Into the Wild is an intriguing book about the age old search for meaning. We live in a conventional society that relies on and bases our status on the amount of material things we own. The majority of people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more dangerous to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. Chris, nevertheless, finds this way of life dull and meaningless. He believes the very basic core of a man's living spirit is his passion for adventure. That joy of life comes from endless encounters with new experiences and an ever-changing horizon (Krakauer 57). .
We all search for the meaning of life. Why are we here? What do we do with our lives? What's the purpose of our existence? Does any of this matter? But the truth is there is no truth. Many think they might have the answers to these age-old questions, but in reality they only have guesses. Chris didn't pretend to know the answers, but he did follow what he believed, which is more than I can say for a lot of people. He knew there was more to life than what he was taught in school or by his parents and him wasn't about to sit around just wondering.
I inevitably grabbed the reader's attention with a captivating opening and introduction. Instead of jumping right into the facts on the book, I started with an example everyone can relate to in order to make the book understandable even if you aren't planning on living off the land. Everyone, at one time in their life, has wondered about what's out there and questioned the unknown. I provided background using Krakauer's introduction and explaining how and why he started writing the book in the first place. I set up my ideas mainly in my introduction and thesis and a little throughout the rest of the paper.
