Everyone has those days where mentally you just cannot handle to idea of another day of monotonous school work. The thought of having to sit through another 50 minute Spanish class where, on a good day, you can maybe interpret a quarter of what your teacher says, and the little voice reminding you about that science test you still haven't started studying for is unbearable. These are times when procuring an illness sounds pretty good. Ideas start to formulate of how you're going to convince mom that you really are sick and desperately need to stay home the next day. Now if you are part of the lucky population of people how have mothers who would never question a word of her precious child, then a simple, "Mom I'm not feeling so well. I think I need to stay home tomorrow," along with a sad face and weak physical appearance, obtained by hunching the shoulders, is all you need. But there are those of us, like my self, who do not have moms who give in so easily, and we must take extreme steps into achieving our goal. My mom is a nurse, so naturally she knows when someone is faking sick or not. Over the years though I have perfected a technique for convincing even the most unsympathetic parent of a fake illness.
My technique is more along the lines of a process though. It is not something that can be accomplished in an hour and even a couple of hours. It takes careful planning from the early night before the intended day of absence and the morning of. The key to my process is to not be the first one to say that you are ill. You must play the part until your parent questions how you are feeling. This does not require much skill to accomplish, but persistence. Right around the time before dinner you must start acting more sluggish than your normal self. Lay on the couch in a ball and just watch TV if you usually are up and about doing homework and other odd jobs. If you are already in the sluggish habit of lying on the couch and watching TV you are going to have to take it to the next step, which is much less enjoyable. You now need to lay on the couch crouched in a ball with NO TV. The scene of you not even being able to get off the couch to turn the TV on shows true signs of the ultimate laziness, and because this is not normal behavior can arise questions. If you are severely desperate if you occasionally let out a deep breath or moan, it can only add to the affect. Do not be too obvious though by making it seem you are intentionally trying to draw attention to yourself because this will destroy all questionable thoughts of illness into ideas that you are just in need of a little attention.
When dinner time approaches, slowly make your way to the table making sure to drag your feet more than normal and have a look of miserable sadness on your face. This entrance will make the assertion that there is in deed something wrong. Now here is another sacrifice you are going to have to make, which may be harder for others. Take smaller helpings than usual to make it apparent that your appetite is not normal, a symptom of many illnesses. In addition to your small helpings, eat very slowly and kind of pick at your food, moving it around a lot to make it look like you are disinterested in the thought of eating. Don't forget to keep a solemn sad face on throughout the meal. Instead of rushing away from the table, hover around as long as possible. Don't get up until the last person. By doing this you are showing just how un energetic you are feeling.
You would think that the next step would just to go to bed now, right? No! You still have not gotten the desired reaction from your parent. They have still not asked you if you are feeling all right. You must now go upstairs and get ready for bed. Make sure to put on your comfiest pair of pajamas and slippers. Take a blanket with you downstairs and lay on the couch cuddled up in your blanket making sure that your face is still visible with that look of misery still holding strong. You want to make sure that you are visible to your parent so that they can observe your actions. The best thing is to be in their view while they are doing the dishes. They don't have a lot on their mind, and with you there with your abnormal behavior you will consume their thoughts and worry. Continue to make the occasional moans and deep breaths, but otherwise remain motionless. The less amount of energy you seem to have the better.
By this time I can sometime get the desired reaction I want, and my mom will usually call over from the sink if I'm feeling alright. This is not the moment when you want to jump right out and say that yeah Mom I'm feeling really sick, I don't think I can go to school tomorrow. This answer is to energized. You need to sound uninterested and somewhat confused with the question. Either give a big moan or simply reply, "I don't know, not really." This usually gets the reaction of, "Well why don't you go up to bed and get some rest." Do not reply to this though. Just simply give a positive moan to signal that you have heard her, lay on the couch for a few more minutes, and then slowly make your way up to bed, making sure to make your trip up the stair a difficult task with your lack of energy.
At this point you have made it about three quarters of the way. Your mom has made her own evaluation of the situation without any verbal interjections by you which make her thoughts more concrete in her mind. Now you just need to lay in bed and sleep. Before your mom goes to bed she may come in and check on you to see if you are all right. Be warned though that she may come armed with a thermometer. Don't be too worried though, because she came to the conclusion you we're feeling well by herself the whole temperature thing won't have to heavy a weigh. When she discovers that you do not have a fever DO NOT try to come up with an excuse why. Pretend like you are clueless to the situation give out another moan and just lay down. The less you speak the better. You are now free to sleep soundly.
The next morning when your mom comes to wake you up it the final obstacle to overcome. Instead of waking up promptly lay in bed without movement for the first thirty seconds or so. Then make it apparent that you are awake. Your mom will now most likely ask you how you are feeling. Again in this situation the less you say the better. Give a rough, quiet moan and stick your head under the covers, making sure to show a minimal level of energy again. She may tell you to get up and get in the shower and then see how you feel. If this is the case stay in bed until she leaves, then as soon as she's gone fall back to sleep. When she comes in twenty minutes later she will be even more worried about your condition, and by showing her un energetic reactions and responses you will convince her that you really are not in the condition to go to school. This is when you will want to congratulate yourself on a job well done, but be cautious. Do not show any sign of joy until she is at least ten feet from your room. Any sign of relief of joy may foil your whole plan.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
How to Assume the Role of a Loser When You Were 99.9% Sure You Would Have Been the Winner
We've all experienced it: losing a game, contest, race, etc. to a rival opponent when you were so sure you'd win. Too bad life can't always make you a winner, so you must take necessary precautions to take the unexpected role of the loser when life throws you a curve ball.
First, after you've finish you're competition, or immediately after you find out you've lost, suck up that pride and pat the back of your rival opponent and congratulate him for a job well done. Remember to continue sucking your pride in. One leak can lead to disastrous results. However, if a leak happens, be prepared by purchasing another book in our series entitled, "How to Assume the Role of a HUGE Loser When You Screw Up." After you have successfully completed the action of congratulating your rival, look to see no one is watching and immediately wipe your hands off with a napkin. Dispose the napkin in a nearby wastebasket. You do NOT want your opponent's germs on yourself so make sure to wipe thoroughly.
Later on in the day, when friends and family members ask how you have done, respond with, "I had him, but I was so out of it. I started falling asleep, but I would have beat him if I hadn't been so tired." Or a more popular one, "He cheated. The referee didn't call any of his penalties!" Expressing your anger in this way places the blame on someone else. Although YOU are the loser, you can create sympathy around you by choosing your words wisely. Do not make the mistake of saying your opponent was better than you. Otherwise, you will appear weak and more of a loser before the competition.
Finally, call your opponent up again and challenge him to another competition. Make sure he agrees. Immediately after the agreement, rigorously train for the big day. This time, make sure you beat him. If you do not beat him the second time, reread this book to make sure you are doing each step precisely and accurately.
But in the long run, make sure you go into a competition only 99% sure you'll be the winner. The extra .9% jinxes your chances of ever becoming a champion and makes you look too self-confident.
First, after you've finish you're competition, or immediately after you find out you've lost, suck up that pride and pat the back of your rival opponent and congratulate him for a job well done. Remember to continue sucking your pride in. One leak can lead to disastrous results. However, if a leak happens, be prepared by purchasing another book in our series entitled, "How to Assume the Role of a HUGE Loser When You Screw Up." After you have successfully completed the action of congratulating your rival, look to see no one is watching and immediately wipe your hands off with a napkin. Dispose the napkin in a nearby wastebasket. You do NOT want your opponent's germs on yourself so make sure to wipe thoroughly.
