Namaste

"He was so enthralled by these tales, however, that he seemed to forget that they were works of fiction, constructions of the imagination that had more to do with London's romantic sensibilities than with the actualities of life in the subarctic wilderness" (Krakauer 44).

Inspiration or Fool?

        Chris McCandless, for all he stood for, was definitely more of a romanticist than a realist. Perhaps he was too sheltered to realize how hard and unforgiving the world truly is, or maybe he was so desperate to have a "true life and identity" that he wasn't thinking clearly, but he was not at all prepared for what he put himself through. Unfortunately, in real life, none of us have the safety of being the main character. We are not guaranteed to survive ridiculous odds and have a happy ending just because we want to. McCandless, while I do admire his bravery, comes off as a fool. A story, even if it's a realistic story, is still just a story. Chris reminds me of those people who travel to India to discover their "inner spirituality" due to books like "Eat, Pray, Love". Sure, it's a nice tale, but you are NOT guaranteed to find peace just because you stayed at a temple in India, nor is India just some mystical and spiritual place there for the purpose of helping foreigners meditate. In the same way, Alaska and other "wild" destinations aren't magical places that will solve all your problems. Chris is a victim of his own fantasies and perhaps, desperation.