Would Emerson and Thoreau find Chris McCandless to be a worthy transcendentalist? Why or why not? Please cite at least one passage from your transcendentalist reading in your response ("Nature," "Walden," or "Self-Reliance"). Do you think his actions were noble? Foolish? Is there anything to be admired or reprehended in Chris McCandless?
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Of course Emerson and Thoreau would see McCandless as a transcendentalist. Thoraeu was living delibertatly and was sucking the "marrow" out of life that is exactly what McCandless was doing in his Alaskan adventure he was living a little extremely though a little bit more tham what Thoraeu and /emerson would have liked. I believe his actions were very noble it takes a great spirit to seperate yourse;f from a so-called "poisones society" as McCandless called it I also find it noble that he turned down the opportunity for a new car that shows that he values simplicity over money unlike his parents. There is something to be admired by Chris other than the fact that he died what he did was very bold walking away from your family and possibly a high payinig job what McCandless did was that of a transcendentalist and he shpuld be praised for what he did because he tought society a lesson they won't soon forget.
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DeleteIn the sense of being a transcendentalist, I believe Emerson and Thoreau would find Chris McCandless in being a worthy of the title. Even though he did leave his parents and didn't tell them where he went, he was following the four things of transcendentalism: he tried to get something out of the nature around him and enjoy it, he was on his own for the most part, he was self-reliant on himself, and he trusted his instincts on living on his own. He enjoyed the beauty of nature around him. "Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string." Chris McCandless did go out on his own a live by himself, but he did some pretty foolish things. He didn't tell his parents where he was going and just left them there to worry.
ReplyDeleteYes hes is worthy of being a transdentalist because of his actions..he set out completely independent to find what life truly was and to find himself in nature."In the woods, we return to reason and faith." (Nature) i8 beleaive what he did was noble and many people have learneed a great lesson from what he did that life is not always about being independent but only to a certain extent and life is about love and happiness.
ReplyDelete-Corissa
Chris McCandless set out on his adventure, "Into The Wild", not showing any signs of what he was up to. He abandoned his old life of everything that held him back, and this consisted of erasing society. When he burned his money and left with only his necessities he made an extreme transcendental decision.He set out with a similar mindset of Emerson beleiving, "what I must do is all that concerns me, not what people think". Chris lived by this in many ways, however in the end his decisions kept him guessing. He was a transcendentalist in many ways, but in the end it seemed he was giving up on nature thinking it had let him down. Maybe the past transcendentalist leaders are looking at his past in the way that he let nature down.
ReplyDeleteI believe Emerson and Thoreau would consider Chris McCandless a transcendentalist. He went out on his adventure with just the few things he needed to live out in the nature. He used nature's materials to keep himself alive in the cold, Alaskan environment. He became one with the nature. I thought his actions were foolish though, leaving his family behind with no hint to where he was going. Not considering how they would feel about if he left, not knowing if he'd ever come home. But him being brave enough to risk his life to live simply, away from the tainted civilization should be admired.
ReplyDeleteI think that Chris McCandless is worthy of being called a transcendentalist though Emerson and Thoreau's eyes because to transcend means to go beyond the everyday human experience and that is exactly what Chris did. Emerson said in "Nature" that "In the woods is perpetual youth." And that is exactly what Chris found on his journey in to the wild. I believe what Chris did was noble because leaving items like friends, family, and money behind just to live in the middle of Alaska to "suck the marrow out of life" is very hard to do. What should be admired about what Chris did is the fact that it is hard to leave his whole life behind and not conform to society like everyone else does.
