(Brittany McClure) Nighttime Thoughts 9/24/07

Brittany McClure-- Nighttime Thoughts


I just came back in from sitting out on the lawn. We've had fantastic weather today. It was just warm enough to be comfortable, and so the cooler night air felt great. I admire CNU's decision to have such open natural spaces. There's something to be said for being alone with your thoughts outside. It's one of the most relaxing things a person can do. I felt completely at ease just sitting there, looking around, letting my thoughts wander and flow without aim. While sitting out there doesn't fix your problems, it does let you release them for awhile. No music, no conversation, just you and the sky and the earth and the sounds that were there before you and will remain once you leave. It's almost therapeutic.

the galaxy that is our mind - Jack Soule

The quote from the paper Dr. Redick read at the end of class on Tuesday, September 11th - "there are many centers of the universe" sparked an idea in my head; the unvierse is different to every person, based on perception. So every person is in their own universe.

If perception is reality, then everyone lives in a seperate universide. What is perceived by one person, maybe, does not exist to another - or is perceived on completely different terms, correct? So if what you perceive is real, then that should mean that - since eveyone perceives the world differently - that everyone is the soul inhabitant of their own universe. A girl I used to date would, naturally, say "no, I see that object tree over there just the same as you." But how would she know what I am seeing - to the two of us, one color could be entirely different. And she would - in fact - have no way of knowing that, say, cinnamon smells different to me than to her. Take this for example; a color blind person does not see certain colors that I do - so in his or her world, that color simply doesn't exist! And, somehow, scientists know that dogs see the world in many more colors than we humans can PERCEIVE. But this is not just by species - you see, our universe - or our universes I should say - are not in fact limitless, but they are bound to what we can perceive. However, they are - always - expanding with what new things we see, learn, and come to understand, or perceive - always with an unrestrained power to grow - for there is no limit to the amount of space in the human mind. There is, of course, the noumenal - that which we can't perceive but is supposedly out there - but the noumenal is NOT part of one's universe - that is why it is the noumenal.

And if it is, in fact, true that every individual being inhabits their own universe, then why can we see each other? Perceive each other? It is simple - our universes overlap. Some more closely than others - surely my best friend, Frankie, who I did everything with, and shared many views with, would live in a universe that was very close to mine. Yet, now - sadly - he is living in California. And thus our worlds have grown apart. But a large part of our universes still overlap for having been so close, but now we are pushing out to new corners of our universe, and so our souls are further apart than they used to be; where the hearts of our universe flirted with each other, constantly feeding of each other and bumping into each other.

Our universes would be like a galaxy, with our mind at the center, and the nothingness that supposedly lies beyond the universe being the unknown that we have yet to discover - or maybe never encounter. Of course, there are many stars revolving around the center of a galaxy - these are all the things we have perceived and are in touch with. As we begin to gain a stronger perception of an object or part of the world, the star grows more massive, and draws material toward it, formind planets (conceptions in our mind relating to what we've learned.) But all galaxies revolve around the center of the universe, don't they? That is what we are told. We are also told that the Big Bang created the universe - it was the moment in time in which all the matter encompassed in the universe was so condensed in to one limitlessly small space that it exploded and the universe began to expand outward. But how exactly did all this matter exist, floating around in the noumenal; in nothingness? And what is at the center of the universe where every object finds its FOCUS? There is always this pull towards the center of the universe that keeps everything revolving; keeps everyone's universe in place? And if everything is being pulled toward the center, then why is the universe expanding outward? How is this possible? Is not God the Ultimate Perceiver? Does not everything lead to Him in the long run? And is it not by God's power that we humans received the power to create (expand our UNIVERSE?)

If God truly is the center of the universe, then surely the noumenal is His domain also. So wouldn't that mean that the noumenal isn't actually NOTHING, but simply that which no human has perceived yet? Or that which is too complex or Wholly Other for us to perceive in this life? And the reason why the universe is pushing outwards against the pull of the center of the universe, God, is that we humans are learning, causing the limits of what we can perceive to be stretched further and further?

Now, back to an earlier point, nobody can prove that every human perceives things the same, because, like death is symbol for something we cannot experience and tell about, one cannot experience another being's world. By that standard, no one being inhabits the exact same world.

