Into The Wild (just finished)

[Bahumat]

Wow that was a great read!

I wont talk about my opinions of Chris as that'll be an essay! But I assume most people share the same views/thoughts.

This is a true story and it's only 200 odd pages so wont take long

By examining the true story of Chris McCandless, a young man, who in 1992 walked deep into the Alaskan wilderness and whose SOS note and emaciated corpse were found four months later, internationally bestselling author Jon Krakauer explores the obsession which leads some people to explore the outer limits of self, leave civilization behind and seek enlightenment through solitude and contact with nature. "An astonishingly gifted writer: his account of 'Alex Supertramp' is powerfully dramatic, eliciting sympathy for both the idealistic, anti-consumerist boy - and his parents" - "Guardian". "A compelling tale of tragic idealism" - "The Times".

This guy had a dream, and in my eyes he achieved that. This was no ordinary dream so you can appreciate all the things he endured

Play.com (UK) : Into the Wild : Books - Free Delivery

 

[old.Tohtori]

To be honest,

Spoiler

If the movie was anything to go by: he was a bit daft in the way he died.

But in that dream chasing way, yeah, did what he wanted. Admirable as such.

 

[Bahumat]

To be honest,

Spoiler

If the movie was anything to go by: he was a bit daft in the way he died.

But in that dream chasing way, yeah, did what he wanted. Admirable as such.

Spoiler

Originally there was a magazine article, then he wrote the book iirc. It seems alot of the people who assumed he made simple mistakes were wrong. However I've not watched the film yet so I cant say much

 

[megadave]

From all i've heard about this guy (not that much, havent read the book or anything) he just sounds like an idiot with a complete lack of common sense.

 

[Bahumat]

From all i've heard about this guy (not that much, havent read the book or anything) he just sounds like an idiot with a complete lack of common sense.

Then you're wrong my friend.

 

[megadave]

He went into the wilderness and didnt bother to take what everyone else thought of as a necessity and died because of it? Sounds pretty stupid to me.

 

[Mey]

He learnt all the skills etc.. on the way but he did not know how to apply them in the area he was in, for example he tried to smoke meat rather than drying it. The technique would of worked where he learnt it, but where he tried it, it just failed miserably.

He went in the wild to find himself and in the end regret his decision.

A sad but touching story tbh.

 

[Shagrat]

He learnt all the skills etc.. on the way but he did not know how to apply them in the area he was in, for example he tried to smoke meat rather than drying it. The technique would of worked where he learnt it, but where he tried it, it just failed miserably.

He went in the wild to find himself and in the end regret his decision.

A sad but touching story tbh.

Christ even I know you dont smoke meat and I'm a townie. He should have just taken some baccy and rizla's with him like people round here do.

 

[Bahumat]

From all i've heard about this guy (not that much, havent read the book or anything) he just sounds like an idiot with a complete lack of common sense.

The first 20 or so pages I almost screamed because he seemed so ill prepared, however on reading the whole book you realise he was not a complete idiot, nor lacked common sense.
In the Magazine which printed the story alot of Hunters/Trackers etc made fun that he "shot a moose". They claimed it couldn't have been a Moose, but instead a Caribou...and the fact he could not tell the difference (supposidly a very easy thing to do) showed his incompetance.....but later they found out it was actually a Moose

Also they "assume" he ate a poisonous plant which was part of the reason he starved. Its a potato plant and you eat the root. There are 2 versions, 1 is super poisonous, 1 is completely fine. They all assumed he ate the wrong one (only way to tell the difference is the poisonous one has veins under the leaves). Again, they laughed at his stupidity....but he actually ate the correct ones. In his books of plants etc there was no mention you could not eat the seeds, however that is what poisoned him.

He went into the wilderness and didnt bother to take what everyone else thought of as a necessity and died because of it? Sounds pretty stupid to me.

Yes and No. There are some things he should have taken (like a more suitable gun, the first one was a bit too weak to hunt with), however he did take things which were essential.


I think you know quite a bit about his story, so I'd urge you to read it. You may still think he's an idiot, with no common sense...however I do not think as much as what you may curreently think.

 

[megadave]

Yeah hopefully i'll get around to reading it sometime, it's on my list

In all fairness to the guy i think he had his own agenda and bringing all the vital essentials wasn't his top priority.

 

[Mey]

I'm sorry but he was ill-prepeared. You cannot suggest otherwise. The guy that saw him last even said he had little stuff with him.

Its kind of ironic that he went into the wilderness to find himself and live of the land but ended up living in an old minibus.

 

[Bahumat]

I'm sorry but he was ill-prepeared. You cannot suggest otherwise. The guy that saw him last even said he had little stuff with him.

Its kind of ironic that he went into the wilderness to find himself and live of the land but ended up living in an old minibus.

Yes ill prepared, but you need to say "He was totally ill prepared" or "A little ill prepared". (I think he was a little ill prepared) Just saying ill prepared makes you think the former.

He never went there to find himself imo. He went there because he was sick of society, also he'd red tolstoy and all these other books saying how perfect the wilderness was which in a weird little way, brain washed him into thinking it was a euphoric place.

Also his family mention something along the lines of "he would only take with him what he could carry on his back". So he could have taken more if he'd wished, but he mentions he wanted to live on the bare minimum (which is silly imo).

If he'd have taken a Topographic map he'd have realised how close that weird metal wing bridge was, also he'd know he was not too far from a town...but because he never knew this, he was in the wild and did achieve his dream.

He seemed to thoroughly enjoy his whole journey and that's part of the 'adventure'. His outlook on life changed when he got to the bus. He writes about true happiness being experienced with other people....wives/children and that 'seems' why he tries to head back. He goes back to the bus to wait till the water reduces but thats when he has the trouble with the potato plant

 

[Zede]

The guy is a pussy

He OBVIOUSLY never watched any Ray Mears & his survival Pie truck ( anyone ever wondered why hes sooo fat ?)

2 episodes of old ray and anyone could have done what he did, what a loser.

 

[Bahumat]

The guy is a pussy

He OBVIOUSLY never watched any Ray Mears & his survival Pie truck ( anyone ever wondered why hes sooo fat ?)

2 episodes of old ray and anyone could have done what he did, what a loser.

I love the Reeves and Mortimer piss take, Bob is dressed as Ray Mears with his little shorts and has a pair of balls hanging out the leg

 

[Urgluf]

amazing movie.. I really liked it