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ReplyDeleteI believe that Emerson and Thoreau would consider McCandless worthy of being a transcendentalist, although I also believe he took it to new extremes and his journey ended rather ironically. It was very brave and admirable of him to leave his materialistic life behind, especially with all the opportunity he had. I believe McCandless, along with all other transcendentalists, obtained something more out of life by living not based on human relations, conformity to society's norms, and material items, but rather living simply and with purpose. He did realize to a certain extent, though, that how far he took himself was extreme by stating, "Happiness is only real when shared." In Emerson's "Nature" he states, "In the woods, we return to reason and faith. There I feel that nothing can befall me in life, -- no disgrace, no calamity, which nature cannot repair." I thought this was ironic also because by not doing his research, it was in fact nature that led him to his death- nature could not repair him then. All in all, there is something we can all learn from McCandless's experiences, and his efforts are to be admired.
ReplyDeleteEmerson and Thoreau would definately consider Chris a worthy transcendentalist. He left his normal, comfortable life and trusted his intuition to go live by himself in the woods. Emerson wrote, “Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." The path that everyone else followed wasn't what Chris McCandle wanted, so he decided to make his own trail and do something that no one else has done before. Chris basicly followed all four of transcendental beliefs. Although I found leaving his family and select other things very foolish, I really admired his courage not to only stand out, but do something so extreme. Chris McCandle was a very stong non-comformist and a great example of self-reliance.
ReplyDeleteChris McCandless would have been considered a transcendtalist by Emerson and Thoreau. Chris gave up his everyday life to live off nothing but the essentials. He was willing to live his life by his intuition which is exactly what Emerson and Thoreau preached. As I read the Emerson's writing I found one quote that I thought fit Chris; "Nature always wears the color of the spirit." This wears Chris well because he loved to be outdoors. Therefore his spirit rested in nature. Although Chris was a very strong and Confident individual, I thought he was very selfish. Not for only leaving his family, but for not keeping in touch with them. With this said, Chris McCandless was, without a doubt, a transcendtalist.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Chris McCandless would be considered a transcendentalist. He never wanted anything more than he already had. He didn't want money from his parents nor a car from them either. Through his adventure to Alaska he lived on necessities and necessities alone, and went beyond the "everyday" human experience. One of Emerson's quotes in Nature also stuck out to me as being like Chris, "Yet it is certain that the power to produce this delight, does not reside in nature, but in man, or in a harmony of both." I thought this reflected Chris in the sense that he loved nature and wanted to be in nature, but although he loved it, the drive to pursue it relied on him, thus creating a combination of the two in harmony. I thought that Chris's actions were to be admired although there could have been a brighter outcome if he hadn't gone to Alaska. He was so smart, and to waste that and leave his family without ever talking to them was pretty selfish. Chris has no doubt taught us about what a true transcendentalist is and the lessons to be learned from his experiences.
ReplyDelete-Zach Holmen
I believe that Chris McCandless is very worthy of being a transcendentalist, and I believe that Emerson, and Thoreau would agree as well. Chris went out into the world, alone, looking for something new. Looking to "suck all the marrow out of his life." He went full force, Chris went to the extremes when he entered into the wild. In the passage "Nature" by Emerson, it says "In the woods, we return to reason and faith." When Chris first started his journey into the world alone, he got rid of everything he had, and gave himself a new name. But while Chris was in the woods, he found himself again, he realized that everything should be called by their rightful names. So by the end of his journey while he was on his death bed from eating a poisons berry, Chris regained his faith in his name. Chris followed Thoreau, and Emerson's examples, he looked up to them and wanted to do something different with his life and set an example for others in the world.. he accomplished his task.
ReplyDeleteI think that the question isn't a simple yes or no answer. Emerson once wrote that "to be great is to be misunderstood." I think this could be the case for he was very misunderstood. there is, however more to consider. Was he noble? Yes. Foolish? Also yes. he was a great outdoorsman, very self-reliant, and a fairly nice person. He may have been a little over eager to escape society, but he was young, healthy, and smart. That in itself is half the battle. Unfourtunatly for Chris, that wasn't enough to save hime from a mistake born of foolishness, ignorance, and plain bad luck. Had he been just a little more prepaired, he may be with us today to tell people of his amazing experience in Alaska. Unfourtunatly this is not the case. Criss McCandless did embody the spirit of Trancendentalism. He just had a bad break.
