Into The Wild Research Paper

Fernweh n.: an ache for distant places; the craving for travel (origin German). People all around the world go on insane journeys. They put their lives in danger, but for what reason? As humans, it’s natural for us to have expectations, the desire to gain things when we put in the effort to complete them. So what’s the big deal? Why leave the comforts of modern civilization for the unknown? Many would respond with the following: to find their true selves, connect with nature, challenge their abilities, and for the pleasure or adrenaline rush.
The biggest reason why people go on these adventures is to find their true selves. In the novel, Into the Wild, by Jon Krakauer, Chris McCandless goes on an adventure in Alaska. Chris was a very intelligent, driven young man, capable of doing almost anything he set his mind to. He wanted to leave everything behind,
including his scholarship, family, and most possessions, in order to find out who he really was. Chris wanted to escape his toxic family relationships and the modernized world to find out how he could live his life to its full potential. Another intellect, Justin Farley, expressed the strong desire to find one’s self in a poem, “Finding Myself.” He explains why people feel the need to discover themselves and the importance of what they find: “your heart will never be satisfied until you venture on a journey for self discovery.” The goal is to become a better, more complete person than you were before. People who go on these journeys long to find their missing piece, the: “piece of you that connects you to your destiny.” Yet another example of finding yourself comes from Estwick Evans’s book, Evans’s Pedestrious Tour of Four Thousand Miles. The main purpose of his writing was to persuade readers to acquire “the simplicity, native feelings, and virtues of savage life.” He encourages abandoning your way of life and rebuilding yourself as you discover different interest and views on the world. Connecting with nature and challenging one's abilities are also very important aspects of the journey. In Chris McCandless’s case, he wanted to thrive off the land. He was ill prepared, bringing no food other than a 10 pound bag of rice and little gear to Alaska. Chris did not keep his watch. He did not want to be attached to technology, nor did he want to keep track of time. Once he got to the Stampede Trail, McCandless told the man who gave him a ride, Jim Gallien, “I don’t want to know what time it is. I don’t want to know what day it is or where I am. None of that matters.” He wanted to be on his own, that way it was easier to become one with nature. Similarly, Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit played by Martin Freeman in The Hobbit, went on a journey to places he never dreamt of in order to prove he could complete his quest and get away from his dreary lifestyle. He encountered strange creatures and explored new things. Bilbo went on his journey looking for an adventure, not realizing how dangerous it would amount to be. He started his quest ill prepared and unaware of what he would encounter, but returned from it knowledgeable of the land and the creatures on it. If one takes the time to connect with nature, they will acquire knowledge that’s necessary for survival The adrenaline rush or pleasure someone can get from these journeys gets people out of their comfort zones, and into the wild.
The rush can be addicting, making people want adventures. In The Hobbit, Bilbo’s adventure was nothing less than extraordinary. He felt a rush when he got the ring, a rush so powerful that it made him start to go insane. He also found joy in the adventure, fighting and learning about the land.
Other people, like Jason Clarke and Josh Brolin in the movie Everest, go on journeys knowing how dangerous they are but wanting to complete them for the rush and pride such journeys are capable of providing. These men faced the most severe conditions, from storms to avalanches, to the lack of oxygen at the summit of Mount Everest, only to accomplish their dreams. The adrenaline rush someone experiences during a journey makes it thrilling and allures In the end, everyone has their own unique reason why they go on these journeys. What is important is that these journeys are learning experiences. People learn and experience things they would not have the chance to explore in a modernized
world.