Later on in the day, when friends and family members ask how you have done, respond with, "I had him, but I was so out of it. I started falling asleep, but I would have beat him if I hadn't been so tired." Or a more popular one, "He cheated. The referee didn't call any of his penalties!" Expressing your anger in this way places the blame on someone else. Although YOU are the loser, you can create sympathy around you by choosing your words wisely. Do not make the mistake of saying your opponent was better than you. Otherwise, you will appear weak and more of a loser before the competition.
Finally, call your opponent up again and challenge him to another competition. Make sure he agrees. Immediately after the agreement, rigorously train for the big day. This time, make sure you beat him. If you do not beat him the second time, reread this book to make sure you are doing each step precisely and accurately.
But in the long run, make sure you go into a competition only 99% sure you'll be the winner. The extra .9% jinxes your chances of ever becoming a champion and makes you look too self-confident.
How To Throw a Party and Not get Caught?
Have you ever thrown party, only to get caught by your parents? Then you are punished and grounded. What if you could throw a party and not get busted? Follwing just a few easy steps, you can.
1) Choose a day that you are sure your parents won't be home. Make sure to choose a day where your parents are attending something long and won't be able to miss. If your parents do decide not to go, persuade them by mentioning the positive outcomes of attending the event.
2) As your parents are heading out the door, mention you may invite a few friends over. Be sure to mention friends your parents trust. Besides, your parents will be in too much of a hurry to argue with you. Just in case your parents come home to find things misplaced and food lying around, you can say your friends are responsible for the mess.
3) Invite a limited amount of friends. Make sure to tell them that it is a private party, so they won't invite other people and the party won't get out of control. Invite people half an hour to hour after your parents are suspected to leave. Just in case your parents are late, you don't have to worry about getting caught.
4) Hide all valuable items and lock all bedroom doors. The last thing you want is to have your mom come home to find her favorite china dishes shattered in pieces.
5) Set up all food and drinks on a plastic tablecloth. Make sure to use paper cups and paper plates. These are easy to dispose of.
6) Enjoy your party.
7) An hour after your parent expected time ot return, force your guest to leave. The best way to get them out of your house is turn off the music and tell them to that your parents are on their way home. Rally a few of your friends to help you. If this doesn't work, threaten your guests by telling them that the police are on their way, this will make them flee for sure.
8) Once your guests are gone clean up your house. Throw away all cups and plates. Do not just put them in the trash, but also take them outside and put them in a dumpster or garbage bin. Put everything back to the way it was. Vaccum and dust if neccessary.
9) Recheck your house and make sure you haven't missed anything.
10) Act as if you had never thrown a party, when your parents come home. Lay on the couch and watch television or pretend to be asleep. Don't not do your homeowrk, this will only make your parents suspicous.
Now you are prepared to throw a party and not get caught. Have fun and don't get too wild!!
1) Choose a day that you are sure your parents won't be home. Make sure to choose a day where your parents are attending something long and won't be able to miss. If your parents do decide not to go, persuade them by mentioning the positive outcomes of attending the event.
2) As your parents are heading out the door, mention you may invite a few friends over. Be sure to mention friends your parents trust. Besides, your parents will be in too much of a hurry to argue with you. Just in case your parents come home to find things misplaced and food lying around, you can say your friends are responsible for the mess.
3) Invite a limited amount of friends. Make sure to tell them that it is a private party, so they won't invite other people and the party won't get out of control. Invite people half an hour to hour after your parents are suspected to leave. Just in case your parents are late, you don't have to worry about getting caught.
4) Hide all valuable items and lock all bedroom doors. The last thing you want is to have your mom come home to find her favorite china dishes shattered in pieces.
5) Set up all food and drinks on a plastic tablecloth. Make sure to use paper cups and paper plates. These are easy to dispose of.
6) Enjoy your party.
7) An hour after your parent expected time ot return, force your guest to leave. The best way to get them out of your house is turn off the music and tell them to that your parents are on their way home. Rally a few of your friends to help you. If this doesn't work, threaten your guests by telling them that the police are on their way, this will make them flee for sure.
8) Once your guests are gone clean up your house. Throw away all cups and plates. Do not just put them in the trash, but also take them outside and put them in a dumpster or garbage bin. Put everything back to the way it was. Vaccum and dust if neccessary.
9) Recheck your house and make sure you haven't missed anything.
10) Act as if you had never thrown a party, when your parents come home. Lay on the couch and watch television or pretend to be asleep. Don't not do your homeowrk, this will only make your parents suspicous.
Now you are prepared to throw a party and not get caught. Have fun and don't get too wild!!
How to Suck Up to a Teacher
Have you ever noticed that there's always that one teacher that seems to hate you no matter what you do? But wait, there is a solution to that problem! If you carefully follow each step provided, you'll be guaranteed an unlimited supply of adoration from all your teachers.
First of all, throw away the preconceived notion that teachers like students who participate. Like the rest of your classmates, teachers also tend to get annoyed of the students who constantly raise their hands in order to answer the question first or blurt out the answers. It has been established that he or she is capable of answering the questions already and your teachers want to provide the opportunity to call on a different student. Instead of raising your hand 5 times a day, you should try and raise it only if you have something really insightful to add to the class discussions. If you have nothing to contribute to the discussion, raise your hand and ask a question to start another discussion among the students, preferably something that will cause a dispute between them. That way, your teacher will be pleased that the students actually know how to use their mouths in class. Most teachers love it when their students say exactly what they, themselves, are thinking, so stay after class every day and ask your teacher what the lesson plan is for tomorrow. You should always study at least two days ahead so that you know the material before the rest of the class does. That way you will have extra time to reread the 400-page novel three times more.
This brings us to the second point; always do extra credit. If your teacher provides extra credit, I suggest you make most of the chance to take your 98% to the next level. If you're only allowed to do one project but you are provided with two options, just do the second option as well, even if you don't get the credit. Write as neatly as possible and use a lot of color; I suggest using the Crayola brand of markers because it's "preferred by teachers", and while you're at it, don't just get the classic colors, get the assorted ones for an extra 10 tropical-esque markers. You always want to overachieve so that your teacher knows you put in the extra effort. When writing an essay, first ask your classmates how long their essays are so that you can write one page more than everybody else. Always use big words so your teacher is impressed at the variety of your vocabulary. You should confront your teacher two days before your essay is due and ask him or her to proofread your essay in order to eliminate the risk of getting an A instead of that A+ you are so used to getting.
The next step is pretty risky because it depends on the teacher, but if your teacher happens to be one that likes gifts, this step is perfect for you. I wouldn't exactly call it bribing; it's just an indirect way of raising your teacher's interest towards you. You shouldn't use this step unless it's a holiday because you don't want him or her to notice that you're actually trying to suck up; everything must be in secret. It usually works best right before Christmas and Chanukah because prices are usually really low so you can buy presents for each of your teachers. Wrap it nice and tight so no wrinkles are exposed. Decorate it with a nice big bow and maybe even add a card. Give it to them the day before winter break, and smile and laugh while you hand them the gift. Don't forget to say a few words of appreciation and flatter your teacher as much as possible.
