In2 the Wild

Title of the Book: Into the Wild
Author: Jon Krakauer
Number of Pages: 224
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Review:
The wild transcends societal standards and expectations; a safe haven from people that flourishes with natural beauty symbolizing the freedom and capacity of nature. Christopher McCandless perceived the magnificence of this unknown and set on a journey to become apart of what he loved. Jon Krakauer analyzes his quest for independence through Into the Wild an introspective look into the life of the Alaskan adventurer. In a world of conformity and collective thinking, McCandless saw right through the illusion of success in a society, and developed his own way of life, one of freedom and hope. By hitchhiking all through the midwest of the US, McCandless was on a journey without knowing where the end was, exploring and learning and teaching all those he came in contact with. Once he got introduced to Alaska, he fell in love with it setting the goal of living in the bush free from expectations. McCandless had one goal in mind, to live within the forest discovering more about himself and experience more adventure than ever. The author connects this venture to others such as Everett Ruess and even himself on his journey to hike the Devil’s Thumb, also in the northern wilderness.
Written unlike any other novel, Krakauer captures both side of the confident character whilst highlighting the influence that McCandless should have on us all. Quotes begin each chapter, preparing the reader and reflecting on has already happened; Krakauer’s unique writing structure increases its appeal to all sorts of readers. Perspective shifts chapter to chapter stand out as another example of the genius that takes place throughout the book, creating multiple timelines in the reader’s head all leading to a lesson about life and the world we live in. Even McCandless’ timeline bounces around from the beginning where his body is discovered, to the beginning of his venture, to prior to his venture, then to the beginning of  his life, back to his death. All being threaded with side notes about his home life and side stories of similar people. Krakauer writes of his own challenging dream of reaching the Thumb, which at first appears anecdotal, but soon compares similarly to McCandless.
An excellent ending with a lesson that everyone could learn from, I would recommend this book to any and everyone. Individualism and critical thinking are themes throughout this book, and society could learn something from the Alaskan explorer who made everyone question what they were doing. An entertaining novel that is thrilling and emotional and beautiful emphasizing the importance of nature.

Comments

  1. AnonymousMay 3, 2018 at 10:34 AM

    I read this book as well. I like how you went into some detail about Krakauer's connection with Chris's sense of adventure, as well as what people can learn from the book. I agree, it was incredible, 5 out of 5 stars.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Perfect Storm - A True Story of Men Against the Sea

Image
  Title of the Book: The Perfect Storm Author: Sebastian Junger Number of Pages: 236 Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆ Review: A “nor’easter” propelled by hurricane-force winds was not what the sword fishing crew of the Andrea Gail had planned to confront. The events they encounter, and their conflict with nature provide detailed accounts of a storm that takes place and puts the lives of the entire   crew and their families waiting on shore for them against a the sea. Descriptions of sword fishing procedures and equipment used, maritime jargon, and meteorological phenomena all come together in this narrative to describe a historical event that was a rare circumstance. These details are an important part of the plot, and without these maritime terms, we wouldn’t be able to visualize the whole picture of the dangers within the storm in the way the actual characters experienced it. The drama and events that unfold from this catastrophic mix of weather conditions out at sea in the No...
Read more

Into the Wild Review

Image
Title of the Book: Into the Wild Author: Jon Krakauer Number of Pages: 203 Rating: ☆☆☆☆ Review: Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer will either leave you eager to run away into the wild to try something spontaneous, or dead set on simply staying inside with a good book to spark your imagination. The story opens up with a man named Jim Gallien picking up hitchhiker Alex (later revealed as Christopher McCandless) on his journey to Anchorage, Alaska. After leaving his family and friends behind without any notice at all, Christopher McCandless starts out on an expedition into the wilderness to live an adventurous life of exploration and solitude, but only survives four months in the wild before his body was discovered. Krakauer reaches out to several individuals who encountered McCandless on his journey, and follows the events that led up to his sudden death that left the people who knew him shocked. While the story of Christopher McCandless is quite intriguing itself, Krakauer’s pe...
Read more
Image
Title of the Book: The Glass Castle Author: Jeannette Walls  Number of Pages: 289  Rating: ☆☆☆☆  Review: Try to imagine yourself in a different life. A life where your family doesn't stay put in one area or even a house, in a family that doesn’t conform to society's standards, a family that lives in the middle of the desert. Would you want to live like that? This is how Jeannette Walls lived her childhood life. Walls writes her memoir based on the type of childhood she grew up in. Starting her story off with a memory she had when she was a three-year-old cooking herself hot dogs on the stove. She had got her dress under the pot and her dress went up in flames, her skin burned brutally. That is one of many crazy events that happened in Jeannette’s life as a child with irresponsible parents. Jeannette Walls one of four Walls children, describes her dysfunctional family and how they lived through day to day life with an imaginative alcoholic father with empty prom...
Read more