A STUDY OF MCCANDLESS’ EXISTENCE: A FREEDOM AND FALSEHOOD LIFE IN JON KRAKAUER’S INTO THE WILD NOVEL
A THESIS
Submitted as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Sarjana Degree of English Department Faculty of Letters and Humanities State Islamic University of
Sunan Ampel Surabaya
By:
Mochammad Misbachul Munir
Reg. Number: A83212171
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
FACULTY OF LETTER AND HUMANITIES
STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY SUNAN AMPEL SURABAYA
A STUDY OF MCCANDLESS’ EXISTENCE: A FREEDOM AND FALSEHOOD LIFE IN JON KRAKAUER’S INTO THE WILD NOVEL
A THESIS
Submitted as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Sarjana Degree of English Department Faculty of Letters and Humanities State Islamic University of
Sunan Ampel Surabaya
By:
Mochammad Misbachul Munir
Reg. Number: A83212171
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
FACULTY OF LETTER AND HUMANITIES
STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY SUNAN AMPEL SURABAYA
ABSTRAK
Munir, Mochammad Misbachul. 2016. A Study of McCandless’ Existence: a
freedom and falsehood life in Jon Krakauer’s Into the Wild Novel. English
Departement, Faculty of Humanities. State Islamic University of SunanAmpel Surabaya.
The Advisor: Itsna Syahadatud Dinurriyah M.A.
Skrispi ini mencoba untuk menganalisa sebuah novel yang sangat luar biasa yang ditulis oleh penulis berkebangsaan Amerika bernama John Krakauer yang
berjudul Into the Wild.Into the Wild menceritakan tentang pemuda Amerika
Serikat yang bernama Christopher McCandless yang terdidik dan datang dari keluarga kaya, namun dia mempunyai cita-cita hidup mengembara di Alam liar daripada hidup nyaman di kota. Tujuan dari Skrispi ini adalah yang pertama untuk mengetahui karakteristik McCandless. Kedua untuk melihat cara McCandless menunjukkan eksistensinya untuk mewujudkan cita-cita dan menemukan identitas dirinya sekaligus menentukan akhir hidupnya.
Sementara skrispsi ini menggunakan metode analisis deskriptif. Dalam metode tersebut yang pertama adalah membaca cerita novel; kedua, mengumpulkan bagian-bagian yang pentingyang berhubungan dengan isu yang akan di bahas; ketiga, menganalisis, yang menggunakan dua theory, yaitu new criticism sebagai teori pendukung dan Eksistentialisme Jean Paul Sartre sebagai teori utama. Selanjutnya keempat berakhir dengan sebuah kesimpulan. Hasil dari analisi ini bahwa dengan karakter cerdas, idealis dan mandiri yang dimiliki, dan dengan segenap kebebasan yang dipilih dan resiko yang ditanggungnya, McCandles mendapatkan cita-citanya hidup di alam liar Alaska dengan menjalani kehidupan yang sederhana dan mandiri. Meskipun pada akhirnya McCandless tewas di Alam liar Alaska.
ABSTRACT
Munir, Mochammad Misbachul. 2016. A Study of McCandless’ Existence: a
freedom and falsehood life in Jon Krakauer’s Into the Wild Novel. English
Departement, Faculty of Humanities. State Islamic University of SunanAmpel Surabaya.
The Advisor: Itsna Syahadatud Dinurriyah M.A.
This thesis attempts to analyze a powerful novel written by an American
author, John Krakauer, under the title Into the Wild. The novel tells about a young
man from America, Christopher Johnson McCandless. He is from a rich family and he is an educated man. He has a dream in his life to wander in the wild. It is better than he lives comfortly in the city. The aim of this thesis is to know the characteristic of McCandless, to see how McCandless shows his existence to create his dream and finds his identity and decides the ending of his life.
