her heart. Here, it is crucial to mention that Cheryl considers these goals as the most important issues in her journey. Strategically, she fails to wonder if she is going to make it to her destination, or if she will live to see another day.

Lastly, in my view, Cheryl’s journey resembles many spiritual journeys that often involve people unplugging themselves from their ordinary lives to live in foreign lands or isolate themselves from modernity. Similar comparisons of personal journeys include the journey made in Elizabeth Gilbert’s film, “eat, pray, love.” Through this comparison, it is plausible to say that Cheryl’s memoir is a spiritual journey that does not aim to communicate with God, but the universe.

The mere fact that her journey is spiritual shows that the emphasis of her narration is on healing herself, as opposed to reaching a destination (as is common in physical journeys). Therefore, spiritual journeys differ from physical journeys because spiritual journeys do not emphasize on the destination (end of the road). Cheryl’s experience is, therefore, a powerful transformative journey that teaches us the value of “finding ourselves” so that we can continue the journey of life.

Self-transformation is at the center of this analysis. This paper shows that Cheryl’s focus throughout her whole journey centers on how she lives and accepts her circumstance, as opposed to if she will make it through the desert, or reach her destination altogether. Therefore, throughout this analysis, this paper shows that the ultimate focus of quest literature is in the journey and not at the end of the road.

Indeed, through this lens of analysis, we can see how Cheryl, a young woman, transforms herself through solitude and physical difficulties to become a force to reckon with in the world of literature (even as she fails to provide all the answers needed in her journey). Even when she reaches her poetic destination, “Bridge of the Gods,” Cheryl still reminds us that her most important concern is not her arrival at this destination, but her trust that whatever she had done throughout her journey is true (emphasis on the process).

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IvyPanda. (2020, March 19). The Book “Wild” by Cheryl Strayed. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-book-wild-by-cheryl-strayed/

"The Book “Wild” by Cheryl Strayed." IvyPanda , 19 Mar. 2020, ivypanda.com/essays/the-book-wild-by-cheryl-strayed/.

IvyPanda . (2020) 'The Book “Wild” by Cheryl Strayed'. 19 March.

IvyPanda . 2020. "The Book “Wild” by Cheryl Strayed." March 19, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-book-wild-by-cheryl-strayed/.

1. IvyPanda . "The Book “Wild” by Cheryl Strayed." March 19, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-book-wild-by-cheryl-strayed/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "The Book “Wild” by Cheryl Strayed." March 19, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-book-wild-by-cheryl-strayed/.

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