McCandless's last act was to take a photograph of himself holding his farewell note. The note read "I have had a happy life and thank the Lord. Goodbye and may God bless all!"
Some major themes that are presented in this book are:
Isolation
Chris has a deep alienation towards his parents. There is no clear explanation as to why he is so bitter, but he is less sympathetic and forgiving towards his parents versus his friends. The father's ambitions for Chris were very different than his own ambitions. McCandless would forgive his friends for things he would never forgive his father for. McCandless constantly dealt with the conflict of pleasing his father and resenting authority. Unfortunately. he passed away before he could outgrow his anger. In the author's introduction, Krakauer states "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." Krakauer's main focus on Chris isolating himself in the Alaskan wilderness is what makes Chris' independence seem even more strong. This isolation eventually led to his death, as he was completely stranded and alone with no further supplies, food, or hope.
"S.O.S. I NEED YOUR HELP. I AM INJURED, NEAR DEATH, AND TOO WEAK TO HIKE OUT OF HERE. I AM ALONE, THIS IS NO JOKE. IN THE NAME OF GOD PLEASE REMAIN TO SAVE ME. I AM OUT COLLECTING BERRIES CLOSE BY AND SHALL RETURN THIS EVENING. THANKS, CHRIS MCCANDLESS"
-Chris McCandless's S.O.S. note posted on the bus window
Isolation
Chris has a deep alienation towards his parents. There is no clear explanation as to why he is so bitter, but he is less sympathetic and forgiving towards his parents versus his friends. The father's ambitions for Chris were very different than his own ambitions. McCandless would forgive his friends for things he would never forgive his father for. McCandless constantly dealt with the conflict of pleasing his father and resenting authority. Unfortunately. he passed away before he could outgrow his anger. In the author's introduction, Krakauer states "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." Krakauer's main focus on Chris isolating himself in the Alaskan wilderness is what makes Chris' independence seem even more strong. This isolation eventually led to his death, as he was completely stranded and alone with no further supplies, food, or hope.
"S.O.S. I NEED YOUR HELP. I AM INJURED, NEAR DEATH, AND TOO WEAK TO HIKE OUT OF HERE. I AM ALONE, THIS IS NO JOKE. IN THE NAME OF GOD PLEASE REMAIN TO SAVE ME. I AM OUT COLLECTING BERRIES CLOSE BY AND SHALL RETURN THIS EVENING. THANKS, CHRIS MCCANDLESS"
-Chris McCandless's S.O.S. note posted on the bus window
Materialism
McCandless never had a desire for earthly possessions. He donated his savings, changed his name, abandoned his car, and burnt all the cash in his wallet. McCandless wanted to start a new life for himself, on his own terms and left the past behind. His abandonment of materialistic objects can easily be perceived as an ignorant mistake when he traveled in the west and didn't have the proper items for survival. "He changed his name, gave the entire balance of a twenty-four-thousand-dollar savings account to charity, abandoned his car and most of his possessions, burned all the cash in his wallet."
Through the entirety of the novel, McCandless's presence remains elusive. Even those who had extra insight and level of understanding to Chris, like his parents and Krakauer, couldn't answer fundamental questions. There is a great inability to truly know another person.
McCandless never had a desire for earthly possessions. He donated his savings, changed his name, abandoned his car, and burnt all the cash in his wallet. McCandless wanted to start a new life for himself, on his own terms and left the past behind. His abandonment of materialistic objects can easily be perceived as an ignorant mistake when he traveled in the west and didn't have the proper items for survival. "He changed his name, gave the entire balance of a twenty-four-thousand-dollar savings account to charity, abandoned his car and most of his possessions, burned all the cash in his wallet."
Through the entirety of the novel, McCandless's presence remains elusive. Even those who had extra insight and level of understanding to Chris, like his parents and Krakauer, couldn't answer fundamental questions. There is a great inability to truly know another person.