Now, this may pass as blasphemous, but if everyone has slightly different perceptions of God, or the simply the spiritual, then is there really ONE God, and ONE heaven? It would be impossible because if without perception there is no reality, then to one who does to perceive there is a god somewhere beyond our world, then that person cannot possibly inhabit a spiritual domain, because in their universe, there is none. So every person's world could have its own center, its own Axis Mundi, right? But many people do believe in the exact same god or heaven - of course this is usually because their church has told them what to believe. So could not churches be universal Axes Mundis; focusing points to lead people on to the same afterlife; toward the same God?

Yet what about Buddhists, who believe in Nirvana? Nirvana is being connected with oneself and the universe. But if the universe IS God, then wouldn't that mean they are already connected with God? So an Axis Mundi is not then necessarily a specific onject, but more a PLACE inside a person themselves that they have to find. And perhaps there are objects that for some reason help us find this peace; state of mind; place in our own mind that help to bring us to God.

Yet, maybe God isn't the center of the universe, with we humans as galaxies. Perhaps my analogy was incorrect. Could WE be the centers of our own universe, with God simply being the noumenal; the unperceivable region beyond the universe? But death is encompassed in the noumenal too as are other things. But then couldn't God simply be another symbol we have created? A symbol for something we do not understand because we have no experience of what occurs after death? Could not God simply be a representation of everything we cannot perceive; the noumenal?

Nelly Crabbe, Chris McCandless' Spiritual Journey

I think Chirs did have a spiritual journey by going to Alaska. The main reason i think he went was to find out who he really was away from society. The problem with the way he went about the journey was that he forgot that he would hurt others in turn. I think he was too hasty in his planning which is probably why he comes offas being insensitive. He didn't seem to have the best plan and that could be misinterpreted as him being too rash and deciding it on a whim. I don't think he decided to do it on a whim because his parents said he had been before and he had said he wanted to return one day but i think he may have felt alot of pressure the second time around and so by the time he decided to leave again he had not been as prepared as he had been before. Chris did take a spiritual journey out there. HE questioned his faith and morals and went on a journey in his mind because he was void of all outside influences. The reason why people tend not to think so is because of the way he went about it.

Reflection of the McCandless Presentation by Chelsea Gilbert

Unlike many people I talked to, I enjoyed reading the book. I thought it was an interesting portrayal of Chris McCandless' life and his experiences. I also liked it because his character, his situation and the book itself was something I had never read before. But, in spite of that, I did not agree with everything that Chris did. Deserting his family and severing all contact with them was something I did not partake to. I come from a very close family and I could never imagine how someone could just wake up one day and go. And never look back. In my mind it was a very selfish and seemingly heartless thing to do. That was his family, people who had loved him and given him everything he had ever needed. But as I listened to his parents speak and view pictures of him as a child and even as he was older, I realized that he was an independent individual. One who never wanted to rely on anyone but himself and his fate. And that is exactly what I believe he was trying to do.
Looking back on the story and every choice Chris made along the way, I believe that Chris was just testing his spiritually. This was a way to further his belief and reassure him that what he believed in did exist. And I think he found that. He knew in his last writing that he was not going to make it, but he seemed at peace with that; like he had gotten what he had always wanted. During his trip he came to realize more about himself as a person and determine his strengths, weaknesses, and happiness. Looking at the pictures from his journey, he was smiling in every one. He was not sad with what he had done and I think that is all that matters.

Charles Crawford

Do you think that Chris McCandless’ journey was spiritual in any way?

Chris McCandless was an exercise in contradiction. This is not in any way an attack on his adventure, his principles, or his beliefs; but instead a discussion of his somewhat contradictory views as explained by his parents contrasted against the impression of Chris given by John Krakauer.
In the book Into the Wild it seems as though Chris McCandless is searching for something. He is searching for something that he considers to be sanctified, and in that sense he did embark on a spiritual journey. He had sanctified Alaska in his mind through the readings of authors such as Jack London and that is what he felt was his axis mundi. It was clear that McCandless wanted to go to the desolation of Alaska to be able to find his “way”, his method of living. It seemed as though McCandless chose Alaska for its solitude, he wanted to throw off the chains of societal living, a life in which he was held down by the often contradictory practices, and live a life based on his own principles. This view is very consistent with McCandless’ other readings of Tolstoy and other existentialist authors. This, however, is where an interesting dichotomy evolves.
The parents of Chris McCandless painted a contrasting picture of their son. His parents made Chris out to be essentially a “good Christian boy” and a people person. I will be the first to say that there is nothing wrong with that sort of label, but the claim makes me wonder why Chris’ parents would paint that picture of their son, especially when it seemed that Chris wanted to be away from people if possible. Was it just a case of proud parents perhaps exaggerating their child a bit for their own pleasure? Or was it that his parents did not know their son as well as they thought they did?
We will probably never know the answers to either of those questions. Realistically, the answer does not matter. It is clear that Chris McCandless was a strong dichotomy between belief in “the Other” and a belief in the idea that everything and everyone is connected in some way and that everyone should find that connection in some way. Chris sought that connection in communion with the wilderness, the untamed wild that he saw as his axis mundi.

