TOW #24 - "Into the Wild" by John Krakauer IRB #2

"Into the Wild", the retelling of Christopher McCandless' adventures through the Alaskan and American wilderness by John Krakauer, is better names Into the Symbols because of its abundance in symbolism which ultimately provides a better characterization of McCandless as well as a more personal retelling of the plot. The prominent use od deserts is one of the main symbols utilized by Krakauer. The desert presents a challenge to McCandless, and his perseverance to conquer the grounds and complete his journey is exemplification of McCandless' hubris. Similar to the desert, the mountains not only give scenery to the story, it symbolizes another obstacle for McCandless to conquer. When recalling his youth, Krakauer utilizes the mountains to present a test for one's own capability and character. Another prominent symbol in the novel is the "Magic Bus", named after the song by The Who, is symbolic of his luck. He stumbles across the bus as shelter, which is extremely lucky, and then he passes away in the "Magic Bus," which is symbolic of the end of his good fortune. Lastly, the rivers in "Into the Wild" are the final challenge for McCandless to conquer, but unlike the mountain and deserts, he fails to end victorious from his face off with the rivers. It is symbolic of his lack of planning and ultimately his Achilles heel, because he cannot cross the river in summer and fails to survive. "Into the Wild" is the perfect retelling of Christopher McCandless' treck through the Alaskan and American wilderness by John Krakauer, who perfectly captures McCandless' personality and his tough journey through multiple symbols throughout the novel.