Into the Wild

Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer relates to privilege in that the main character, "Alex", has a privileged life, but that is not what he wants. He is basically privileged without being privileged at the same time. He wants to be able to be free and live with nature. He is white and rich, meaning that he can pretty much get away with anything in this point in time. I believe that he has the right to do whatever he wants, and that it is ultimately his choice to decide what to do. Even though he has already completed college, he wanted to live in the wild, which is his passion. If someone has a passion, they should strive for it and not let anything get in the way of their dreams. Sometimes I do not think that is the case though, many things are able to get in the way of people achieving their dreams, like other responsibilities. Some feel that their family is more important to them so they have to put them before themselves, losing the opportunity to strive for their goals. Money also displays a huge problem. Without financial stability it is hard to live and continue to do what you love.

Privilege still plays a role in his quest for survival. "Alex" receives help throughout the novel from other people. He also changes his name to become a whole new person and abandon his past life. The privilege of being a white rich man, or maybe just white now probably plays a big part in receiving aid from others still. I am pretty sure if I was in that position at that time, I would probably be left to die. He is able to connect with people and still as for favors as he goes along. This is probably because he is white, he is able to send letters back and forth and still keep strong relationships with those that he has met along the way. He is able to ask for favors here and there. I truly believe that if he was not white he would not receive the same aid. As he goes on to live in the wild, he has to hunt and gather to survive. This still proves a struggle for him. Although he followed his dream, I do not know if it was worth it if he forgot about his own well-being in the process.


Education always plays a role within the novel connecting to our previous novels. At least with Chris's education he believes that he knows a lot about the world. For example, he sends that letter to Ron Franz telling him to live his life to the fullest and stop sulking around. Chris has no boundaries or filter. Franz is already 80 years old, yet Chris is still telling him to live a little and change the way he acts. If I was in that position I would not do the same thing, I would think it kind of rude to try and educate someone and tell them to change how they act and stop being a lazy bum, especially if they are older than me. Chris shows that his education gives him a privileged feeling, allowing him to say those kinds of things to elders. I think it is admirable that he is able to change someone's life like that and try to help them.