Girls may have a slight advantage in this fourth stage. Whenever you confront your teacher about academic advice or about tomorrow's material, use that high pitched tone you use to talk to your boyfriend. Smile consistently while you talk and look your teacher in the eye. I also found that teachers like it when you use a "cute" voice and wring your hands ever so slightly. Be careful not to wring too much or else it looks like you're afraid of talking to him or her. For a greater effect, laugh at almost anything your teacher says. Even if it's not funny, some of the older teachers love it when you laugh at their jokes; your grades might even go up 1%, so it's always worth a try.
These are just a few of the many steps towards achieving full status as a "suck-up" student. Although students might make fun of you for being a teacher's pet, who cares? As long as your teacher likes you, nothing matters. Your teacher controls your grades, so therefore you must learn to control whether or not your teacher likes you. Get that A+ you worked for!
"If you found this article to be helpful, check out the rest of the series, How to Be Liked by the Student Body: A Guide for Dummies."
First of all, throw away the preconceived notion that teachers like students who participate. Like the rest of your classmates, teachers also tend to get annoyed of the students who constantly raise their hands in order to answer the question first or blurt out the answers. It has been established that he or she is capable of answering the questions already and your teachers want to provide the opportunity to call on a different student. Instead of raising your hand 5 times a day, you should try and raise it only if you have something really insightful to add to the class discussions. If you have nothing to contribute to the discussion, raise your hand and ask a question to start another discussion among the students, preferably something that will cause a dispute between them. That way, your teacher will be pleased that the students actually know how to use their mouths in class. Most teachers love it when their students say exactly what they, themselves, are thinking, so stay after class every day and ask your teacher what the lesson plan is for tomorrow. You should always study at least two days ahead so that you know the material before the rest of the class does. That way you will have extra time to reread the 400-page novel three times more.
This brings us to the second point; always do extra credit. If your teacher provides extra credit, I suggest you make most of the chance to take your 98% to the next level. If you're only allowed to do one project but you are provided with two options, just do the second option as well, even if you don't get the credit. Write as neatly as possible and use a lot of color; I suggest using the Crayola brand of markers because it's "preferred by teachers", and while you're at it, don't just get the classic colors, get the assorted ones for an extra 10 tropical-esque markers. You always want to overachieve so that your teacher knows you put in the extra effort. When writing an essay, first ask your classmates how long their essays are so that you can write one page more than everybody else. Always use big words so your teacher is impressed at the variety of your vocabulary. You should confront your teacher two days before your essay is due and ask him or her to proofread your essay in order to eliminate the risk of getting an A instead of that A+ you are so used to getting.
The next step is pretty risky because it depends on the teacher, but if your teacher happens to be one that likes gifts, this step is perfect for you. I wouldn't exactly call it bribing; it's just an indirect way of raising your teacher's interest towards you. You shouldn't use this step unless it's a holiday because you don't want him or her to notice that you're actually trying to suck up; everything must be in secret. It usually works best right before Christmas and Chanukah because prices are usually really low so you can buy presents for each of your teachers. Wrap it nice and tight so no wrinkles are exposed. Decorate it with a nice big bow and maybe even add a card. Give it to them the day before winter break, and smile and laugh while you hand them the gift. Don't forget to say a few words of appreciation and flatter your teacher as much as possible.
Girls may have a slight advantage in this fourth stage. Whenever you confront your teacher about academic advice or about tomorrow's material, use that high pitched tone you use to talk to your boyfriend. Smile consistently while you talk and look your teacher in the eye. I also found that teachers like it when you use a "cute" voice and wring your hands ever so slightly. Be careful not to wring too much or else it looks like you're afraid of talking to him or her. For a greater effect, laugh at almost anything your teacher says. Even if it's not funny, some of the older teachers love it when you laugh at their jokes; your grades might even go up 1%, so it's always worth a try.
These are just a few of the many steps towards achieving full status as a "suck-up" student. Although students might make fun of you for being a teacher's pet, who cares? As long as your teacher likes you, nothing matters. Your teacher controls your grades, so therefore you must learn to control whether or not your teacher likes you. Get that A+ you worked for!
"If you found this article to be helpful, check out the rest of the series, How to Be Liked by the Student Body: A Guide for Dummies."
How to Cook for Your Enemies
It doesnt take much culinary mastery to become a successful cook, nor does it take much to cook for your worst enemy in hopes of dispensing his presence once and for all. There simply will be many times when someone makes fun of you, or simply bothers you with their existence in the world, this is where my "How to Cook for Your Enemies" cookbook will come in handy. Whether you want to ruin his meal by cooking up a "special" recipe, or want to burn a hole in his stomach, listen to what I Chef Justin have to tell you based on my numerous experiences of sinister cooking.
First of all, invite that "special" person to either a breakfast, lunch, or dinner. I prefer to invite them to dinner as the night gives off an eerie feeling, and also gives you the cover of the night to dispose of his body. Act pleasant, as if you dont hate him at all. If you dont get over this first step, your whole plan is ruined. Act casual, as if you have no problem being in his repugnant presence.
Second, its a little time for grocery shopping. Decide what you want to cook up for his "last supper" in the case that you want to destroy him, or just choose the most disgusting food on the list to ruin his dinner, and possibly his outlook on food for the rest of his life. When I just want to ruin his dinner, I like to buy a little bit of fish heads and cow eyes for the main course, and mabye even throw in some intestines as a side dish. If i want to do a little more damage, I like to add: a pinch of feces, a drop of blood, shreds of animal skin, definitely some poison (preferably the Heinz brand) and the classical length of plucked hair.
Finally, prepare the food. Take your main course item, whether it be fish heads or cow eyes and soak it in the poison. Let it sit for about 10-15 minutes so it really seeps into the meat. While waiting, you can prepare the intestines. I like to make sure they have some feces, dry blood, shreds of skin, and a little bit of poison in there as well. Finally, when all is done here, finish up your masterpiece with the hairs. Really spread them around, and make sure that they are in clear view. Its your choice whether you want to grill, boil, or leave the course raw. Its your enemy, he deserves it right?
Bon Appetite.
First of all, invite that "special" person to either a breakfast, lunch, or dinner. I prefer to invite them to dinner as the night gives off an eerie feeling, and also gives you the cover of the night to dispose of his body. Act pleasant, as if you dont hate him at all. If you dont get over this first step, your whole plan is ruined. Act casual, as if you have no problem being in his repugnant presence.
Second, its a little time for grocery shopping. Decide what you want to cook up for his "last supper" in the case that you want to destroy him, or just choose the most disgusting food on the list to ruin his dinner, and possibly his outlook on food for the rest of his life. When I just want to ruin his dinner, I like to buy a little bit of fish heads and cow eyes for the main course, and mabye even throw in some intestines as a side dish. If i want to do a little more damage, I like to add: a pinch of feces, a drop of blood, shreds of animal skin, definitely some poison (preferably the Heinz brand) and the classical length of plucked hair.