ReplyDeleteI do believe that Emerson and Thoreau would find Chris McCandless to be a worthy transcendentalist. McCandless followed the four pillars of transcendentalism throughout his adventure he embarked on. It was apart of himself to accept the nature and the things surrounding him. "Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string." McCandless trusted himself and had that will power to give everything up and live on his own. Those actions of his should be admired by others because that's something that many of us today wouldn't think about doing. He accepted the simple things in life and lived a simple life. However, i found it foolish that he left his family behind. Little did he know that that would be the last time he would ever see them.
ReplyDeleteEmerson & Thoreau would very likely find this young fellow as a legit transcendentalist. He found that if one connects with nature, they can find God in anything. In the essay "Nature", Emerson discusses how he understands nature, and it understands him. When McCandless is leaving the elderly man he was with for a while, he tells him that he cannot get caught up in human relationships. He needs to find that God exists in everything.
ReplyDeleteWhen McCandless left all civilization to head up to Alaska he was a bit noble, but for the most part an idiot. The fact that he left his family to "fight the power" and not care about possessions is a brave idea, but how he handled it was not well planned out.
I think that he was a true transcendentalist to do what he did, and for that we thank him.
Emerson wrote, “Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." Chris defanatly did this, instead of following what his parents wanted he made his own trail by going off to be a transcendentalist leaving his life, family, and burning his money. I believe Emerson and Thoreau would consider Chris a worthy transcendentalist because of that. I think Chris's actions were noble and admirable but also foolish, it takes alot of courage to leave your whole life behind but the way he went about it was foolish, he should've let his famiy know what he was doing instead of leaving them without a clue as to where he went.
ReplyDeleteYes, Emerson and Thoreau would find Chris McCandless as a transcendentalist. Chris was a smart man and ended up going into the wild all by himself, to expolre nature and not have to worry about anything. When asked if Chris would like a new car, Chris replied " no, I don't need, or want a new car." Just like in the story Self-Reliance, as stated, "envy is ignorance." If you don't need anything, then you won't get it. I think whatever Chris wanted to do with his life was alright. It's his life so he might as well live it as he wanted to. I like his bravery, but I would never do anything like him.
ReplyDeleteYes, both Thoreau and Emerson would find Chris McCandless to be a worthy transcendentalist for the way he "sucked the marrow out of life." Chris had more going for him than the average man his age. He was very bright, caring, well loved by his family and friends, and even had money. Yet, as a true transcendentalist, he believed that there was more to life than all that, and that he could find it out in nature. I believe that Chris' intentions were very nobel, yet i believe he carried them out in a very foolish way. He could have at least left a note, or wrote a letter to his family describing what he was searching for in life instead of just leaving them completely hanging. Also, for as bright as he was, he could have done a little more research and preparation than he had. Doing this would probably have made his journey more successful. However, all in all i belive Chris McCandless was a true transcendentalist by "living delibretaly' and following what Emerson wrote, "Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path and leave a trail."
ReplyDeleteI believe Thoreau and Emerson would label Chris as a transcendentalist. He lived a simpler life, he valued being close with nature, trusted his intution, and he didn't let material items control his life. He allowed himself to be in complete "harmony with nature" and let nature's ways control his lifestyle and eventually take away his life. He valued living with only the essential and whatever nature had to offer him. I believe he was noble, but also foolish. I consider him noble because he was out of the ordinary, it would take a lot of guts to do what he did; I don't know anyone who would go to such an extreme as he did. He stayed true to himself and his beliefs; the majority of society doesn't act in such a non-conformist way as Chris. I believe he was foolish because his lack of education took his life. He should have known his surroundings and had a more premeditated approach to his new home. I admire his confidence, but reprehend his ignorance.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Thereau and Emerson would say that McCandless really dived deep into the whole trancendentalist idea of thinking. He went out on his own giving up really nice things and a nice way of living to go out into the wilderness and "suck out the marrow of life" as Thereau would say. What i will say about Chris is that he took the concept to the extreme. When Thereau did his Walden Pond experiment he was close to civilization and would have people visit him. Chris was in an unknown area and bad some reckless decisions that ultimately led to his death. I still believe what Chris did would have pleased Emerson and Thereau because he went out and was living his life without any of the things that we think we need.