Super Tramp. Peter Michalski

The prsentation given by the McCandless's didn't change my thought about Chris at all. Their presentation was good and I enjoyed it but it mainly consisted of background information about Chris's adventure. Jon Krakauer did an excellent job explaining in detail the journey Chris took. The presentation gave extra information behined some of the pictures that Chris took. After reading the book and learning about Chris this presentation was just a quick run through of where Chris went and who he met.
I do think that Chris's adventure was spiritual but not so much as with God but more with himself. Chris, I think, was lost and a little confused with his life, especially after learning about his fathers double life. Chris just needed to go out on his own and do what he needed to do. Whether he needed to find an answer to something or sort out his mind, and what better place to do that then the wild?

Will White

Chris McCandless's distance from his parents in the story gave me the impression that perhaps his parents would have little understanding of him or his journey. Although my impression of Chris didn't change, I found his parents to be insightful, elegant, compassionate, and courageous. Even after losing their son they were able to keep the focus on his life and his story. They had the compassion to sincerely try to understand his motives and they respected his decisions even though his choices ultimately led to his death. Chris's journey was absolutely spiritual and his parents were able to see that, too. His abandonment of the superficial world for an authentic, unfiltrated reality was his symbolic purification and awakening into a higher order. The fierce wilderness that confronted him was also the womb in which all things communed. Attempting to survive out there was his only chance to experience purposefulness and the unadultered essence of truth.

Megan Howard

Response to Chris McCandless Parents
When I first began to read Into the Wild, I thought of Chris McCandless as a selfish, wreckless young man with complete disregard for the feelings of his family. I saw him on this important journey of critical self-discovery but one that I thought caused him to abandon his family. However, going to the parents' lecture Sunday night I realized that this was more than a journey of self-discovery for Chris but a defining act. His parents, who did not like this journey or want him to go on it, did respect it. It began to define his character as more than just a man on the path to find out who he was but as other people saw him. He touched many lives through his journey which, in my opinion, can act as a balance for the abandonment of his family. Chris McCandless was not on this journey completely alone because he was always interacting and changing the lives of the people around him. For although he no longer was with his family, he still impacted people and represented the person his family had brought him up to be. Some people say he abandoned civilization but I think that he was more on a quest for a deeper understanding of it by returning to his roots and a simpler place. And the more Chris McCandless or Alexander Supertramp searched, the more he provided a positive impact in the peoples' lives he crossed through. While I still feel that there were acts of selfishness on his quest, the entire journey did provide the people he encountered bettered and enlightened based on the pictures and stories his parents told.

Chelsea Ottaviani; McCandless Family response

After watching the McCandless's presentation, my feelings for Chris did not change much. I went into the presentation feeling that Chris was a selfish young man who went into the wilderness unprepared and was basically asking never to come back. I understand that Chris was "seeking" something, and by the note he had with him at his death, it is apparent that he found what he was seeking. I also understand that if he were to tell his family where he was going that he wouldnt have had the freedom that he felt he needed. What I do not understand is how someone could put themselves and their own needs so far above the needs of one's family. Watching the McCandless' up on that stage the other day and hearing them tell stories about their son was almost depressing in my eyes. When they stated that it had taken them almost 15 years to be able to get in front of people and tell Chris's story really puts it into perspective how much Chris broke his family's heart's. Looking at pictures that depicted such a happy family who took vacations together and seemed to always look so close makes me wonder why he would have such a dying need to break away from all of this. I do understand that pictures are not always portraits of the truth, and I know that I will not know the whole truth as to why Chris left his family behind, but I still feel that it was far more selfish to leave his family with the pain of his death than it was worth the self journey that he took. I am hoping that by the end of this semester, when I have learned more from this class, that I will be able to change my opinion and look at Chris in the light that others have.

