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The only real question would be, is it possible along the route he was choosing and with the supplies he had.
The answer is clearly no, as the supplies he had were insufficient to keep him alive even while sheltered from the elements in a bus parked a mere 30 miles outside a town. He hadn't even brought a shelter with him; if he hadn't fortuitously stumbled onto that bus (which local hunters had fitted out as a makeshift cabin, equipped with a stove and a cot), he may well have died from exposure long before he starved to death.
(I wonder if the book would have sold as well if it had been titled "Into the Outskirts of Town"? The bus was only about an hour away from the town by snowmoble, and there were a number of private hunting cabins in the same general area. The area McCandless was in wasn't urban by any means, but it was hardly a true wilderness. Most of Alaska is much wilder than that place!)
The answer is clearly no, as the supplies he had were insufficient to keep him alive even while sheltered from the elements in a bus parked a mere 30 miles outside a town. He hadn't even brought a shelter with him; if he hadn't fortuitously stumbled onto that bus (which local hunters had fitted out as a makeshift cabin, equipped with a stove and a cot), he may well have died from exposure long before he starved to death.
(I wonder if the book would have sold as well if it had been titled "Into the Outskirts of Town"? The bus was only about an hour away from the town by snowmoble, and there were a number of private hunting cabins in the same general area. The area McCandless was in wasn't urban by any means, but it was hardly a true wilderness. Most of Alaska is much wilder than that place!)
Without stumbling onto the bus his death wouldn't have been such a drawn out, ghastly affair. I stand by my deep suicide wish battling with his will to survive theory, makes the most sense to me. The only other explanation for his actions and decisions is that he was a complete and utter dolt, which we all know he wasn't.
I think bottom line is that the only difference between a young person who puts a gun to his head and the way he died is that Chris couldn't bear thinking of himself and those who knew him dying by suicide. So he went on these "journeys" and "adventures" to let them knock him off. When after 2 years they failed to do so he stepped it up a huge notch and disappeared into the Alaska wilderness.
Without stumbling onto the bus his death wouldn't have been such a drawn out, ghastly affair. I stand by my deep suicide wish battling with his will to survive theory, makes the most sense to me. The only other explanation for his actions and decisions is that he was a complete and utter dolt, which we all know he wasn't.
I think bottom line is that the only difference between a young person who puts a gun to his head and the way he died is that Chris couldn't bear thinking of himself and those who knew him dying by suicide. So he went on these "journeys" and "adventures" to let them knock him off. When after 2 years they failed to do so he stepped it up a huge notch and disappeared into the Alaska wilderness.
I think there's another possible explanation: he was a young man who wanted to prove himself, and to reject civilization and all it stood for in his mind. So he sets out on these "vision quest" style adventures, intent on showing himself that armed with only a minimum amount of knowledge and gear and unbounded courage he could prevail against the forces of the wild. The problem is that he grew up in civilization, and lacked the necessary skills to truly survive long-term off the land in a wilderness setting, and he attributed his survival in Baja to skill rather than pure dumb luck (which is actually what saved him). So he got in way, way over his head in Alaska, and sadly he paid the ultimate price. He was too young and inexperienced to truly understand that "man vs. wild" = "bug vs. windshield." Too much Thoreau, not enough actual long-distance backpacking experience in harsh conditions. No indigenous hunter-gatherer would have ever gone out alone for a long period as under-prepared as Chris McCandless was. They knew better.
I think there's another possible explanation: he was a young man who wanted to prove himself, and to reject civilization and all it stood for in his mind. So he sets out on these "vision quest" style adventures, intent on showing himself that armed with only a minimum amount of knowledge and gear and unbounded courage he could prevail against the forces of the wild. The problem is that he grew up in civilization, and lacked the necessary skills to truly survive long-term off the land in a wilderness setting, and he attributed his survival in Baja to skill rather than pure dumb luck (which is actually what saved him). So he got in way, way over his head in Alaska, and sadly he paid the ultimate price. He was too young and inexperienced to truly understand that "man vs. wild" = "bug vs. windshield." Too much Thoreau, not enough actual long-distance backpacking experience in harsh conditions. No indigenous hunter-gatherer would have ever gone out alone for a long period as under-prepared as Chris McCandless was. They knew better.
This is the romanticized version of Chris, but I think my theory is more likely to be the truth. The last thing I think he would have wanted was for his story to be told, I think he just wanted to disappear. Krakauer really trashed this kid's privacy to make a buck, what an a$$hat.
.. I think he just wanted to disappear. Krakauer really trashed this kid's privacy to make a buck, what an a$$hat.
For sure he wanted to disappear, but also to return. Certainly no death wish-you read the book, right? He wanted to live a real life, full of adventure and uncertainty.
What privacy does a dead person enjoy?
Krakauer got the permission of his parents and sister to write the book. He wrote it because it was a compelling story to him, and because he identified with McCandless a great deal.
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"I don't understand. But I don't care, so it works out."
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Quote:
Originally Posted by duke944
This is the romanticized version of Chris, but I think my theory is more likely to be the truth. The last thing I think he would have wanted was for his story to be told, I think he just wanted to disappear. Krakauer really trashed this kid's privacy to make a buck, what an a$$hat.
I don't know how you say that with confidence.
His sister who is 3 years younger, and was very close to Chris, is supportive of Krakauer and was a source of information that made the movie authentic to her brother.
I think you're projecting how you would feel, not knowing Chris or even gauging his sister's reaction to Krakauer.
By the way, she has a book refuting her parents claims that Chris cruelly shunned them.
No doubt, your body basically starts to consume itself by breaking down your muscle tissue once all the fat is gone and Chris was a tiny guy to begin with, according to his driver's license he was 5'06" and 140 lbs.
I assume he must of had ammo left, I guess he could of done a Hemingway if he wanted to, maybe he was too weak to pull the trigger or maybe he truly thought someone was going to rescue/save him in the end?
I believe he was a bit taller than that, and certainly lighter by the time he made it to Alaska.
IMO, starving to death would be far preferable to putting a .22 to my head. Dunno if he had any ammo left or not.
For sure he wanted to disappear, but also to return. Certainly no death wish-you read the book, right? He wanted to live a real life, full of adventure and uncertainty.
What privacy does a dead person enjoy?
Krakauer got the permission of his parents and sister to write the book. He wrote it because it was a compelling story to him, and because he identified with McCandless a great deal.
His sister had no say, the fact his parents gave permission shows the level of a$$hatery Chris left behind.
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