Compare And Contrast Essay On Adam Shepard

Compare and Contrast Argument Essay Adam Shepard was on the search for the American Dream. He is a 2006 graduate of Merrimack College in North Andover, Massachusetts, where he majored in business management and Spanish. He lives in Raleigh, North Carolina. Christopher McCandless wanted to pursue a life of adventure and to get away from his parents. Adam Shepard still lives with his parents and has a brother. He had 365 days to become free of the realities of homelessness and become a “regular” member of society. Then you have Christopher McCandless who wanted to pursue a life in adventure in the wild. He has also graduated in june 1990 from emory university in atlanta, where he claimed himself as a history/anthropology major. The adventure that created the most impacted and the greater purpose was Adam Shepard search for the american dream. Adam shepard started with nothing but himself and the search for the american dream. In Scratch beginnings Adam shepard stated that he started with, “8x10’ tarp, a sleeping bag, an empty gym bag, $25, and the clothes on my back. Via train, I will be dropped at a random place somewhere in southeastern United States outside of my state of North Carolina.” (Shepard xiv) Shepard didn’t have the things you need to survive when he first started out like water and food. Adam Shepard started from the
bottom and had 365 days so a year to work himself up and prove that the american dream is possible. For Christopher McCandless he was unprepared he didn’t have a plan he just wanted to pursue a life in the wild for adventure.
In the article Death of a Innocent the author states, “He admitted that the only food in his pack wa a ten-pound bag of rice.” (Krakauer 1) The author also states, “Alex’s backpack appeared to weigh only 25 or 30 pounds.” (Krakauer 1) Chris McCandless started out with more equipment then shepard did. Shepard brought no food or water with him all he brought was a couple empty bags and $25. McCandless wasn’t prepared he had no plan of what he was doing, shepard had a well thought out plan and he was
successful. Adam Shepard impacted other people by showing them that if he could do it, achieve the american dream then other people can also. In scratch beginnings Shepard states in the introduction, “After one year, for my project to be considered successful, I have too possess an operable automobile, live in a furnished apartment (alone or with a roommate), have $2,500 in cash.” (Shepard xiv). Shepard accomplishes his goals in doing that. He gets a job and saves up for a truck and he also saves $2,500. Shepard does get an apartment with a roommate and he basically worked himself up from the bottom. McCandless hurt other people when he was trying to achieve his goal. In the article Death of an Innocent Krakauer states, “ The hardest part, says Walt, pausing over a shot of his son clowning around on a family vacation, is simply not having him around anymore. I spent a lot of time with Chris, perhaps more than with any of my other kids. I really liked his company, even though he frustrated us so often.” (Krakauer 7). McCandless hurt his parents by not telling them that he was going off for his adventure. Shepard at least told his parents and let them know where he was going besides leaving and not telling them. McCandless left his parents without telling them anything and left them heartbroken when he didn’t return. He’s also hurt other people because they wanted to do exactly what he did and try to survive in the wild but they ended up not making it. At end of Adam Shepards journey he wrote a book about his journey and shared it with everyone. From the book scratch beginning the book has, “Wait. so, you ‘bout to put me in a book? The ride took fifteen minutes and the driver dropped me off right in front of the shelter.” (Adam Shepard 209). My second quote is, “I hopped in my truck, stuck the screwdriver in the ignition, and drove toward the next step in my life.” (Adam shepard 209). In these quotes Adam Shepard is talking about how he achieved his goal and how he survived to talk about it. For McCandless he didn’t survive his journey he was unprepared and should’ve had a plan like Shepard did. In the book into the wild the author states, “The magazine that Franz requested was the january 1993 issue of outside, which featured a cover story about the death of Chris McCandless.” McCandless didn’t survive to tell his story like Adam Shepard did. Shepard had a plan and was prepared McCandless