Book Review: Into The Wild by Jon Krakauer

Even though I have seen the movie adaptation and read articles about Chris McCandless, reading the book “Into The Wild” by Jon Krakauer left me heavy hearted with an ache that has numbed my senses. It gave me a chill down my spine every time I thought about the Chris’s last days. The actions of Chris generated a mixed view among people, many praising him for his courage while others pitied him for his foolishness. 

Reading this book helped me gain perspective about his life. Even though he never deserved the tragic demise, he led a brave life that he was proud of. He lived his life to the fullest and did things many of us could never even think of doing.

Whether someone admires his courage or pity him, I feel that he ended up becoming a candle flame that shed light into a brave world. Even during the last of his days, he tried all that he could to achieve or rather live up to his ideals and beliefs. 

Although I admire his courage, it broke my heart knowing about the whirlwind of emotions his parents and loved ones had to go through and still continue to live with. I cannot imagine the horror of someone knowing that their loved one met a terrible death by starvation. 

So this book has really put me in a dilemma of whether to admire Chris for all the brave things he did or despise and pity him for completely shutting off his loved ones and meeting a tragic end. But then again, there are many people who like the company of others but not for long and prefer to do things on their own accord. 

In today’s materialistic world, obsessed with having the latest gadgets or gizmos, Chris really showed what it meant to find joy in the smallest, perhaps the primitive things in life. 

~ Rithin.