Into the Wild- Was he brave?

Was Chris McCandless really so brave? Did he have to be strong to venture out in the Alaskan wilderness like that? Or was he forced into doing so by fear? I bet you haven't even considered the possibility that he may have just been running from his past to find a nice snowy grave. Into The Wild is a story one must read carefully, because it was written by a man who openly idolizes Chris McCandless. Author Jon Krakauer has had personal experiences with death-defying wilderness adventures and feels quite akin to Chris, and therefore his account of Chris' adventures are biased. Now, I'm not trying to say that Chris McCandless is a coward or even that he didn't truly find himself out there in the woods. But maybe that wasn't his intention; maybe he was running away from the hidden truths and uncovered lies of his childhood when he chanced upon inner peace. Krakauer has a way of describing Chris like a saint, and I'm not so sure I see him in the same light. Certainly he was a smart man and would be interesting to have a conversation with, but let me remind you that not all smart people make smart decisions. Chris McCandless, with as many warnings as he was given, tried to tough it out in the uncharted woods of Alaska and it chewed him up and swallowed him whole. It is remarkable that he did so much with what little he had, but I think, in the end, he was always doomed. I don't think I would mind dying in such a peaceful and beautiful place, but maybe not like that. And I would probably call home to let mom know I wouldn't be home for dinner... There are simply more graceful ways to go about dying!