ReplyDeleteyes Believe that Emerson and Thoreau would consider Chris to be a transcendentalist because he hitched his way up to alaska. In the sotry self-Reliance he said "It is said to be the age of the first person singular" what I think he ment by this is that people are to live on there own. That is exactly what Chris did was live all by him self in Alaska. This is why I Believe they would consider him to be a transcendentalist.
ReplyDeleteYes, I think Chris McCandless would be a worthy transcendentalist in that he gave up a life of riches and a secure, prosperous future to lead a life that was simple. He embarked on a journey that would take him closer to nature, and test him on his intuition.
ReplyDelete“Nature always wears the colors of the spirit.” I think McCandless wanted some freedom in his life and nature has always had the sense of being free.
McCandless relied on what he needed to survive and nothing more. But McCandless took it to an extreme. Thoreau at least stayed in a cabin within a safe distance of humanity. McCandless was completely alone once he found his destination of where he wanted to live. “Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind.” McCandless was completely alone and all he had was himself. There was no one around, like his parents, that made him be someone he’s not.
I admire McCandless’s trust. The only thing he knew was that he was headed for Alaska, a place he had never been to. He had no set transportation, he didn’t know where he would be sleeping, he didn’t have food, he didn’t know anyone, he didn’t have money, and he definitely didn’t know what he was getting himself into.
Thoreau and Emerson would have thought Chris was on the right track with trying to simplify his life, but they probably wouldn't have agreed with the way he did it. I don't think he should have gone out totally on his own, and i think he lost a little bit of his sanity when he was out in the wild. If he had maintained contact with anyone then he would have been much better off, and maybe he wouldn't have died. As Emerson wrote," It is easy in the world to live after the worl's opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own."
ReplyDeleteI do admire Chris for being able to actually do what he set out to do and never giving up because not many people could have done what he did. Even though he was probably a little foolish I still think he did what he wanted to do; to prove a point that he could do anything he set his mind to. Mostly though, I believe Chris was just searching for something, and that is happiness. I don't know if he ever found it, but I do know that he realized something very important. He realized that to obtain true happiness one must share it.
-Robyn Markhouse
I definitely think that Thoreau and Emerson would consider McCandless a transcendentalist. Chris left everything he had, knew, and loved to "suck the marrow out of life" by journeying into the wild. He believed that you didn't need the "necesities" of to survive and live life the way he thought it should be lived. I think he thought like this and did this to become extremely close with nature all to get closer with God, and get to know him more personally. I commend Chris McCandless for his great ambition and bravery to go against what everyone else does and to do whatever he believes in. A true transcendentalist.
ReplyDeleteThoreau and Emerson would think Chris McCandless was a very worthy transcendentalist.He gave up a guaranteed great life to go out on his own and be closer to nature."In the wilderness, I find something more dear and connate than in streets or villages." (Nature) I think Chris's actions were very noble.Not many people would go out and live in the wilderness like he did. Chris should be admired for his strong will to go out and live life in the wild as a true transcendentalist.
ReplyDelete-Keenan Arlien
Thoreau and Emerson would find Chris McCandless to be a worthy transcendentalist because he was out in nature, followed his intuition, he was very self-reliant and his life was almost as simple as it could be. He "sucked the marrow out of life" by being alone and having to fend for himself. His actions were foolish because nobody knew where he was or if he was ok but he was very noble for trying to live on his own. He could be admired for making to Alaska ok but he should have been more careful.