Lauren Ives

Having Chris McCandless parents come talk to us really opened my eyes. I didn't know what to except from them but when i got out of the seminar i really appreciated what i learned. Listening to them tell us about Chris's life before he went on the journey made me realize that he was very similar to my own life. I don't like playing by the rules but yet i wont ever break any rules and get in trouble. Chris had the perfect life and he just bored of it one day and wanted to experience more. It really made me rethink what i first thought about Chris. When i was reading the book, i just thought he was stupid for leaving everyone and not telling them where he was going and making his parents worry about him so much. His parents made a good point though about that, he didn't want to be found and if he had told them where he was going he wont of gotten the freedom he wanted. He wanted to just leave everything behind and not have to worry about what people were thinking or what they were going to say when he came back. I have always wanted to do this one day. Just up and leave my life and go somewhere and not have anything but myself and how I was going to survive that day. There has always been so much going on around me and I some days i just want to leave it all behind.
I think Chris' adventure was a little bit spiritual in a way. He seemed like he was trying to find god in a way. He wanted to leave all his material possessions behind him and go find the better life. In my mind God sort of helped him through his journey. He keep him save for this whole adventure until the end. All in all this seminar really hit home for me and helped me understand the McCandless's story a whole lot more.

Laura Boleyn; McCandless Presentation

The presentation given by Chris McCandless’ parents, Walt and Billie, did not change my ideas or views of Chris as person, because Krakauer accurately described Chris through the descriptions given by the people Chris met through his journey. I believe that if the mother, Billie, would have had more f a say in the presentation, the audience would have been able to gain a different perspective than what they might have already had from reading the novel. The father, Walt, seemed to reiterate only what was in the novel, which made the presentation seem less personal and more difficult to gain a deeper understanding of Chris. However, the parents did make me believe, even more, that Chris’ journey was indeed a spiritual one. I do not believe that the journey was spiritual in the sense of becoming closer to God or discovering God in his journey, as he was already a strong believer in God and held strong Christian values, which his parents shared with the audience. I was previously unaware that Chris did have strong religious beliefs, values and morals. I believe that Chris’ adventure was spiritual in the sense that he wanted to discover himself by doing an activity that he enjoyed, hiking and anything with an adventurous appeal. Along the way, he was able to touch people in a way that I believe he wanted, as his parents and others described him as caring and kind. Had Chris come out of his journey alive, I believe that Chris would have found himself successfully and whatever else he was looking for, with close friends along the way.

Lynda Rice, "Into the Wild"

I thought the presentation from the McCandless' was very interesting. Having Chris' parents come in and speak to us about their son made the book feel nonfictional, contrary to my perception as I was reading. Seeing the true photos of Chris and the documented journey added an entirely new dimension to Chris McCandless and, "Into the Wild."
It was obvious to me the degree to which the McCandless' cared for their son. They seemed like very nice people, those of character, and morally sound. They spoke of Chris passionately, reflecting on stories and events from his childhood. From the family pictures the McCandless family looked happy, hiking, birthday parties etc. However I can honestly say that I understand that things can differ from the way they appear in pictures or a brief meeting.
Now, I am not making any personal attacks on the McCandless' or their parenting, I couldn't because I have no idea. It's just that I can relate to Chris. I understand his passion for adventure and self understanding. I have felt the pull to "get up and go."
Therefore as friendly and cordial as the McCandless' are I do not feel that Chris was wrong or selfish to go on his journey. He needed that experience, for himself, to be himself; even if it ended with death. Isn't life a journey that ends in death? I believe his parents understand that to a degree. They certainly had only positive reflections upon their son.

Thoughts About Chris McCandless: Jack Soule

After reading Into the Wild there were a few thoughts I had about Christopher Johnson McCandless; he was a lost soul searching for something, he is losing his mind trying to find what he's looking for, and he selfishly went on a journey through the physical world; and all these thoughts seemed as though views from the outside.

It seemed - after reading the book - Chris was searching an answer; peace; a reason for life; his purpose. He traveled all across the continent in search of these realizations. It was like he was roaming further and further away from civilization, entering nature hoping to find the Great Divide; the Axis Mundi; the gap between our world in the next, hoping to find these realizations. Chris seems to become more frustrated the more his search goes without success, driving him to Alaska, and his death.

Chris seems very selfish after reading the book; burning his money, leaving without telling his parents goodbye; without telling his parents where he's going. Mr. and Mrs. McCandless never even get to hear a goodbye before Chris dies.

While reading the book, it is next to impossible to relate very closely to Chris - with all his oddities. I could not see how he acted in his environments.

