Into the Wild, written by John Krakauer tells the story of a young man named Chris McCandless who gave up his college degree and all his material possessions in favor of a primitive and ephemeral life in nature. Krakauer first told Chris' story in an article in Outside Magazine, but later wrote an in-depth book that traces his life in hopes of explaining what led him to venture out alone into nature. McCandless' story quickly became a national phenomenon, and many people wondered why a "young man from a wealthy East Coast family [would] hitchhike to Alaska" (Krakauer i). Chris comes from a wealthy family and has parents who strove to create a desirable life for him and his sister. As Chris grows up, he becomes increasingly disturbed by society's ideals and the control they exert over daily life. He made a point of spitting on his parents and the lifestyle they led. This feeling of doom continues to grow until Chris graduates from college and decides to leave everything behind for the Alaskan wilderness. Knowing very little about how to survive in the wild, Chris sets out on his adventure in a state of naivety. It is evident that he possessed monumental potential that was wasted due to romanticized ideals and a lack of wisdom. Christopher McCandless is a unique and talented young man, but his selfish and ultimately complacent attitude toward life and his successes led to his demise. To some, Chris is considered a hero, a young man who succeeded in every challenge he faced. In Chris's mind, he was his greatest hero, "he was Alexander Supertramp, master of his own destiny" (23). In reality, McCandless was inexperienced and is not a hero nor does he deserve the wild praise he deserves...... middle of paper ......opher McCandless is a unique young man and talented, but his selfishness and ultimately a complacent attitude towards life and its successes led to his demise. Chris has monumental ambitions that have the potential to turn into something big, but have not been harnessed in the right way. Throughout the book, Krakauer paints a chilling picture of how damaging choices can be. If Chris had been better prepared for his trip, there's a good chance he would have made it out alive. If Chris had lived, he wouldn't be famous, he would just be criticized for his poor choices and selfish behavior that deeply affected those close to him. Chris is not a hero, nor should he be seen as one. His actions were admired by others but spontaneous naive actions do not constitute a hero. Work Cited Krakauer, Jon. In nature. New York: Anchor Books, 1997. Print.