Reflective Statement
Into the Wild Reflective Statement #2
Word Count: 319
Chapter six of Into the Wild was really all about McCandless and the impact he had on Franz, and frankly, everyone he met. The point was brought up that McCandless was selfish for making such a huge impression on people’s lives and then just leaving, as if they meant nothing to him. I think it’s important to understand, although, that McCandless had tunnel vision. There was only one thing that mattered to him in life, his Alaskan Odyssey. It wasn’t that he necessarily didn’t care about people like Jan Burres, Wayne Westerberg, or Ronald Franz; he just didn’t see that they cared about him so much.
Another thing we discussed in class was the idea that McCandless was a reincarnation of Henry David Thoreau, in a way. I find this idea very interesting because there really are a lot of parallels between the two. McCandless embodies that idea of transcendentalism that Thoreau really stood by. They both believed in a reversal to traditional values, and had a deep respect and appreciation for nature and what it held. McCandless himself was an avid reader and it really only makes sense that he would find a mentor in one of the authors he read so much and try and embody him. I find that so true as well, as human beings we find so much influence in “celebrities” and I thought the point was so smart and accurate.
Going back to the idea of how much McCandless affected those he met, and how oblivious he was to the change he made in their lives, it raises the question of how much do we affect other people? And to what extent are we aware of this? With the idea of McCandless finding himself in Thoreau, one could ask, is there a writer who influences us? Do the things we see on TV, movies, or read in books affect us? And how much?
Word Count: 319
Chapter six of Into the Wild was really all about McCandless and the impact he had on Franz, and frankly, everyone he met. The point was brought up that McCandless was selfish for making such a huge impression on people’s lives and then just leaving, as if they meant nothing to him. I think it’s important to understand, although, that McCandless had tunnel vision. There was only one thing that mattered to him in life, his Alaskan Odyssey. It wasn’t that he necessarily didn’t care about people like Jan Burres, Wayne Westerberg, or Ronald Franz; he just didn’t see that they cared about him so much.
Another thing we discussed in class was the idea that McCandless was a reincarnation of Henry David Thoreau, in a way. I find this idea very interesting because there really are a lot of parallels between the two. McCandless embodies that idea of transcendentalism that Thoreau really stood by. They both believed in a reversal to traditional values, and had a deep respect and appreciation for nature and what it held. McCandless himself was an avid reader and it really only makes sense that he would find a mentor in one of the authors he read so much and try and embody him. I find that so true as well, as human beings we find so much influence in “celebrities” and I thought the point was so smart and accurate.
Going back to the idea of how much McCandless affected those he met, and how oblivious he was to the change he made in their lives, it raises the question of how much do we affect other people? And to what extent are we aware of this? With the idea of McCandless finding himself in Thoreau, one could ask, is there a writer who influences us? Do the things we see on TV, movies, or read in books affect us? And how much?