After hearing Chris' parents talking and seeing the pictures my views changed. First and foremost he reminds me of myself; he, like myself, is very connected to the wilderness, doesn't have a tolerance for the unnecessary complexity of society and all its rules. I am also envious of him and his connection to the spiritual world; the spirits flowing through the wild flow through him and give him strength and peace; he drifts with the flow of this "spiritual river" that flows through the Axis Mundi. However, while Chris is carried by the flow, I can feel the flow and find peace, but I cannot be carried by the flow; my soul seems to heavy. I can feel a great energy flowing around me, but I do not drift with the flow towards the enlightenment Chris found. And he surely did find enlightenment; it is apparent in the pictures Chris took of himself. In every picture he is smiling - the closer he gets to death, the more at peace he looks.

He was never searching for anything; he did not spontaneously leave his home. Chris had already found what he was looking for; God. His journey was simply his drifting with the flow of spiritual energy towards the his Axis Mundi; closer to Heaven and God. And is it not apparent that his Axis Mundi was in the Alaskan wilderness; miles away from another soul? What's more, could the Axis Mundi not be the "Magic Bus?" Why was the Bus so important to him? Why did he take so many pictures of it? Why, when he could not cross back over the river back towards civilization did he return to the Bus? Why did his parents feel that his memorium plaque should be placed on the Bus and why is the Bus on the front cover of Into the Wild? When Chris left home, he was letting God guide him, in the end, to the Bus and Him.

Janae Jones- Chris McCandless

Before coming to the Ferguson Center to hear about Chris McCandless, I had not formed an opinion about him unlike most people. True, I thought that he was demented and nobody in their right mind would try to live in the wilderness off of natural resources. I got the impression that his parents were not enmeshed in his childhood and as a result he took off without telling them. By reading the book, I thought that since Chris had fled without telling his parents, that his parents were no longer concerned about him.
I never assumed that Chris has any background of religious studies or that he was connected with God in any way, but listening to his parents told me otherwise. I do not think that Chris' expedition had anything to do with God. His love for nature began at a young age (according to his parents) and I believe he went out into the wilderness to experience it first hand what he was not able to experience as a child when he went with his family.
Hearing Chris' parents talk of his childhood allowed me to mold a different view of Chris and also of his parents. Sitting in the Ferguson Center listening to the McCandless' I began to empathize with them. I got the feeling that his mother cared about him deeply and was upset that Chris had left without returning and better yet, left without informing. I formed this thought because Mrs. McCandless said whenever the family would go on trips/vacation she would post a note on the door of the family's location, a phone number they could be reached at and the house key next door and when the family arrived back at home, the note was still posted on the door.
Listening to the parents of Chris McCandless has allowed me to see the pain from their point of view and not just of what the author wrote and what I perceived. I know some people may have more respect for Chris McCandless, but I on the other hand am neutral. He did what he wanted to and I cannot judge him for that, however I feel like throughout his journey he hurt many of his loved ones in the process and now that he is dead, he cannot change anything.

McCandless Relection (Jack Long)

When i finished "Into The Wild" by Jon Krakauer, I honestly thought that Chris McCandless was a confused, lost soul which ultamatley lead to his death. I considered him to be irrational, for I was unable to comprehend his insationable desire to spend his days after college as a drifter. To me it seems irresponcible and selfish to leave one's family and civiliation entirely to journey on one's personal endeavors. I strongly felt that Chris was not an enlightened man because he was unable to see life's treasures that he so easily left behind.

I tried to approach the McCandless presentation open-minded, I wanted to see where Chris may have derived his adventureous nature and piece together his reasoning for his famous excursion. He was depicted as an ordinary adolecent by his rebellious demeanor and athletics, but I am still not able to connect with when he changed into his character we see in into the wild. He was a bright young man with a promising future only to point his ambitions in to the direction of the wilderness. I do agree that there is something spiritual beyond words in being one with nature, but it is unwise to be without any form of communication and without the proper gear.

I did see Chris in a different light by listening to his parents, witnessing his upbringing made me realize that he was not as isolated as I originally thought. I do sense that there is a spiritual element in his adventure because he believed in what he was doing. He felt so strongly about his quest that the only thing that stoped him was his death. I still will never be able to identify with why he never looked back, why the love of his family dint not hinder him from leaving.

