The Allure of the Wilderness
Chris McCandless was a young man with a dream-- a dream that lead him to his death in the Alaska wilderness. The protagonist of Into The Wild, by Jon Krakauer, McCandless sought the raw wilds and dangers of living alone in the Alaska bush, but did not make it, dying slowly of starvation. Why did this intelligent, young, and promising man choose to undertake his obviously dangerous adventure? He is not alone in his desire, as many other people have died or nearly died trying to live in the wild. These audacious individuals show an important characteristic of mankind. Man, especially when young, is drawn to the beauty, freedom, immensity, and danger of the wilderness, and will do crazy, perilous, and often deadly things to experience it fully. Chris McCandless, Jon Krakauer, and Everett Ruess show through their actions and thoughts that the wilderness lured them into dangerous and deadly adventures.
Chris McCandless was drawn to the wild back country like a magnet, and his passion for it eventually led him to undertake his fatal journey to Alaska. The freedom, vastness, and carefree existence of the wilderness caused him to travel around the West for a long time with no destination in mind. McCandless’ feelings about starting his new lifestyle were summed up by Krakauer, who said, "At long last he was unencumbered, emancipated from the stifling world of his parents and peers, a world of abstraction and security and material excess, a world in which he felt grievously cut off from the raw throb of existence"(22). McCandless felt enclosed in the monotony of "everyday" existence, and yearned to escape it. As soon as he got out of college, he hopped in his car and drove west, seeking a new and better life. Describing what he did next and how he felt, Krakauer said, "McCandless tramped around the west for the next two months, spellbound by the scale and power of the landscape"(29). With these quotes, it becomes apparent that McCandless was unsatisfied with a boring and predictable life, so sought a better existence. He found it in freedom and vastness of the wilderness, where he was liberated from his prior tedious life. The wilderness lured McCandless to his death, in much the same way as it did for Everett Ruess.
Everett Ruess was a young man in the 1920’s who was lured by the wilderness, living alone in the dangerous desert until he eventually died. When he was about twenty, he left his home, attracted by the beauty of the desert, and perhaps to find a better life much like McCandless did. In a letter to his brother, Everett explained why he liked the wild, and said, "I have not tired of the wilderness; rather I enjoy its beauty and the vagrant life I lead, more keenly all the time…I feel that I belong and am one with the world around me…it is enough that I am surrounded with beauty"(87). Ruess was spellbound by the beauty of the landscape and enjoyed the easy, relaxing life there. He lived well alone in the desert until one day he mysteriously disappeared, never to be found again. No one is sure how he died, but it is obvious that the wilderness lured him over the edge to his death, eerily similarly to McCandless. The beauty and freedom of the wilderness attracted Ruess, but Jon Krakauer had a bit of a different motive to undertake his nearly deadly wilderness experience.
Jon Krakauer, who wrote Into the Wild, was also enticed when he was young by what the wilderness had to offer, and attempted a nearly fatal climb on the difficult mountain called Devil’s Thumb. While this is different in many ways than McCandless’ and Ruess’ adventures, it still shows how the danger and appeal of the wild lured a young man to undertake a perilous excursion. The Devils Thumb is an immense peak of rock with an imposing six-thousand foot cliff on the north side that had never been climbed. Fascinated by the mountain, Krakauer set his mind on climbing it, not bothered by the very high danger. In fact, that is what attracted him; he was intrigued by a near death experience. Reflecting on why he chose to climb the mountain, Krakauer said, "I was stirred by the dark mystery of mortality. I couldn’t resist stealing up to the edge of doom and peering over the brink. The hint of what was concealed on those shadows terrified me, but I caught sight of something in the glimpse, some forbidden and elemental riddle"(155). Drawn by the thought of playing with doom, he set out to climb the daunting cliff, but didn’t make it. He was still lured by mountain, so decided to go a different, easier way that could enable him to reach his goal of the summit. He made it to the top, barely, after nearly freezing to death. Despite the huge risks of the climb and the slim chance of success, Krakauer was enticed by the peril of the wild and was intent on reaching the summit, a goal that nearly cost him his life.
These three young men all had something in common: they ended up in fatal or nearly fatal situation because of their fascination with the wilderness. Although these are extreme cases of wilderness obsession, it is not uncommon to find people who are enticed and intrigued by the wilderness. In fact, it is an inescapable desire of man in general. Many people do not realize it, but they are drawn to the wilderness on a subconscious level. Whether it be to escape the monotony of everyday life, see the immensity and beauty of the wilderness, or experience the thrill of danger, the huge amounts of people flock to wild places such as Alaska and the Rocky Mountains. The wilderness exerts an unseen and inexorable pull on mankind that has been felt by almost everyone, and even dragged a few brave souls to their deaths.
Heather Copyright 2004
