Into The Wild


The novel, Into The Wild by Jon Krakauer, brings out the outlook of happiness and all the features surrounding it. It is based on real life story of a man called Chris McCandless.

In the novel, the theme of happiness is depicted as happiness is only real and existed when shared. Chris travelled around America to meet with different people in order to share happiness. The novel brings out one of the friends Chris met during his journeys and made a strong relationship with. He was an old man named Ronald. They became so close as a family until they shared happiness together that only family members could.

The book reviews Ronald’s life as he was the only one remaining in the family since all others had passed away and meeting with Chris was happiness. Ronald being so attracted and glad with his friendship with Chris to an extend he went on asking Chris if he could adopt him as his grandson.

Another interesting character Chris met was Wayne Westerberg who later introduced him to her mother who was always not enthusiastic in meeting new people. When the mother met Chris they talked for long as they shared supper. Chris displayed a jovial and social character that he won even the hardest hearts. Chris was always happy being with people and he shared his happiness with them.

There is a theme of irony depicted in the novel. Chris found out the truth of happiness during his last times of living when he read his last novel on earth. The novel explained how unshared happiness is no happiness. Chris realised this fact of truth when he was alone in the wilderness. He was ready to take a step of change and return and be with people in order to embrace his life of happiness.

Another character who is the author, Krakauer was like Chris, he believed being alone without other human connection would give him happiness. This was not true since one time when he was alone on his ambition to climb the devils thumb he met a girl. The girl gave him warm feeling, a chain of laughter and company that made him realise that earlier on he was not happy being alone. This justifies the theme of unshared happiness is not happiness. The above situations the two characters underwent in their life experiences bring about a clear justification of the main theme the book Into The Wild.