This thesis applies descriptive analysis method that the steps are as follow: the first is reading the novel; then the second is collecting the important parts which is related with the issue of this thesis; the third is analyzing the data based on Jean Paul Sartre’s existentialism as then main theory and new criticism as the supporting theory; and the last is drawing the conclusion. The result of this thesis explains that the smart character, idealist and independence, and all freedoms that he is chosen and some risk that he is hold, McCandless gets his dream of life in the wild, Alaska. He does his life by living simply and independently. Unfortunately in the end of his life, McCandless die in the wild of Alaska.
.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Inside Cover Page ... i
Inside Title Page ... ii
Declaration Page ... iii
Dedication Page ... iv
Motto ... v
Advisor’s Approved Page ... vi
Examiner’s Approval Page ... vii
Acknowledgment ... viii
Table of Contents ... x
Abstract ... xii
Intisari ... xiii
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1. Background of study ... 1
1.2. Statement of the Problem ... 3
1.3. Objective of the study ... 4
1.4. Scope and Limitation ... 4
1.5. Significant of the study ... 4
1.6. Method of the study ... 5
1.7. Definition of key terms ... 7
2.1.1 Existentialism ... 9
1. Freedom ... 11
2. Responsibility ... 13
2.1.2 Self-Reliance ... 15
2.1.3 New criticism ... 18
1. Character ... 19
2. Characterization ... 21
2.2 Review of Related Studies ... 22
CHAPTER 3 ANALYSIS 3.1 McCandless’ Characterization ... 24
3.1.1 Direct Characterization ... 24
3.1.2 Indirect Characterization ... 31
3.2 McCandless’ Existentialism ... 35
3.2.1 McCandless’ Freedom ... 35
3.2.2 McCandless’ Responsibility ... 37
3.2.3 Finding self-identity in Alaska ... 40
CHAPTER 4 CONCLUSION ... 46
WORKS CITED ... 48
APPENDIXES Synopsis ... 51
M u n i r | 1
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background of Study
Literary Work is a phenomenon of a picture of life representing from time
to time. A life written in a literary work is the result of an author is view. Literary
work becomes a media for the author to portray the condition the community. It is
same as Sumarjo‟s statement that literature is an experience of human life,
thought, feeling, ideas, and faith in a form of real picture by using language as a
media (Sumarjo3).
The development of literature has developed well toward the time, and has
come to modern phase that influenced by globalization. Modern literature prefers
to develop it works with a various genres, such as poetry, prose and drama
(Kleden 7). The modern literary works has various theme, like social life
evenmore the controversial things. There is no absolute truth, isolated, hope,
historical rejection, seeing the phenomenon in the social system which sometimes
cannot cope of human‟s satisfaction (Klarer72). These conditions motivate people
to seek happiness by looking for identity. Therefore, Jon Krakauer writes a
literary work about the story of a man who wants to live freely.
Jon Krakauer is a journalist and a man from America. One of his works is
Into the Wild. Jon Krakauer writes Into the Wild which tells about a young man is
named Christopher JohsonMcCandless who has been died of poison in Alaska.
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magazine the edition of January 1993 along 9000 words. Jon Krakauer is
interested to retrace McCandless‟s life, then creates a book, and publishes it in
1996. McCandless is young man who chooses to live freely and leaves his family
by living in nature. It tells about his experience when his father was very
disappointed that he could not be his father‟s hope, but Jon Krakauer chooses to
be a writer and climber. He had an ambition like McCandless as well as a love for
nature and the outdoors. He too spent some time in the wilderness alone and
climbed mountains. Krakauer is quoted as saying about his own adventures that I
got away with it. Chris didn't. That's the only difference.
„‟In trying to understand McCandless, I inevitably came to reflect on…the grip wilderness has on the American imagination, the allure high -risk activities hold for young men of a certain mind, [and] the complicated, highly charged bond that exists between fathers and sons.‟‟
(http://www.jonkrakauer.com)
Into the wild will be a source of this research which concern on
thecharacter of Christopher Johnson McCandless. An educated young man who
has achievement of the study. He does just not have the good ability in his study
but also he has a good behavior, humble, idealistic, and he can think wisely. After
his graduation from Emory University, McCandless who is in his young age, 22
years old, decides to leave his family and begins a life with his own way that is
having an adventure in a free nature. With his new way of life, he left leaves about
his wealthy sincerely.
