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.