Wednesday, July 31, 2013

In Krakauer's Into the Wild, does Chris McCandless ever change? For example, do his personality, attitude, or beliefs ever change?

The question is basically asking if Chris McCandless is a dynamic character.  In general, I would say that McCandless is not a dynamic character.  He really never displays any huge character growth or change over the course of the novel.  Keep in mind that Into the Wild is Krakauer's interpretation of McCandless and what happened to him.  It's possible that McCandless's personality changed a great deal at one point, but McCandless was by himself so often that drastic character changes were never witnessed.  


Throughout the novel, McCandless is portrayed as self-confident, focused, passionate, friendly, intelligent, and at times rash.  In general, McCandless is also averse to asking for help.  


The question above does ask if McCandless ever changes.  If I'm 100% honest, then I have to say yes, McCandless does change at one point.  Unfortunately, the change is too late.  Once he begins his trek into the Alaskan wilderness, McCandless is as full of self-confidence and joy as he has ever been.  



“There was just no talking the guy out of it,” Gallien remembers. “He was determined. Real gung ho. The word that comes to mind is excited. He couldn’t wait to head out there and get started.”



He's also a bit unwilling to take the supplies, help, and advice offered to him by Jim Gallien.  



Gallien offered to drive Alex all the way to Anchorage, buy him some decent gear, and then drive him back to wherever he wanted to go.


“No, thanks anyway,” Alex replied, “I’ll be fine with what I’ve got.”



However, once McCandless becomes stranded by the bus, it's clear that he has changed enough to be begging for help.  McCandless is so weak and injured that he is no longer the joyous, confident person he was months before.  He is so weak that he is only capable of searching for berries among the nearby plants.  In case somebody shows up at the bus, McCandless leaves a note begging for help.  



S.O.S. I NEED YOUR HELP. I AM INJURED, NEAR DEATH, AND TOO WEAK TO HIKE OUT OF HERE. I AM ALL ALONE, THIS IS NO JOKE. IN THE NAME OF GOD, PLEASE REMAIN TO SAVE ME. I AM OUT COLLECTING BERRIES CLOSE BY AND SHALL RETURN THIS EVENING. THANK YOU, CHRIS MCCANDLESS. AUGUST?



Notice that McCandless even drops the "Alex Supertramp" name that he has been using when everything is going well.  He now uses his real name because he knows he is in real trouble.  If the question is simply asking if McCandless ever changes, even a little bit, then I have to answer yes.  He changes just before he dies. 

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