McCandless bravery is fueled by family circumstances which full of
falsehood, and also human life is too relying on material. In his new journey of
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all of that to seek the meaning of life and his freedom of life. Chris attitude is
accordance to the concept of existentialism by Jean Paul Sartre
Sartre said “Existence precedes essence” (24). It explain that man first of
all exists, encounters himself, surges up in the world and defines himself
afterwards. So man is nothing else but that which he makes of himself. That is the
mayor concept of existentialism.
Existentialism is a doctrine of real actions. Based on Sartre in Heter says
that existentialism is both a clarification of human existence and an appeal to each
of us to live this existence fully, openly, decidedly, and authentically (2). It means
that existentialism encourage human to action through free will to construct and
struggle for his existence.
Based on the explanation above, the research would analyse a novel Into
The Wild by Jon Krakauer, which will focus on a character Christopher Johnson
McCandless, a young man who chooses to live freely. The analysis in this novel
will apply theory of existentialism as a main theory and a new criticism as a
supporting theory which will explain character and characterization of Christopher
Johnson McCandless.
1.2 Statement of Problem
Based on the background of the study above, the problems of research will
be formulated in two following questions:
1. How is Christopher Johnson McCandless described in novel Into the
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2. How is Christopher JohnsonMcCandless show his existence described
in novel Into the Wild?
1.3 Objectives of the Study
In the connection with the problems of statement above, the research aim
to find out:
1. To description of Christopher Johnson McCandless‟s character in novel
Into the Wild.
2.To know how he show his existencein novel Into the Wild.
1.4 Scope and Limitation
To get a focused discussion, the study will be limited to the novel written
by Jon Krakauer entitled Into the Wild. The study focuses on the main character in
the novel. To answer problem of statement above, McCandless character becomes
the most important point to analyze. Therefore, the scope of this study is focusing
on the novel in which McCandless choose to freedom. The existence of
McCandless becomes the scope of this study.
1.5 Significance of the Study
This study is expected to give valuable contribution theoretically and
practically. Theoretically, it hopes that this study can be helpful for readers in
order to understand the content of the novel Into the Wild, and how the
M u n i r | 5
give knowledge to the reader's life, especially for those who have an interest in
studying and comprehending life through literature, and who crave freedom.
Practically, it hopes that this study can be used as reference, especially for
students of English Literature in Islamic State University of Sunan Ampel
Surabaya who analyze this novel or other novel by using existentialism theory.
For literary scholars or other people who are mostly interest in literature, this
research becomes a comparison for other researchers, although this can be
debatable to be more perfect by using another existentialism theory with the
difference experts. Since this study concern to someone who tries to escape from
the pressures of life and choose to live freely, it is also hoped that this research
will be helpful for common people to understand their existence in the world by
being a unique person, brave to think differently and having freedom to decide
choices through the life experience and Jean-Paul Sartre‟s life philosophy.
1.6 Method of Study
In conducting this research, there are some methods which are used. Those
are research design, research data, data collecting and data analysis.
1. Research Design
To answer the first and second statement of the problem above, the
research uses library research by using some books and other references like
articles, journals, and websites relate to the subject that will be analyzed. This
M u n i r | 6
the analysis in the form of words and sentences since the result is not statistic or
numeric data. Substantively it employ words to answer questions (Donal 420).
2. Source of Data
There are two sources of data, the primary data and the secondary. In this
research, the source of primary data is come from the novel itself that is Into the
Wild, written by Jon Krakauer, published in 1996 by Villard. Whereas, the
secondary data is come from books, articles, journals, and websites that relate
with the novel and explanation about existentialism theory.
3. Method of Collecting Data
Since the data becomes the most important part for conducting a research,
so it must be collected effectively and completely. Method of data collection is
one of the research methods parts that will explain how the data are collected to
support the research. In collecting data for the research which based on the
qualitative research method, the steps of data collection are:
a. Preparing novel entitled Into the Wild as the main data
b. Collecting the data from the novel by reading comprehensively and
repeatedly to get a valid data
c. Selecting the reference that is related to novel that can support the
research data
M u n i r | 7
The data in this research is written text come from a novel, the data that
have been collected will be analyzed using the theory of literature. The analysis
data will involve some steps, those are:
a. Collecting and selecting the narration and conversation of the
novel that are related to the problems of study.
b. Classifying the data based on the objectives of study.
c. Analyzing the collected data based on the theory and concept in
theoretical framework.
d. Drawing conclusion based on the result of data analysis.