Finally, prepare the food. Take your main course item, whether it be fish heads or cow eyes and soak it in the poison. Let it sit for about 10-15 minutes so it really seeps into the meat. While waiting, you can prepare the intestines. I like to make sure they have some feces, dry blood, shreds of skin, and a little bit of poison in there as well. Finally, when all is done here, finish up your masterpiece with the hairs. Really spread them around, and make sure that they are in clear view. Its your choice whether you want to grill, boil, or leave the course raw. Its your enemy, he deserves it right?
Bon Appetite.
How to Pretend to Clean Your Room
If you have to clean your room, and your parents are like mine, you will not be allowed to go out until your room has loss its status as a "tornado." While you may enjoy the satisfaction of a spotless habitat, cleaning can take hours. There are times when you will need to fake a clean room in order to be allowed to go out with your friends. In these cases, you will first have to convince your parents that you actually want to clean your room. When they tell you that you cannot leave the house until they can see your floor, agree with them. If they believe you want to clean your room, they will not be suspicious when you emerge a half hour later, claiming you have finished.
When you pretend to clean your room, the biggest problem is finding a place to put all of your stuff. I have found that shoving clothes under my bed, between my bed and the wall, or in my closet works effectively. Sometimes my mom will open one of my drawers when she is admiring my "cleaned" room, so I do not suggest cramming every shirt you own into one drawer. After all your stuff has been concealed, you simlpy have to put the finishing touches on your room. Make your bed, straighten things on your shelves, and vacuum. Mothers love when you vacuum. At this point, tell your parents you have cleaned your room. If they come into your room to check your efforts, just pray that they will not look under your bed, at least not until you are gone.
When you pretend to clean your room, the biggest problem is finding a place to put all of your stuff. I have found that shoving clothes under my bed, between my bed and the wall, or in my closet works effectively. Sometimes my mom will open one of my drawers when she is admiring my "cleaned" room, so I do not suggest cramming every shirt you own into one drawer. After all your stuff has been concealed, you simlpy have to put the finishing touches on your room. Make your bed, straighten things on your shelves, and vacuum. Mothers love when you vacuum. At this point, tell your parents you have cleaned your room. If they come into your room to check your efforts, just pray that they will not look under your bed, at least not until you are gone.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Topic 6: Humorous Process Instructions
Using "How to Escape from a Bad Date" as a model, write your own 'survival' instructions. You can steal Jennifer's idea and write a process piece about how to get a good college recommendation, borrow an idea from The Worst Case Scenario Book, or come up with your own unique, creative and brilliant plan. Remember to consider PAPA (keeping in mind that your peers are your intended audience). If you have the makings of a a multi-page essay in your head, you don't have to write the entire novel; you can provide us with an excerpt. Post as an author. Have fun!
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Outside Magazine
Dear Editor of Outside Magazine,
This letter is in regards to the article that you ran on Christopher McCandless. I have to say that I was truly left inspired by the journey of this man and was amazed by the stories of his escapades. How one man could survive by himself living purely off the good of the land is unbelievable, and to think that after such an amazing journey that he's fall was due to a bad plant is just heartbreaking. Although McCandless's story is inspirational and motivating there are some things that left me questioning his actions. Why would a young man go all by himself into the uninhabited wild of Alaska, of all places, with barely enough supplies to withstand normal circumstances? While this is extremelly impressive, it's just dumb. He never had any proper training in survival techniques, although I'm sure with a brain like his he did do some sort of research, but still even the most risktaking daredevils don't adventure into the wild with no more than a bag of rice and a tiny rifle. It stated that he had always succeeded in everything that he did and maybe since he never had to face failure in his life it made him feel invinsible. Which shows how naive and ignorant he was. It was as if he felt that luck was so much on his side that nothing would ever happen to him, and I guess if one never experiences failure they would get that same sense. But if he were really as intelligent as the article claimed then he would have had at least enough sense to know that when dealing with nature and uncontrolable elements there's no knowing what's going to happen and that's its better to be safe then sorry. Which makes me question his intent of the journey. Now I don't think that he really intended on trying to committ suicide but when all you do is challenge yourself with things of either life or death resultants, aren't you in a way tempting fate? Although even though he did have kind of a conceited err about him in respect to his feelings of invinsibilty, he was still a very simplistic kind of guy. He never asked for anything or any type of recognition, he simply just wanted to live with the elements in nature.
This letter is in regards to the article that you ran on Christopher McCandless. I have to say that I was truly left inspired by the journey of this man and was amazed by the stories of his escapades. How one man could survive by himself living purely off the good of the land is unbelievable, and to think that after such an amazing journey that he's fall was due to a bad plant is just heartbreaking. Although McCandless's story is inspirational and motivating there are some things that left me questioning his actions. Why would a young man go all by himself into the uninhabited wild of Alaska, of all places, with barely enough supplies to withstand normal circumstances? While this is extremelly impressive, it's just dumb. He never had any proper training in survival techniques, although I'm sure with a brain like his he did do some sort of research, but still even the most risktaking daredevils don't adventure into the wild with no more than a bag of rice and a tiny rifle. It stated that he had always succeeded in everything that he did and maybe since he never had to face failure in his life it made him feel invinsible. Which shows how naive and ignorant he was. It was as if he felt that luck was so much on his side that nothing would ever happen to him, and I guess if one never experiences failure they would get that same sense. But if he were really as intelligent as the article claimed then he would have had at least enough sense to know that when dealing with nature and uncontrolable elements there's no knowing what's going to happen and that's its better to be safe then sorry. Which makes me question his intent of the journey. Now I don't think that he really intended on trying to committ suicide but when all you do is challenge yourself with things of either life or death resultants, aren't you in a way tempting fate? Although even though he did have kind of a conceited err about him in respect to his feelings of invinsibilty, he was still a very simplistic kind of guy. He never asked for anything or any type of recognition, he simply just wanted to live with the elements in nature.
To Outside Magazine
Dear Editor of Outside Magazine,
The article about Chris McCandless’s journey was really inspiring and impacting. Many people aren’t able to appreciate the beauty of nature. Some try to appreciate it, but aren’t able to find the courage to leave their homes and families behind. It really shocked me that Chris McCandless had the courage to leave his family and his home, to venture out into the wild of Alaska, especially at his such a young age. I admire his bravery to depend solely on nature and its beauty. Not many people have the courage to leave their home and venture out into the wild. Chris McCandless risked his life to find happiness. He aspired to live and explore the beauty of nature and he did, without even looking back. He was determined to go to Alaska and eventually accomplished his goal. Many people say Chris McCandless was selfish for putting his life in risk and putting a great burden on his parents. They say he was crazy, but Chris just wanted to find happiness in his life, which could be achieved by exploring nature. However, I think Chris made the mistake of not taking any necessary survival equipment on his treacherous journey. His stubbornness led to his death. He refused to take a proper amount of food or any money in case of an emergency. Chris McCandless has shown me what it means to be a transcendentalist. To live with nature, he risked his life. He burned his money and took a very small quantity of food to survive off of. He even left his watch behind, because he didn’t want to know the time or what day it was. He accidentally ate some poisonous seeds, which led to his death. Chris may not have survived, but he was happy. He died where he was most happy and where he wanted to. Chris McCandless spent his last few days in pain, but not alone; he had nature to comfort him.