McCandless Blog- Spencer Beeson

Although I was anticipating the talk by Chris’s parents, I did not know what to expect from the presentation. I knew the parents were bewildered about Chris’s adventure, and were left with a feeling of why? Now I know it’s been a while since Chris’s death but a story like his is not one that could be gotten over quickly, if at all. So this left me wondering what the parent’s attitude would be. John Krakauer obviously thought highly of Chris but he made it clear that the parents did not support Chris’s adventure. So I was glad to hear that they had constantly kept in touch with Krakauer, and with his help, were able to better understand what Chris was doing and why.
To be honest, I was surprised to hear that his parents had traced Chris’s steps, and even entered the bus where Chris deceased. I was, in a way, proud of them, realizing how hard that must have been. His father said how long it took him to read the book, so I can only imagine how long it took them to retrace his steps. The most moving part of the presentation for me was the pictures. The pictures Chris took of his journey left me in awe but his childhood photos were equally compelling. Krakauer told us about his childhood but to see it is entirely different. It was as if the audience was reliving his childhood through the memories of the people who knew it best. I can’t say that the talk helped me understand why Chris did what he did because I already felt like I knew why from the book. But what the presentation did do was show me how intense and spiritual his journey was. It was so moving that even his mother and father could come to accept it. Chris, without a doubt, found something sacred in nature, and that must be one of the reasons he died a happy man. I greatly enjoyed the presentation and story by Chris’s parents because it reinstated a sense of adventure in me.

Megan Henessy

When I went to the presentation of Chris McCandless I was struck by how much I related to him when I heard his story from his parent’s perspective. Reading Into the Wild I felt that what I was reading was merely a story. The story really came alive for me when they showed all the pictures and talked about Chris’s youth. I felt I could really relate. Chris’s road trip before college was exactly how I felt this summer. All I wanted to do is get in my car and drive as far as I could in any direction that wasn’t home.
Another thing that Chris’s parents said really changed my view about him in college. When I was reading the book, I felt as if Chris begrudgingly went to college and spent the whole time wanting to leave. During their discussion, though, I felt more like Chris always had a free spirit and college helped to harness his feelings in ideas.
I think that Chris knew what he was getting into when he left home to travel the country. He was a smart, intelligent boy from a wealthy area, but he was looking for something more than the idea of being secure. I believe this was his spiritual adventure, to find a meaning to life and find something greater than the everyday mundane. I also feel that he resented the unreality of the life people like his parents led. They were always getting their experiences through something else – through books or pictures or the internet, any means of gaining knowledge without actually experiencing it firsthand. He says he wants to have an unfiltered experience and I think that’s something everyone needs to experience.

The McCandless Presentation-Thomas Rogers

I had no idea what to expect going into this presentation. I was interested to hear what Chris’ parents had to say from their point of view, but I was also speculative whether or not they would reveal what kind of parents they were and how they raised Chris. From reading Into the Wild I got that Chris was very different, a person that one might consider to be abnormal. After hearing about Chris’ childhood and seeing pictures throughout it I felt as though I had a better understanding as to where he came from. Before attending this presentation I had assumed that Chris was just afraid of conforming to a typical mold and since he was done with school and forced to enter the real world he just snapped. Chris’ parents made it more clear to me that Chris had always had a sense of adventure and a rebellious nature early on. I do believe Chris’ adventure was spiritual, I believe he disappeared into the wild to satisfy something within himself. Not many people would have the audacity to commit to anything as much as Chris committed to his journey. Hearing his parents talk made me realize this, and I can appreciate his effort in finding himself, something that I believe is rarely accomplished today.

Into the Wild response - Lindsey Ceniviva

As a transfer student I was unaware of this past summer’s reading assignment. However, I did do my research on this unique, heartfelt story. Two of my brothers had read the book before and were completely swallowed up by Chris’s amazing journeys into the wild. Although his passions and habits were fairly uncommon, my brothers could grasp his personality and join in on the adventure right along with Chris. In fact, they spoke so enthusiastically about the story, that it got me a little worried that they might do some seeking of their own. It was slightly harder for me to get into his character, but then I found myself relating to him and some of the nonconformist views he had expressed.

Chris’s story is just so incredible and liberating that it seems almost implausible. Hearing from his parents and seeing those precious pictures allowed me to associate with Chris on a real and human level. They described Chris to us using characteristics such as, responsible, competitive, religious, opinionated, and strong. I imagined Chris possessing all of these traits because he was so driven to experience all the things he wanted to, the way he wanted to do them. He would not have been as able or as willing if he had not been the person he was. His parents mentioned that they regretted the amount of freedom they gave Chris on his adventures throughout the states. Even though I can see how they would feel that way, I think they should take a different approach. I feel that they raised him and provided him with the strong skills and the strong heart necessary to fulfill what he wanted out of life. They should not regret their decision, they should be proud of it.

