Reckless

In Into the Wild, Jon Krakauer is between criticizing McCandless and sympathizing with him. At the start, he did say he was a bit biased. Krakauer is more forgiving of McCandless instead of being too harsh. For example, when describing Chris’s time with Ronald Franz in Chapter 6, Krakauer highlights how McCandless had a deep, almost transformative impact on Franz, even inspiring him to change his life: “Franz adopted an ascetic lifestyle, moving out of his apartment and living in the desert” (Krakauer 55). Instead of talking about how McCandless encourages an old man to give up stability, Krakauer describes it as evidence of Chris’s ability to inspire others. This is one of a couple of examples that show how Krakauer doesn’t always highlight the recklessness.

Comparing Krakauer’s point of view to my own, I can see both sides. I can see how  Krakauer admires McCandless as an idealist with “the courage of his convictions,” and it’s clear he relates to Chris’s passion for risk and independence. But others, like Nick Jans, are harsher, calling McCandless “underprepared, overconfident . . . bumbling around out there and screwing up because [he] lacked the requisite humility” (72). Personally, I lean more toward Jans’s view. When McCandless goes into the desert or the wilderness with little food, gear, or training, I think it shows more ignorance than courage.  For example, in Chapter 9, Krakauer notes how McCandless “didn’t seem to understand that many of the dangers he dismissed could prove fatal” (85). That level of unpreparedness makes me see him not as a hero but instead as someone who doesn't think things through and prepare. I still understand why Krakaure sees him as sympathetic. It does take some type of courage to do what McCandless did, I’m just not positive it is a good type of courage, going in ill-prepared. 

In the end, Krakauer is not too hard on McCandless. I think he tries to romanticize his flaws instead. While I can appreciate McCandless's ideals, I ultimately think his lack of humility and preparation more supports Jans’s harsher judgment.