Sincerely,
Reena Patel
The article about Chris McCandless’s journey was really inspiring and impacting. Many people aren’t able to appreciate the beauty of nature. Some try to appreciate it, but aren’t able to find the courage to leave their homes and families behind. It really shocked me that Chris McCandless had the courage to leave his family and his home, to venture out into the wild of Alaska, especially at his such a young age. I admire his bravery to depend solely on nature and its beauty. Not many people have the courage to leave their home and venture out into the wild. Chris McCandless risked his life to find happiness. He aspired to live and explore the beauty of nature and he did, without even looking back. He was determined to go to Alaska and eventually accomplished his goal. Many people say Chris McCandless was selfish for putting his life in risk and putting a great burden on his parents. They say he was crazy, but Chris just wanted to find happiness in his life, which could be achieved by exploring nature. However, I think Chris made the mistake of not taking any necessary survival equipment on his treacherous journey. His stubbornness led to his death. He refused to take a proper amount of food or any money in case of an emergency. Chris McCandless has shown me what it means to be a transcendentalist. To live with nature, he risked his life. He burned his money and took a very small quantity of food to survive off of. He even left his watch behind, because he didn’t want to know the time or what day it was. He accidentally ate some poisonous seeds, which led to his death. Chris may not have survived, but he was happy. He died where he was most happy and where he wanted to. Chris McCandless spent his last few days in pain, but not alone; he had nature to comfort him.
Sincerely,
Reena Patel
response
Dear Outside magazine,
Considering that most magazine articles do not particularly interest me, The article of Chris McCandless kept me intreged throughout the entire story, at the end my eyes gasping for more information. Actions such as the one he took are not seen often by the world(if ever). I am aware that the world can potentially have two different views on his journey, stupidity vs. courage. Although his mission was dangerous, i choose to see him as a figure of courage and strength.
Anyone can venture into to wild, searching for something more to life or to themsleves but they way he went about his journey and especially his attitude really grabbed my attention throughout the article. It seemed so carefree and relient on nature to take care of him. He left every source of communication with society behind and was so sure of his decsion, not letting anyone change his mind. He isnt going out there to prove anything to the world and perhaps not even himself. Throughout the reading it seemed as though his personality benefitted every situation he encountered and had a dramatic influence on he met. I see him as a man of true courage with an incredibley strong heart. He wanted to live in a way that no one else hat the guts to do.
Anyone can speak of dropping everything, running into the wild, and discovering the true beauty of the world and oneself but Chris McCandless actually did it. Right there he set himself apart from the society, in a way that no one else had dared to do before.
Considering that most magazine articles do not particularly interest me, The article of Chris McCandless kept me intreged throughout the entire story, at the end my eyes gasping for more information. Actions such as the one he took are not seen often by the world(if ever). I am aware that the world can potentially have two different views on his journey, stupidity vs. courage. Although his mission was dangerous, i choose to see him as a figure of courage and strength.
Anyone can venture into to wild, searching for something more to life or to themsleves but they way he went about his journey and especially his attitude really grabbed my attention throughout the article. It seemed so carefree and relient on nature to take care of him. He left every source of communication with society behind and was so sure of his decsion, not letting anyone change his mind. He isnt going out there to prove anything to the world and perhaps not even himself. Throughout the reading it seemed as though his personality benefitted every situation he encountered and had a dramatic influence on he met. I see him as a man of true courage with an incredibley strong heart. He wanted to live in a way that no one else hat the guts to do.
Anyone can speak of dropping everything, running into the wild, and discovering the true beauty of the world and oneself but Chris McCandless actually did it. Right there he set himself apart from the society, in a way that no one else had dared to do before.
INTO THE WILDDDDDDD
dear magazine editor,
I admire your job in this piece, and consider it one of the closest things to journalistic perfection that I have ever read. Your depiction of Chris McCandless was not only riveting, but also showed a crutial part of every one of us. I alm thoroughly convinced that, after reading your article, Chris McCandless was not a titan. He was rather a human being, imperfect in nature, but still very much courageous and idealistic. Telling tales of his death would have not given Chris McCandless justice. Ergo, I am appreciative of your effective method of detailing his death through moments of his life. By doing this, you have allowed him to live on as an idea. Therefore, I urge you to disregard any letters you receive which are ignorant of this view of Chris McCandless. Courage, intellectualism, idealism, beauty, truth. All are ideas that the person of Chris McCandless embodied. To call him a reckless idiot would be to do Chris McCandless and those who know the true nature of his journey. He sought out adventure as a rite of passage, not as some testosterone hopped teenager with too much time on his hand. His journey did not have a destination, but was intended for self discovery- and that is a truth we should all hold true to ourselves. Young or old, agnostic or believer, Chris McCandless was and is a symbol of what we should look for in ourselves.
Most sincerily yours,
Rosey
I admire your job in this piece, and consider it one of the closest things to journalistic perfection that I have ever read. Your depiction of Chris McCandless was not only riveting, but also showed a crutial part of every one of us. I alm thoroughly convinced that, after reading your article, Chris McCandless was not a titan. He was rather a human being, imperfect in nature, but still very much courageous and idealistic. Telling tales of his death would have not given Chris McCandless justice. Ergo, I am appreciative of your effective method of detailing his death through moments of his life. By doing this, you have allowed him to live on as an idea. Therefore, I urge you to disregard any letters you receive which are ignorant of this view of Chris McCandless. Courage, intellectualism, idealism, beauty, truth. All are ideas that the person of Chris McCandless embodied. To call him a reckless idiot would be to do Chris McCandless and those who know the true nature of his journey. He sought out adventure as a rite of passage, not as some testosterone hopped teenager with too much time on his hand. His journey did not have a destination, but was intended for self discovery- and that is a truth we should all hold true to ourselves. Young or old, agnostic or believer, Chris McCandless was and is a symbol of what we should look for in ourselves.
Most sincerily yours,
Rosey
First off, I'd like to thank you guys for publishing the story of Chris McCandless in a more neutral light than other magazines and newscasts. I think he was right to have done what he did and was definitely not crazy or whatever. The fact that we, as a society, would label any man who chased after his dreams and aspirations as "crazy" and "foolish" seems completely ridiculous to me. I bet he was fully aware of the dangers and hardships he had to face. I'd like to see anyone who said McCandless was "stupid" and "green" survive in the Alaskan wilderness for two months using only the handful of supplies that he had brought along. McCandless should be a hero for everyone and an inspiration to those who are still dreaming big. It saddens me that society has become so close-minded to an individual's dreams; sooner or later we won't be much different from the Communists we were going to bomb or the Iraqis receiving our "help".
Dear Outside Magazine,
Upon reading the story of Chris McCandless it is almost impossible not to admire the way McCandless took hold of his life and chased after his dreams. Hearing about his life has caused me to wonder if I would ever have the courage to do the same—to change my life as drastically as he, for one aspiration. I understand a person’s need to follow the lifestyle that he or she truly desires, but there has to be some type of boundaries that you must follow. I appreciate McCandless’s love for nature, and his want to live off of the land, and become a “hunter and gatherer,” but a line has to be drawn somewhere between reality and an unrealistic daydream. Many young adults in their twenties go through the same phase that he did, and have a need to find out ‘who they are,’ and what their lives are ‘meant for.’ McCandless just took this self-actualization to an extreme. Your article says that growing up, he was a successful athlete, student, and came from an upper-middle class family. Maybe, because life up to that point had fallen so easily into his lap, he thought that his trip to
I don’t think the trip that McCandless took was a bad idea, or that his transcendentalist views on life are wrong, but instead I am frustrated with some of the decisions he made. Why didn’t he bring a decent map with him? Several times in the article Krakauer points out times when McCandless could have saved himself if he had brought along a map of the area he was in. Also, the fact that he cut himself off so abruptly from his family, even with what he found out about his father, bothers me. It is noble of someone to follow their dreams, and live the lifestyle that they choose, but you need to understand when you have to be realistic. If McCandless had brought along extra food, a map, had told people where he was going, or even gone with Gallien to get more supplies, he still would have been able to live out his fantasy, but maybe still be alive to talk about it.