ReplyDeleteEmerson and Thoreau would defiantly find Chris McCandless worthy of being a transdentalist because he became one with with nature."In the wilderness, I find something more dear and connate than in streets or villages."(Nature)Chris was very brave,and noble by having the courage to leave everything and live without the "necesities" of everyday life. His actions should defiantly admired because not many people would burn their money and cut up their credit, debit, social security cards and live as "one" with nature.
ReplyDelete-Marcus
I do believe that both Emerson and Thoreau would find Chris McCandless to be a transcendentalist. I do believe that some of their views would have differed slightly from the way that Chris McCandless tried to go about his journey of simplification.While watching the short clip of Walden it seemed to me that Thoreau was much more prepared and handle situations with much more intelligence than McCandless did. But all in all they have seperate minds so they will handle things differently. In the end I still do believe that they would classify McCandless as a worthy transcendentalist.
ReplyDeleteEmerson and Thoreau I think, would think that McCandless is a worthy transcendentalist. McCandless sacrificed his own life to transcendentalism. He beleived in basically everything that Thoreau and Emerson beleived in. McCandless wanted to exceed the normal human life experiences, just as Thoreau and Emerson did. McCandless beleived that everything you need to live is in the nature surrounding you. In Emerson's "Nature" he says that nature is where everything is peaceful and everything you need is also in nature.
ReplyDeleteI think that McCandless' actions were not noble, but I think his intentions were. I beleive that McCandless should have done way more research before his "Great Alaskan Adventure." He could have researched the plant life in Alaska, so he would what is edible and what not. He also should have taken more time and analyzed the plants that he was eating. I do not think that he spent very much time identfying the plants that he was digesting. Doing this he probably would have lived and told his story himself. - Dr.Dre
i think chris would make a good transcendentalist. as emerson said in self reliance "whoso would be a man, must be a noncomformist." chris did his own thing and did not conform to society's rules and expectations. he was a noncomformist. i think his actions were foolish. he could've done things in a better way yet still accomplished his goal.there is nothing to be admired in his actions.
ReplyDeleteThoreau and Emerson would find Chirs McCandless to be a transcendentalist because he lived off the wild and tried to make his life as simple as possible and thats what Thoreau and Emerson believed in.He "sucked the marrow out of life" by being very self-reliant and geting away from all the technology and money. I dont think he was noble because he left his family without notice. He didnt do enough reserch and that caused his death. he could be admired by trying his hardest to live life simply and living off only the nature and the wild.
ReplyDelete-Sammie
Yes, I think that Emerson and Thoreau would find Chris to be a transcendentalist because after reading on thoreau he was dramatically changed, he wanted to go out and see nature. He wanted to get away from his ordinary life but wanted to get out and suck all the marrow out of life. The quote "To go on in our own path and chose what we like" by Emerson is something I think Chris went by no matter what anyone said. I think he was somewhat foolish for not preparing himself well enough about the wild before jumping into it like he did and in the end it caused his death.
ReplyDeleteNo, he could not considered a transcendentalist. He didnt just change up his life, live simply, be in nature, and all of that he completely got rid of what he had and went to extremes to get away from it. He seemed more like he was running away trying to find the exact opposite from what he had instead of wanting "to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life". i think it takes some guts to forsake everything he had to go out and live with nothing, but he should have studied and been more sure of what he was doing before he went completely away of any civilization and help.
ReplyDelete-Taylor Kindseth
you are a stupid dumb head.
DeleteTo be honest, I don't think he would be considered a transcendentalist in the terms of Thoreau. I feel like McCandless wasn't transcendental, because he left his family behind and was rather selfish in his ways. Also, Thoreau was specifically said to not have been a hermit. Although he lived at Walden Pond, he remained involved with society and human interaction. Regardless of whether he was transcendental or not, I feel that Emerson and Thoreau would have respected McCandless for actually doing something in an attempt to better his life.
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