His journey into the wild was hands down a spiritual one. I felt and I think Chris felt, that he had been chosen to take on the wilderness and seek out his faith. He followed his passions and committed to a lifestyle that is completely foreign to most people. Chris knew that he needed to do this in order to “find the lord” as his mother put it. He showed us all that if we want answers we need to be active and pursue them head-on without any hesitation. Chris’s adventure was a spiritual one of exploration and discovery and will be remembered and reflected upon for a long time.

(Brittany McClure) Chris McCandless 9/3/07

Brittany McClure
The McCandless Talk

Most importantly for me, the talk give by the parents of Christ McCandless really drove home their son's humanity. In reading the book about him, it was hard not to just write him off as a quirky, somewhat interesting literary character. I knew he was real, but he hadn't felt real. Seeing the pictures of his childhood and schooling, and listening to his parents expound on the man that Chris was, I was able to establish a connection to him as a fellow human being. He wasn't just some crazy character who had gone off into the wilderness without a rhyme or reason-- he was a person with ideals, hopes, dreams and principles, who sought to find something more than himself in the wilds of nature.

I do think that Chris' adventure was spiritual. I think, really, that it was all for a spiritual purpose. Just as Chris ran with the Road Warriors to outpace the evils of the world and strive for self-fulfillment, so he ventured out in self-discovery, seeking communion with the natural earth through independent journey. Even the journal entries he wrote while in Alaska reflect this. He wrote down his thoughts and ideas on the meaning of what he was doing, as though working towards a personal enlightenment.

Reflection Blog by Cameron Browne

When I was sitting in the Ferguson Center for the Arts during my session of setting sail and someone told me that the freshman class had to read a book over the summer, I was not happy at all. Since a young age I have always been good at math and science defiantly not English. So having to read a book over my last summer at home was upsetting. I read the book off and on all summer but couldn’t really get into the story line. I thought Chris McCandless was stupid to give up all his money and leave a great life in Georgia for a life of uncertainty in the wilderness. After listening to his parents talk about his life and all the details about his adventure after graduation, I came to realize that there was more to the story then what I first thought.

I believe Chris wanted more in life then what his parents could give him. He wanted to find out what the world was like from his own experiences and faults. The trip he took that summer was a chance for him to learn about the world and discover a new sense of himself. He didn’t know where he belonged and I feel that the journey was just a way for him to find out. His parents said that in all the pictures that Chris took on his trip he was smiling. I feel that is an important detail, Chris didn’t leave everything because he wanted to but that he felt like he had to, to live. It was in his heart to take the journey and he never gave up on what he wanted to accomplish. That I believe leads in to the question whether his adventure was spiritual, or not. I feel that it was a spiritual adventure for Chris because he didn’t think of it as a vacation but as a chance to find himself. He was always a Christian boy and went to church with his family. His mother explained that all his letters were signed with God Bless. This shows still as he went on this journey he was devoted to his ideals and trusted in God.

Erika Sikon Chris McCandless Presentation

The presentation by Chris McCandless parents did not change my thoughts on Chris. I was able to see how he grew up and received more information about his childhood, but that did not change the ideas of Chris that I had gathered from reading Into The Wild by Jon Krakauer. Most of the information his parents were giving us was in the book. The presentation did however change my thoughts on his parents. It is odd to read a book about someone and gather ideas about them; then meet them and realize that in person they are not such bad people. Chris’s parents pretty much explained Chris just as the book had. Chris is a very strong willed person. Chris’s parents knew they could not stop Chris from doing what he wanted to do. All they hoped was that he did what he wanted and was safe. They were not bothered about Chris’s travels because they knew he was happy. In every picture Chris was in during his journey he was smiling. Chris’s parents say that Chris was not running away from them but seeking. According to Chris you should live your own dream and nobody can give you peace, you have to find it yourself.
The way Chris’s Mother explained Chris and his journey made me believe that Chris was on his own spiritual journey. She said that Chris died knowing and accepting the Lord. He loved and thanked the Lord for the life he was given. She said you should look around and see what the blessing is. It happens everywhere.