Outside magazine
While reading your article about Chris McCandless, I became more and more interested in his story. My teacher purposed the idea to think about Thoreau while reading this article while i was about half way through. When i started to focus on the similarities and differences of these two people it became more interesting. I really enjoyed reading about Thoreau and his way of living. When I began to read about McCandless, i realized that i started to have more respect for both of them. At first i just thought Thoreau was alone in his belief's and was sort of a nut case. But after reading your Outside magazine, McCandless made it all make sense. Jon Krakauer's story on McCandless was extremely interesting because the certain details he decided to put into the article were crucial. For example, in the article Krakauer mentioned that the young man had a novel by Thoreau in his backpack which he carried with him the entire time. To me, this opened my eyes even more to their belief's. They were both extrema individuals, yet very different personalities. By adding this small piece of information it opens one's eyes to what was truly important to the young man.
I also agree with Krakauer that McCandless's trip was not a death wish. I think he truly just wanted to go out 'into the wild' and take risks. I don't think he wanted to go the rest of his life knowing he didn't do that for himself. Krakauer makes that opinion clear in the article, which i think was a good move on his part because people need to know that this article has opinions in it. Outside magazine did an outstanding job with reporting the McCandless story to the people and because of this, people have been deeply affected by it even to this day.
While reading your article about Chris McCandless, I became more and more interested in his story. My teacher purposed the idea to think about Thoreau while reading this article while i was about half way through. When i started to focus on the similarities and differences of these two people it became more interesting. I really enjoyed reading about Thoreau and his way of living. When I began to read about McCandless, i realized that i started to have more respect for both of them. At first i just thought Thoreau was alone in his belief's and was sort of a nut case. But after reading your Outside magazine, McCandless made it all make sense. Jon Krakauer's story on McCandless was extremely interesting because the certain details he decided to put into the article were crucial. For example, in the article Krakauer mentioned that the young man had a novel by Thoreau in his backpack which he carried with him the entire time. To me, this opened my eyes even more to their belief's. They were both extrema individuals, yet very different personalities. By adding this small piece of information it opens one's eyes to what was truly important to the young man.
I also agree with Krakauer that McCandless's trip was not a death wish. I think he truly just wanted to go out 'into the wild' and take risks. I don't think he wanted to go the rest of his life knowing he didn't do that for himself. Krakauer makes that opinion clear in the article, which i think was a good move on his part because people need to know that this article has opinions in it. Outside magazine did an outstanding job with reporting the McCandless story to the people and because of this, people have been deeply affected by it even to this day.
To Outside Magazine
Dear Outside,
I enjoyed reading this article. Even though many think he went to Alaska knowing he was going to die, I believe otherwise. Rather than this article being a suicidal message for people, I think Chris McCandless displayed bravery, passion, and a sense of adventure that hardly any Americans have today. He knew how to be happy and even burned and gave away all his possessions to show what really matters in life. This in itself would take a lot of courage for me to do. But he didn't stop there. His trip to Alaska was supposed to give him the feeling of adventure he had been missing, and it did. Unfortunately for him, he had one small fault in his otherwise seemingly great personality. He was over-confident in himself, and thought himself to be indestructible. This is the reason for his death. It was stupid of him to go into Alaska without at least researching the area and learning about the climate, food, weather, etc. Even though he was considered an intelligent person by all who knew him, I think he may have lacked common sense. He didn't even consider bringing a map with him in case anything terrible really did happen! But all in all, I admire his bravery even more for going into Alaska without any information on it. He seems to be one of the few real people in America and everyone who ever knew him must consider themselves lucky. He was true to the transcendentalist views and was a modern-day Thoreau. For those of you who believe he was an idiot, think about this: if he had succeeded in his journey to Alaska, he would have come back out anonymous to all but the few who knew about his trip. Why are you so quick to point out all the faults instead of recognizing all the good qualities in him? Before Alaska, he had near death experiences but managed to make it out alive. His trip just had unfortunate consequences and unfortunately, that is all many people can see. But his trip can be an inspiration to the young people who are just like him, and maybe even teach them a few things, like to bring a map and information, so their adventure won't end as tragically. Overrall, I believe McCandless should be recognized and honored for what he did, and he deserves the media and attention he is getting.
I enjoyed reading this article. Even though many think he went to Alaska knowing he was going to die, I believe otherwise. Rather than this article being a suicidal message for people, I think Chris McCandless displayed bravery, passion, and a sense of adventure that hardly any Americans have today. He knew how to be happy and even burned and gave away all his possessions to show what really matters in life. This in itself would take a lot of courage for me to do. But he didn't stop there. His trip to Alaska was supposed to give him the feeling of adventure he had been missing, and it did. Unfortunately for him, he had one small fault in his otherwise seemingly great personality. He was over-confident in himself, and thought himself to be indestructible. This is the reason for his death. It was stupid of him to go into Alaska without at least researching the area and learning about the climate, food, weather, etc. Even though he was considered an intelligent person by all who knew him, I think he may have lacked common sense. He didn't even consider bringing a map with him in case anything terrible really did happen! But all in all, I admire his bravery even more for going into Alaska without any information on it. He seems to be one of the few real people in America and everyone who ever knew him must consider themselves lucky. He was true to the transcendentalist views and was a modern-day Thoreau. For those of you who believe he was an idiot, think about this: if he had succeeded in his journey to Alaska, he would have come back out anonymous to all but the few who knew about his trip. Why are you so quick to point out all the faults instead of recognizing all the good qualities in him? Before Alaska, he had near death experiences but managed to make it out alive. His trip just had unfortunate consequences and unfortunately, that is all many people can see. But his trip can be an inspiration to the young people who are just like him, and maybe even teach them a few things, like to bring a map and information, so their adventure won't end as tragically. Overrall, I believe McCandless should be recognized and honored for what he did, and he deserves the media and attention he is getting.
To Outside Magazine
Dear Outside Magazine,
Your article about Chris McCandless was moving. The article mentions how some people take different views on Chris McCandless. In my opinion, Chris McCandless was an extremely intelligent person who's views on life were way beyond most people's thoughts. Although some people believe he was ignorant and stupid--I would have to agree with the contrary. The fact that Chris McCandless did not bring any food or money with him was not an act of stupidity, but rather it was him trying to start this new life of just living in sync with nature. He wanted to live off nature and start a life apart from material things, hypocrisy, and fakes. I think the fact that he burnt his money and cut up his credit cards although it was surprising, it was brave and honorable. If you think of all the people in this world who think it is incredibly important to have designer items, drive a nice car, have a high status jobs, the number would be ridiculously high. Chris McCandless thought differently than most people, I think he thought above most people. By getting away from all of that and trying to just live with nature and start a new life, giving up everything he had, is amazing. Although the outcome of this journey did not turn out the way that he planned, along the way he lived a very full life. Everyone that he met along the way recognized Chris as different, intelligent, and completely determined. I think Chris McCandless's daring journey was extremely brave of him and commendable. The fact that he would leave his money, his car, everything to go out and live with nature is exteremely commendable. Overall, I completely respect your article and admire you for writing it.
