In the final post-card he sent to Wayne Westerberg, McCandless had written, "If this adventure proves to be fatal and you don't ever hear from me again I want you to know you're a great man. I now walk into the wild." (Pg 134)
What do you think McCandless means by he now walks into the wild? and why does he take the time to say goodbye when through out his journey was trying to cut off communication with those close to him?
Nikki Ruzzich
Max Doehrman
Kristen Milsner
By Chris saying "I now walk into the wild", he is coming to terms with the fact that he is leaving everything he has ever known behind, in order to experience what it truly means to live in the wilderness. Chris is separating himself from society to complete isolation. He not only means this figuratively, but literally as well. This exerpt from the post card that is sent to Wayne Westerberg is symbolic of Chris' transcendentalist way of thinking and his journey.
ReplyDeleteDo you think he actually planned on this journey being fatal all along, or do you think he had some hope that he would return to tell his tale to the people who doubted him?
DeleteI do not believe he planned this journey to be fatal, I think he knew the risks of this journey he was about to embark on, however he had hope that he would return from it alive. He wanted this journey to be a way to find himself in nature and really find what makes him happy and return to share that experience with others.
DeleteDo you think Chris ever intended on returning ? or was this his way of making sure people now he is where he is meant to be?
ReplyDeleteHe definitely did intend on returning, however I believe that he sent this letter just in case he did not return. He knew the risks of this journey, but he had hope he would return.
DeleteI think Chris means what he's saying literally. He is going to leave the fast pace society and be on his own. He takes the time to tell people goodbye because he wants to make sure they don't worry about him. He has said his parts in his writing. He cut them off. He wasn't cutting everyone off on his journey. He sent letters to people on his journey. He knew he had to cut them off at some point and that point was in that letter.
ReplyDeleteWhy do you think he sent some letters to certain people, but not others? What made these people more special than the rest?
DeleteI believe he made special connections with the people that he sent letters because they helped him the most and were the nicest to him. They also treated him like family which I think he needed, even if he didn't think so, because he had disowned his real family.
DeleteI believe that chris means now he ventures into the unknown, or the uncertainty of his future and this is his final words or him possibly tying off the connection with the people he made friends with as a means of not hurting them but rather letting them know in a sense they probably won't hear from him again. i guess hes just being a nice guy or wants to be remembered as such so that people look highly upon him and his story with whatever may become of him.
ReplyDeleteIf Chris doesn't care for human companionship or contact, why do you think he cares about these people and what would have triggered these emotions?
ReplyDeleteI think what triggered his care for these people is that they didn't represent his view of how bad society is, and he believed they were good people and they treated him like family when he was away from his family. He thinks society is full of awful people but these people showed that they are genuine people and he realized that and they formed a special connection.
DeleteI think Chris walked off knowing that there was a very good chance of him not making it back. His goal was to go to Alaska on his own and do it for himself until he was content and ready to come back on his terms. I think he tried to tell everyone goodbye for the people that made a difference to him and represented the family he didnt feel he had.
ReplyDeleteI agree, but do you think that he wanted to be swallowed up by the wild or actually come out to tell his tale?
DeleteI think Chris realized how dangerous his journey was going to be. By saying goodbye and calling attention to the possibility that he might not make it out, he was preparing all of the people he cared about in case he did not make it. I do not think he was planning to die, but I am confident that he recognized the risk that he was taking by going into the wild with limited supplies.
ReplyDeleteI think Chris regards the wild as some sort of symbol for his freedom. By saying that he was walking into the wild, he was implying that he became free from the society he was so desperate to get rid of. Chris said goodbye to Westerburg because, although Chris could be selfish at times without realizing it, he didn't want him to worry about him too much as Chris had intended to go back there.
ReplyDeleteWhat do you think was the main aspect of society he was trying to escape?
ReplyDeleteI think Chris' last words in his letter to Westerberg, they are literal, and are his farewell to him. I think Chris' takes the time to write to Westerberg because he doesn't want to leave unnoticed. He wants to make sure someone knows he is leaving. Even though he tried to cut ties between them he still probably wants to be attached to someone in some way.
ReplyDeleteI think Chris is literally meaning he now walks into the wild. I think it was a way for him to tell Wayne that he has left and went into the wilderness on his own. I feel that he also knew that there might be a chance that he wouldn't return, so he wanted to let someone know he left. While he did try to cut communication, I think Chris wrote that final note as a way to stay connected to someone.
ReplyDeletewhy do you think Chris never sent a post-card to his family? we all know why Chris felt the way he did about his family, but don't you think they deserve some goodbye or to know he has overcome his fear of being like the rest of society?
DeleteI think that by him saying he now walks into the wild is Chris's way of saying he is now finally leaving reality and going into the wilderness alone like he wanted. And i think Chris took the time to say goodbye because he felt like he was obligated to by the realationships he made with those people and how they helped him along the way to get where he is at in going into the wild.
ReplyDeletedo you think McCandless ever intended on making it out a live? or do you think once he knew this journey was over he would have started a new one?
DeleteI believe that McCandless intended to make it out alive, but the alaskan wilderness proved to be too much for him and he was not able to make it out. I also think if he did make it out alive, he wouldn't have been content sitting around and telling his story, he would've wanted to go out on another adventure.
DeleteI think by Chris saying that, he is completely isolating himself away from society and adventuring into the wild. Even though he didn't seem like he intend on making relationships with people, he couldn't help but connect with some people. The letters he wrote were his final goodbye to the people he connected with on his journey.
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DeleteWhat Chris means by "walking into the wild" is both a literal version and a more abstract version. He is physically walking into the wild of Alaska, but more importantly walking into the wild inside him. Chris wanted to test himself and see how far he could push himself. I believe that chris took the time to say goodbye because he actually cared about some of the people he met along his journey and felt they deserved to know what he thought about them.
ReplyDeletethis is a great observation! that really seems to be the whole conclusion in his story, trying to find himself. He really did test himself a lot, specially going into this unprepared and not knowing the first thing to survival. He really came farther then we all thought he would.Do you believe he wished to continue on more journeys? or was he happy with how he ended up being the person he always wanted to be?
DeleteChris likes to build relationships with those who are intrigued by his expedition. He sends them letters because he knows they would like to know about his trip to Alaska.
ReplyDeletedo you think this is a new journey Chris is about to in bark upon ?
ReplyDelete