Going Forth, Notwithstanding Essentials 

"By design McCandless came into the country with insufficient provisions, and he lacked certain pieces of equipment deemed essential by many Alaskans: a large-caliber rifle, map and compass, an ax. This has been regarded as evidence not just of stupidity but of the even greater sin of arrogance" (Krakauer 180).

Travel Advice

In life, it is good to always travel prepared for the worst, and be able to adapt to situations when they become unfavorable. Had McCandless stocked up with better supplies, especially food and navigational aids, he likely would have made it out of his predicament in Alaska alive to be able to rejoin his sister. He could have been able to leave the bus and head to the highway across the Teklanika River if he had brought a map, which would have shown him where a potential crossing was. However, since he did not prepare well enough, he could not find the path that would have likely saved his life. However, being just supplied with the hardware is not enough to solve a problem; the software is just as important, if not more so. Being able to improvise a solution is a valuable skill to have as not all problems can be solved easily with the tools at hand. The poison of arrogance is a slow acting one, but can blind someone to their demise, as it likely did to McCandless, as he did not think that he needed those essential goods until the last few moments of his life.

Wasted Training

"Nuance, strategy, and anything beyond the rudimentary of technique were wasted on Chris. The only way he cared to tackle a challenge was head on, right now, applying the full brunt of his extraordinary energy" (Krakauer 111).

Inspiration or Fool?

Though Chris McCandless' high energy approach to problem solving is quite admirable, the lack of effort he put in trying to refine his technique in any way is not. Although having the energy is certainly required in order to complete an objective, being able to effectively use that energy is what allows someone to complete that goal efficiently and have energy left over for the other tasks that needed to be done. His reluctance to slow down and analyze the situation he was in, or is going to be in, cost him his life in Alaska, as his death could likely have been prevented by properly preparing before heading out, which was not done due to a variety of reasons, including his unwillingness to stop and think before acting. As a result, I have to say that even though his desire to solve problems is commendable, the uncalculated way he goes about trying to come up with a solution is what makes him a fool.

Gung Ho For The Wilds

"'He was determined. Real gung ho. The word that comes to mind is excited. He couldn't wait to head out there and get started.'" (Krakauer 6)

Inspiration or Fool?

In this statement by the last person to see Chris McCandless alive, Jim Gallien, McCandless' determination to finish something that he wanted to accomplish is clearly visible. He was well underprepared for the place he was planning on living, the Alaskan frontier, miles away from the closest settlement. The fact that he was nowhere close to prepared would have turned away most people, but Chris instead chose to push forwards with his plan. His determination can be considered an inspiration, as even though other people have told him to stop and reconsider his choices, he still stuck to his own decision to live in the wilderness of Alaska, a dangerous place for the unprepared. He overcame other people’s doubts to work towards achieving his goal. However, the determination he exhibited also makes him a fool. By not following Gallien’s advice, McCandless sentenced himself to death due to starvation. He had packed a woefully low amount of food, a whole ten pounds of rice in his bag. In order to gather a foodsource for himself in the wild, he packed a .22 caliber semiauto rifle, way too weak to take down the larger game or defend himself from the larger predators.