Your article about Chris McCandless was moving. The article mentions how some people take different views on Chris McCandless. In my opinion, Chris McCandless was an extremely intelligent person who's views on life were way beyond most people's thoughts. Although some people believe he was ignorant and stupid--I would have to agree with the contrary. The fact that Chris McCandless did not bring any food or money with him was not an act of stupidity, but rather it was him trying to start this new life of just living in sync with nature. He wanted to live off nature and start a life apart from material things, hypocrisy, and fakes. I think the fact that he burnt his money and cut up his credit cards although it was surprising, it was brave and honorable. If you think of all the people in this world who think it is incredibly important to have designer items, drive a nice car, have a high status jobs, the number would be ridiculously high. Chris McCandless thought differently than most people, I think he thought above most people. By getting away from all of that and trying to just live with nature and start a new life, giving up everything he had, is amazing. Although the outcome of this journey did not turn out the way that he planned, along the way he lived a very full life. Everyone that he met along the way recognized Chris as different, intelligent, and completely determined. I think Chris McCandless's daring journey was extremely brave of him and commendable. The fact that he would leave his money, his car, everything to go out and live with nature is exteremely commendable. Overall, I completely respect your article and admire you for writing it.
To: Outside Magazine
I have learned so many things about this Chris McCandless in the past week that I am still trying to just process the information. I will not criticize his of being a suicidal person, but it makes me wonder why he would want to go out into the wild by himself in the first place. It almost seems like this was a very ingenious version of suicide because he was so unhappy with his life that he figured he would end it in nature. Chris loved the woods so he might have figured instead of killing himself and upsetting everybody he would let nature do it for him while at the same time coming to terms with his own existence. In this sense he was killing two birds with one stone, but again I do not want to think him so twisted as this. So on the other hand maybe he just wanted to find so peace and quiet too discover himself in the process and just out of inexperience and ignorance he did not prepare properly for this excursion. I really d not understand why Chris would have left home in the first place, I mean he had a lot of things going for him. Chris had a very comfortable life and loving parents and he was amazing in school, so he had a ton of things to be thankful for. His reasoning was that all of this material stuff was pontless and he resented our way of living in todays society. This is why I think that to a point, and for all of his book smarts, Chris Mccandless lacked common sense. A person with half his genious could have looked into the feature and figured, well I might want to bring extra supplies and this and that etc. with me so I don't die out there. Its like he wanted to go out and meet his demise in the forest which again brings me back to my first thought that he was a twisted soul that wanted to invent a new way of committing suicide without actually doing it yourself. To be perfectly honest i really do not know what to think of this kid. His lack of insight almost makes me feel no sympathy whatsoever for his foolish mistakes. The only reason I feel sorry for him is because of the torture that he must have put his family through. Chris McCandless was a brilliant student, but perhaps maybe not so brilliant of a person. In the end he probably recieved exactly what he asked for.
In Response to Outside Magazine
Dear Mr. Editor,
Chris McCandless's story has proven an enormous impact on my life, as I have never seen such a person willing to humble themselves to such an extent, in order to find "inner peace" with their lives, and bond with the beauty of nature. McCandless had everything going well in his life, graduating from college with high honors, and even coming out of an upper middle class family. Anyone who didnt know Chris at the time wouldve thought that he was just the average, well off, intelligent young man. For him to just leave all these gifts behind, and travel the world as a humbled man with few belongings took more that a crazy notion as some people may criticize, it took true courage, self-reliance, and love for nature. He left immediately following the graduation of his college, with a small goodbye, and not even a visit home. It angers me that some people believe Chris McCandless was a narcissist, acting out of "arrogance and stupidity". Only a real person, looking to explore the world, and find the meaning of life would act out of such nobility and courage.
Although he went out to write his own "story" and walk his own path, I do believe McCandless could have made some minor changes to his adventure. He could have carried the necessary materials such as money, a map, a satellite phone, or he could have told someone to come rescue him if he did not return on time. These mistakes cost him his life, which was a major loss for someone so humble and unique as he. Chris missed his opportunity to return to society, enlightened through his encounter with untouched nature, as he wasnt able to cross the river because he did not know that there was a cabin a few miles away, an easy crossing to the river a bit upstream, and didnt know what he ate was a poisonous seed. Nevertheless, Chris McCandless proved his transcendental beliefs as he travelled far into the Alaskan forest, leaving a legacy behind, as told by such people as James Gallien who had only met the man a few hours, and had his own life changed.
Chris McCandless's story has proven an enormous impact on my life, as I have never seen such a person willing to humble themselves to such an extent, in order to find "inner peace" with their lives, and bond with the beauty of nature. McCandless had everything going well in his life, graduating from college with high honors, and even coming out of an upper middle class family. Anyone who didnt know Chris at the time wouldve thought that he was just the average, well off, intelligent young man. For him to just leave all these gifts behind, and travel the world as a humbled man with few belongings took more that a crazy notion as some people may criticize, it took true courage, self-reliance, and love for nature. He left immediately following the graduation of his college, with a small goodbye, and not even a visit home. It angers me that some people believe Chris McCandless was a narcissist, acting out of "arrogance and stupidity". Only a real person, looking to explore the world, and find the meaning of life would act out of such nobility and courage.
Although he went out to write his own "story" and walk his own path, I do believe McCandless could have made some minor changes to his adventure. He could have carried the necessary materials such as money, a map, a satellite phone, or he could have told someone to come rescue him if he did not return on time. These mistakes cost him his life, which was a major loss for someone so humble and unique as he. Chris missed his opportunity to return to society, enlightened through his encounter with untouched nature, as he wasnt able to cross the river because he did not know that there was a cabin a few miles away, an easy crossing to the river a bit upstream, and didnt know what he ate was a poisonous seed. Nevertheless, Chris McCandless proved his transcendental beliefs as he travelled far into the Alaskan forest, leaving a legacy behind, as told by such people as James Gallien who had only met the man a few hours, and had his own life changed.
To the Editor
Amazing, it is the only word to descirde McCadlesses bravery to walk in to alaska. Sheer luck that he even lived as long as he did. Who would give up 25,000 dollars to charity burn all the cash in his pocket and abandon his car? Everyone wants to follow their own ideas that they form in life but no onw has the futs to do it and i give my hats off to Chris McCadless for it.
Not letting anyone sway his opinion, neither the truck driver nor anyone who tried to talk him out of it. I feel that he was not on a suicide mission but rather a mission to find himself. and in the end had he made a few changes he would have achieved what he set out to do. He would have found himself and then he would have gone back to tell his tale form his point of view. The author of the article has done jusice to McCadless.
It really suprised me however that anyone who was in honors classes would serve society without seving it. He showed people that if they wanted to do something who they were or what they became should stop them from achieveing it. McCadless thought that he did not do his life justice and therefore went to pursue what he thought would make him feel alive. Alaska, the rapids in the canyon, South dakota, all siece to be places in America but rather landmarks because McCadless had been there. All of them were just places full of just people then they were filled with people touched by Chris McCadless. The way he talked like a trancendentalist was aparently ispirational to the towns people as well as the people who read the article.
