In the novel Into The Wild, Christopher McCandless sets out on a journey across North America to find himself and escape the cookie-cutter curriculum that the average American goes through day after day. . The story of Christopher McCandless venturing into Alaska while completely unprepared sparks controversy among people. Some think he is a brainless idiot, too immature and blinded by his own pride to realize his trip was a suicide mission. Others believe he is a hero by showing his courage, strength, and individualism to break away from social norms and live the life he wanted to live instead of the one others expected of him. Christopher McCandless set out on a journey across America and Alaska without the necessities a person needs to survive. In doing so, his journey essentially became a suicide mission. “Many Alaskans react with rage at his stupidity. You'd have to be a complete idiot, they say, to starve in the summer, 20 miles off the Parks Highway. (Judith Kleinfeld). People who hear Christopher McCandless' story do not respect his judgment and understand how someone could choose to try to survive without their basic needs. "There was nothing heroic or even mysterious about what Chris McCandless did in April 1992. Like many Alaskans, I read Jon Krakauer's book "Into the Wild" as soon as it came out and I ended it by asking myself, “Why is this guy reviewing an entire book?” "The fact that Krakauer was a great writer and outdoor philosopher is the plus point and it makes for excellent reading, but McCandless was not anything special. (Pierre Christian). The audience who hears the story of McCandless criticizes him and calls him an idiot because he thinks Chris had no chance of surviving and that he...... middle of paper ...... must let go of the fear of 'get rejected and follow your heart and pursue your dreams McCandless teaches to be adventurous, spontaneous and courageous and these traits are the characteristics of a true hero Works Cited Christian, Peter. Alaska Park Forester. NMGE GMU. 2014. .Krakauer, Jon. New York: Anchor Books, 1997. Print. Simpson, Sherry. “I Want to Ride the Bus That Chris Died on.” Np, February 13, 2002. Web. March 26. 2014. .