By recounting the story of Chris McCandless in a
non-chronological way, Krakauer reveals that he is not just telling the story of
McCandless’ life and death, but is concerned to explore the motives which drove such a
passionate and fearless individual. Krakauer is trying to educate the reader in to the
influences which affected McCandless to make seemingly self-destructive decisions, and
to turn his back on what could have been a comfortable
life.
Krakauer uses quotations from the literary
inspirations which drew McCandless into the wild: Tolstoy,London, Thoreau. The text is
also filled with McCandless’ own words: in letters and postcards he sent, and graffiti
he composed when he was close to death.
The text is as much
about what drives a man such as McCandless as his story in particular. Krakauer himself
experienced the elation of pitting himself against Nature and the elements, and explains
the purpose of his narrative in the Author’s Note-
In trying to understand McCandless, I inevitably
came to reflect on other, larger subjects as well: the grip wilderness has on the
American imagination, the allure high-risk activities hold for young men of a certain
mind, the complicated, highly charged bond that exists between fathers and sons. The
result of this meandering inquiry is the book now before you.
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