Rebecca Culbreth- Reflection Blog (McCandlesses)

To be honest, I hated Chris McCandless before tonight. I thought him to be an inconsiderate, selfish, ignorant boy who set out on a "Grand Adventure" in the stupidest of ways. However, after tonight, my opinion has changed. What I now feel for him is pity... empathy. He was a son, a brother. He was truly a human being. Now what I see in him is a "lost soul" so to speak. A boy who was looking for the easiest way to find himself and become a man. He shows signs some type of mental instability that would lead him to making such a rash decision. While I still think he was stupid, not to do what he did, but to do it the way he did it, I can understand his need, his desire for such a strong breaking away from the norm. His life growing up in the "big city" area of D.C. was so planned out. Everything was layed before him, easily accessible. He is not alone in craving the plain and simple way of working for what you want. His resentment for the "easy" I think is what eventually led him to abandon his car. I think that Chris wanted so badly to feel whole and complete, that he tried for the simplest means of survival. He needed that extra something... that last little bit in his life. Was it God he sought after so intensely? For many people, God and nature go hand in hand. Maybe he craved that closeness to God through one of His first creations. Little did he know, that which he wanted to badly would lead to his death. I'm sorry Chris, that you were so blinded by your dream that you were led to make such an irrational decision. Didn't you know there were better ways?

In a way, I respect him. He did what he wanted, when he wanted. And he constantly worked toward his goal until he got it. That takes guts. He wouldn't give up.

But at the same time, I'm mad at him. Didn't he realise how badly he hurt people? How many people he left behind, worrying and wondering about him? Did he even care? So many people went out on a limb for him. So many people tried so hard to make him happy, and he repaid them by leaving them when they starting getting attached?

So maybe some of my anger is still there. But it's not nearly as bad as it was. I now see how much I can relate to him. Often I have found solace, and closeness to God through nature. So all in all, Chris McCandless, I think I hate you because I am so much like you. I, however, don't have the guts to do what you did.

My hat is off, jerk.

Elizabeth Watkins -

To be completely honest, I didn't know one thing about Chris McCandless until I looked him up online ten minutes before I was leaving to go to the presentation. A quick overview online showed me that he died in the wilderness and had a book written about him. If anything, the opinion I decided on then and there at my computer was that this was a person who lived life recklessly and without fear. There was nothing that could have prepared me for the presentation by his parents. Chris's parents clearly showed that their son was a responsible, hard-working, and intelligent man who loved life. These qualities were not just opinion. Chris graduated from college with honors, was a talented writer, and loved literature. From seeing pictures of him camping and hiking with his family, one can see that he was family-oriented, as well. Thirty minutes into the presentation, my opinion of Chris as a person took a 180 degree turn. That led me to rethink his experiences. Clearly, his adventure was not a decision to simply leave his family and friends to explore different places, but it was spiritual and with purpose. His father said, "He wasn't running, he was seeking." He also said that "He touched a lot of lives." It seems to me that Chris McCandless was getting more out of life. His adventures were motivated by a fierce determination to grow spiritually. The plaque on the bus sums it up best stating that Chris’s adventure was "how he could best realize God's gift of life." If that's not spiritual, I don't know what is. It amazes me that 15 years after their son's death, Mr. and Mrs. McCandless still have the immense gift of being able to share and connect with their son's life.

I didn't read Into the Wild but...

Considering I never read the book, because it wasn't required of me as a transfer student, I didn't know anything about Chris or Into the Wild. I remember one of my freshman friends telling me it was boring but after seeing it from the parents side I began to sympathize with their situation. It's heartbreaking to lose your child that way and without any feedback for two years prior...I would have died! Their devotion to Chris and his story is amazing though, especially since they claimed to be totally against him taking the journey in the first place.
Was his journey spiritual?
I personally have a hard time finding spirituality in anything so it's hard for me to make that connection. But from listening to the parents talk and describe Chris...Yes, I believe to him it was a spiritual journey. I also think that he was looking for truth in a world full of chaos and dishonesty. He wanted something real and I think he found it and it claimed him in the most ultimate way. It was very moving listening to Chris' parents talk about his smiling and his accomplishments as a child. It's a real eye opener to see that a regular local joe like Chris lived his dream, mostly because these type of stories are usually seen on lifetime or in the movies; which it will be for others thanks to Sean Penn. But I feel very fortunate that I got to see it live and in a more real way then on the big screen. It really reinforced a personal moral for me: Only you can accomplish what you want in life and only you can find peace, because I think everyone's sense of peace is different.
Conclusion: I really want to read the book now.