Into the Wild

My first impression of this book is that the story started and ended within the opening paragraph. I don't like how the reader is told that their protagonist is dead in the first sentence. Sure is opens up as a mystery, but I haven't been able to connect to him yet. His death brought no emotional blow to me. I like how each chapter is started by a descripiton from another piece of work to help describe the scenes in Chris' life that we plunge into. One word to describe Chris is done. He is done with his overbearing but loving family, finished with a conventional life and wants to start a new chapter. He's done with his name, his past identity and everything that ties him to it. Individuality and the discovery of one's self is the main theme that is present thus far in the novel. Everything Chris does, and every scene Krakauer describes bleeds the need for individuality. There are many books, movies and things throughout history that people go off in need to find themselves or to find an adventure. The massive character growth Chris McCandless goes through reminds me of the sixth Harry Potter book. It was in that book that Harry Potter fully discovered who he was, what he regretted, but also what he was capable of. In some ways I can really connect to some of the thoughts that Chris goes through, after all, he was pretty close to my age. There are some days when I get up and follow through my daily dull routine of going to school, coming home being with my family, doing homework and just itching the whole while to leave it all behind and do something that will get my blood rushing and do something of my choosing. Everybody holds the idea somewhere deep in their hearts of wanting to leave everything behind and be completely selfish and do whatever they please. But most balk if they have the chance. They are held in thier homes and places by duty, loyalty and love to people other than themselves. It has always been an dreams of people throughout history to set out for the horizon with nothing but the adventure ahead of them weighing down their mind.