Into the Wild: Is Chris McClandless Courageous or Cowardly?

When I first heard the story of Chris McClandless and his attempt to survive in the Alaskan wilderness I thought he was brave for turning his back on society and following his dream to live off the land. He refused to heed his parents' advice and expectations and I honestly admired him for doing that. He was one of the most courageous people I had ever heard of.

However, when I read the book my opinion of him changed. Instead of perceiving him as a noble young man who was willing to risk everything to live by his ideals, I thought he was foolish and irritating. When I read about all of the mistakes he made while living off the land in Alaska I started to think that he was an arrogant kid who just didn't like following the rules that everyone else has to live by. Chris McClandless was also incredibly selfish; he put his family and especially his parents through unnecessary pain. I understand Chris' need to make a new life for himself instead of becoming like his parents, but I think it was wrong for him to leave his family and cut all contact with them. Even though there was tension between Chris and his parents, I don't think they deserved to be treated that way; and Chris' stubborness and unwillingness to forgive his parents shows his lack of maturity. Chris was clearly afraid of forming friendships and connections with people; even the people he met when he was hitchhiking throughout the country were not exempt from this. It seems to me that he was always running away from something: from family, friends, society, and I think this makes him a coward.

Even though my view of Chris McClandless isn't as positive or idyllic as it used to be, I can't help but admire his gumption. I think he will continue to inspire people, especially young men, for years to come. I found a video clip that a Chris McClandless admirer made as a tribute to him: Some of the photos in the video are truly quite eerie:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDRy6fmcSzA

One of the things that struck me the most about Chris' story is that he chose to make his camp in the abandoned bus. He wanted to escape civilization and live in the wild, but he needed that bus, the only human-made object that he was aware of in the Alaskan wilderness, for survival. I think this shows that even when living in the wilderness, everyone needs someone or something to survive.