In the novel Into The Wild, Christopher McCandless embarks on a journey across North America to find himself and escape the cookie-cutter routine that the average American faces day after day. The story of Christopher McCandless venturing into Alaska completely unprepared stirs controversy among people. Some believe he is a mindless idiot, too immature and blinded by his own pride to realize that his journey 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 off on a journey across America and Alaska without the necessities a person needs to survive. Thus his journey essentially became a suicide mission. “Many Alaskans react angrily to his stupidity. You'd have to be a complete idiot, they say, to starve in the summer 20 miles from 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" when it first came out and I finished it thinking, "Why is this guy rating an entire book?" The fact that Krakauer is a great outdoor writer and philosopher is the positive point and makes for a great read, but McCandless was not something special.” (Pietro Cristiano). an idiot because he believes that Chris had no chance of surviving and that he... middle of paper... had to let go of the fear of rejection and follow your heart and chase your dreams McCandless teaches you to be adventurous, spontaneous and courageous and these traits are the characteristics of a true hero. Works Cited Christian, Peter. .Kleinfeld, Judith. “McCandless: Hero or Stupid Idiot?” Anchorage Daily News, 21 July 2001. Web. 26 March 2014. Krakauer, Jon. “I want to ride the bus where Chris died.” Anchorage Daily News. Np, 13 February 2002. Web. 26 March. 2014. .