Overall I must say a great job on the authors part aswell as the McCadless.
Thank you
Yours Sincerely,
Swathi Nanduri
Not letting anyone sway his opinion, neither the truck driver nor anyone who tried to talk him out of it. I feel that he was not on a suicide mission but rather a mission to find himself. and in the end had he made a few changes he would have achieved what he set out to do. He would have found himself and then he would have gone back to tell his tale form his point of view. The author of the article has done jusice to McCadless.
It really suprised me however that anyone who was in honors classes would serve society without seving it. He showed people that if they wanted to do something who they were or what they became should stop them from achieveing it. McCadless thought that he did not do his life justice and therefore went to pursue what he thought would make him feel alive. Alaska, the rapids in the canyon, South dakota, all siece to be places in America but rather landmarks because McCadless had been there. All of them were just places full of just people then they were filled with people touched by Chris McCadless. The way he talked like a trancendentalist was aparently ispirational to the towns people as well as the people who read the article.
Overall I must say a great job on the authors part aswell as the McCadless.
Thank you
Yours Sincerely,
Swathi Nanduri
To the Editor
To the Editor of Outside Magazine,
I believe this was one of your best articles yet. The story of Chris McCandles's life has left a touch of insipiration on me. Chris McCandles's journey showed his bravery and self-reliance that he had when he left his family after college to look for danger, excitment, and the true meaning of life. I believe that everybody wishes to venture out into the wild at least once in their life, but not everybody has the courage to leave everything behind. When I read about what this boy did, he proved to me and many others that there are people out there that can break away from society and create their own path in life. Unfortunately, he made an error that was easily avoidable, but he didn't take the proper precautions that may have saved his life. Chris McCandles should have taken more on his journey, such as a map or money. I do realize that he wanted to venture off on his own, without having a map to tell him where he was, but if he would of had one with him, it could have been used in an emergency such as to find his way across the river. It's a shame that Chris McCandles died, he appears to have been a heart-warming boy, who leaves an impression on whoever he meets. How else would Gallien have remembered Chris? He was only with him for a little while. Chris was just another hitch hiker, but Gallien remembered even the littlest details about him.
Chris McCandles went off on the journey of his life, without looking back. He has shown me what it means to be a transendentalist. He gave up everything, including his gold watch and burning the money in his pockets; He did all of this to become one with the wild. Some people say he was unlucky because he couldnt get across the river, even though he was only a few miles away from salvation, and because he ate a poisonous seed that looks almost identical to a delicious potato seed. On the contrary, I think he was one of the very few lucky people in this world. He was born with enough courage and bravery to leave the cussion of society and see the world for what it truly is. He, unlike most people, was able the beauty of nature that a naked eye couldn't see. Chris McCandles may have died in a horrid way, but he was exactly where he wanted to be, and lived the life he wanted to live.
I believe this was one of your best articles yet. The story of Chris McCandles's life has left a touch of insipiration on me. Chris McCandles's journey showed his bravery and self-reliance that he had when he left his family after college to look for danger, excitment, and the true meaning of life. I believe that everybody wishes to venture out into the wild at least once in their life, but not everybody has the courage to leave everything behind. When I read about what this boy did, he proved to me and many others that there are people out there that can break away from society and create their own path in life. Unfortunately, he made an error that was easily avoidable, but he didn't take the proper precautions that may have saved his life. Chris McCandles should have taken more on his journey, such as a map or money. I do realize that he wanted to venture off on his own, without having a map to tell him where he was, but if he would of had one with him, it could have been used in an emergency such as to find his way across the river. It's a shame that Chris McCandles died, he appears to have been a heart-warming boy, who leaves an impression on whoever he meets. How else would Gallien have remembered Chris? He was only with him for a little while. Chris was just another hitch hiker, but Gallien remembered even the littlest details about him.
Chris McCandles went off on the journey of his life, without looking back. He has shown me what it means to be a transendentalist. He gave up everything, including his gold watch and burning the money in his pockets; He did all of this to become one with the wild. Some people say he was unlucky because he couldnt get across the river, even though he was only a few miles away from salvation, and because he ate a poisonous seed that looks almost identical to a delicious potato seed. On the contrary, I think he was one of the very few lucky people in this world. He was born with enough courage and bravery to leave the cussion of society and see the world for what it truly is. He, unlike most people, was able the beauty of nature that a naked eye couldn't see. Chris McCandles may have died in a horrid way, but he was exactly where he wanted to be, and lived the life he wanted to live.
Letter to Outside Magazine
Dear Outside Magazine Editor:
I am responding to the article about Chris McCandless's life and death. Although his story had a sorrowful ending, his journey will be the source of inspiration for those who need it for years to come. I am appreciative of your choice to profile McCandless in the last issue because he portrays an unconventional example of a person who wanted to reject conformity - and actually did. As reader Gina Lee articulated, McCandless's passion and zeal for living a full and natural life, free from suburbian restrictions, fully consumed him. He did not simply talk of traveling across the country with little more than the clothes on his back; he actually left the comforts of home to find adventure. What I believe led to McCandless's ultimate demise was the high standards he set for himself. He could not allow himself to bring conveniences with him into the Alaskan wilderness. If he had brought a map, he would have been "cheating," but directional reference would have saved his life by showing him nearby refuge. However, in McCandless's mind, bringing a map would have cheapened the experience, even if it meant difficulty leaving the Alaskan bush.
While many people think McCandless was foolish for venturing into the wild, he would not have cared about his critics. Therefore, I am glad you wrote this article, because it will show pessimistic opposition the spirit of a truly happy person. Your account of McCandless's life was an honest depiction of a man who made mistakes but held fast to his convictions. An article like this is why I read Outside magazine, and I am grateful to you for giving me motivation to achieve my goals in life. Thank you for an interesting and compelling article.
I am responding to the article about Chris McCandless's life and death. Although his story had a sorrowful ending, his journey will be the source of inspiration for those who need it for years to come. I am appreciative of your choice to profile McCandless in the last issue because he portrays an unconventional example of a person who wanted to reject conformity - and actually did. As reader Gina Lee articulated, McCandless's passion and zeal for living a full and natural life, free from suburbian restrictions, fully consumed him. He did not simply talk of traveling across the country with little more than the clothes on his back; he actually left the comforts of home to find adventure. What I believe led to McCandless's ultimate demise was the high standards he set for himself. He could not allow himself to bring conveniences with him into the Alaskan wilderness. If he had brought a map, he would have been "cheating," but directional reference would have saved his life by showing him nearby refuge. However, in McCandless's mind, bringing a map would have cheapened the experience, even if it meant difficulty leaving the Alaskan bush.
While many people think McCandless was foolish for venturing into the wild, he would not have cared about his critics. Therefore, I am glad you wrote this article, because it will show pessimistic opposition the spirit of a truly happy person. Your account of McCandless's life was an honest depiction of a man who made mistakes but held fast to his convictions. An article like this is why I read Outside magazine, and I am grateful to you for giving me motivation to achieve my goals in life. Thank you for an interesting and compelling article.
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