Into the Wild
To me, freedom is the possibility of taking charge of my life and being responsible of the decisions I make. I have very little interest in the influences people cause in my life because on most occasions, they do everything to profit their desires instead of the actual expression for my growth as an individual. Being in crowds is at time very confusing because I find it very hard identifying my true personality since I always have to conform to the constructs of those in close association with me at any particular time. This leaves me with the idea that there is some need to completely break off from associations and have tie for soul searching and finding out the deepest desires of my heart. That is the only point at which I can truly realize freedom and be happy with myself for who I am instead of living in the shadows of others (Moss 6).
Just like Alex McCandless in “into the wild”, freedom for me is like a dream that is only possible if I escape fully from the ties of those trying to control my life and I get into a point where all that matters is my personal approach to life. Freedom gives that chance and I am the type of person who would not mind travelling into the wild to discover my true worth and myself. It is an opportunity of facing personal challenges as an individual without confusion from others through creation of personal discoveries. This sort of freedom offers liberation from busy schedules and gives a different perspective for taking up life in a new way (Moss 6).
The protagonist of the story a spoilt boy because of the family riches but the absence of love and understanding in his family leaves him desperate for a better choice of fulfillment. That is why he seeks freedom and ventures into the Alaskan wilderness. It is the best alternative he can find as it offers him complete sufficiency for grasping the meaning of life offering him the chance for learning the knowledge of freedom. He is fully aware of the bondage of human relations and feels that it is not reason for any capacity of freedom and happiness. He wants to live a life of freedom without any constraints from the society (Krakauer 2-300).
His desire is to live without the stresses of prosperity or business success and that is only possible through his venture into the world. His journey is one that leaves him at the liberty of his choice making and he suffers because of some of his bad decisions. In search of his destiny, Alex McCandless denies all offers of luxury from his parents such as a car and even the offer for education at Harvard. However, his quest for freedom is one that offers him partial happiness because he asserts that it is not complete without someone to share it with such as when he is in the wild. He realizes the importance of human connections and that leaves his need for freedom from the society unfulfilled. He wanted to flee from the fears and controls of his family so he could venture into what he did not know with the hope that it would grant his desire freedom and happiness (Krakauer 2-300).
Works Cited
Krakauer, Jon. Into the Wild. London: Macmillan. (1998): 2-300. Print.
Moss, Robert. Active Dreaming: Journeying Beyond Self-Limitation to a Life of Wild Freedom. Novato, Calif: New World Library, 2011. Print.