1.7 Definition of Key Term
Freedom : It is thus not limited to a specific “faculty” of the
will; rather, it is a general power of choice and
self-determination, evident in a range of behaviors and
actions that lends existence its human character
(Michelman 183).
Responsibility : A condition that relates an agent to actions `of, and
consequences connected to, that agent, and is
always necessary and sometimes sufficient for the
appropriateness of certain kinds of appraisals of that
agent (Robert 794).
Self-Reliance : Intelligent, imaginative independence, freedom
M u n i r | 8
express one‟s own thoughts, ideas and dreams
(Emerson 134)
Falsehood : True lie or lie in the soul, believing wrongly about
the most important things in one‟s life (Ancient
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CHAPTER II
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Theoretical Framework
This chapter focuses on the discussion of some theories used as guidance
for conducting this study. Those are existentialism as the main theory whereas the
new criticism is supporting one. Existentialism theory is needed to describe the
process of the main character in his effort to find his freedom, therefore
existentialism theory of Jean Paul Sartre will be used.
2.1.1 Existentialism
It is not easy to define existentialism such as the other theory in
philosophy. It is the caused the characteristic and the doctrine of this theory is
varied. There are concepts are belong to this theory, such as being, freedom,
responsible, the others, existence, essence, death, facticity, absurd are explained in
different ways by existentialist (Saiful 55). Existentialists are influenced by the
different life experience, feeling, ideology, knowledge and spirit of age try to
define based on their critical point.
Epistemologically, the word existentialism is derived from the Greek word
Existere with the meaning ex (outside) and sistere (the way of standing), it refers
to the meaning as something the which is able to go out from the way ofstanding
or something which is able to exceed its presence (Abidin 33). In the
M u n i r | 10
human;both animals and plants are limited to the biological and physical
environment. Thus,existentialism is specialized to the human existence itself.
Further, existentialism can be understood as a philosophical movement viewed all
the phenomena come from human existence. Human existence means the way
how they live in this world. Human present in this world with all his
consciousness and his quality is differs with the other things. All the things in this
world exist but they do not realize or interact each other, indeed they will have a
meaning because of human existence itself (Dagun 16). From reviews of those
critical thinking, existentialism appears as the philosophical movement protests
again the view that human being is an object, so that human existence should be
taken seriously (Martin 7).
Existentialism is started through the existence of a premise precedes
essence. Existentialism does not discuss about human essence in abstraction.
Meanwhile it discusses about the concrete reality of human in specification,
through exist of human being in the world. Then, it will describe the existence of
human being as it has been experienced by human being. An essence refers to
general, abstract, static, so that it rejects to concrete, individual, and dynamic. On
other hand, an existence refers to concrete, individual, and dynamic (Abidin34).
Existentialism‟s views have a source from existentialist‟s thought. One of
them is Jean Paul Sartre. Sartre in Exixtentialism and Humanism (1946) says that
man is condemned to be free; because once thrown into the world, he is
responsible for everything he does. Man is nothing else but that which he makes
M u n i r | 11
and responsibility. It emphasizes that human have an absolute freedom to
construct himself, with a wish and an action. Human life is possibilities less of
meaning life; even it does not make a sense. However the clearly is human can
live with the rules of integrity, magnanimity, and courage, and he can construct a
human society.
Based on explanation above, existentialism of Jean Paul Sartre will be
used to analyze the object on next chapter. It is chosen, because it is suitable to
analyze the existentialism values in main character Christopher Johnson
McCandless in novel Into the Wild, Sartre‟s existentialism emphasize every
individual in freedom and responsibility. Human, after being thrown in this world,
has a freedom to decide and control himself. So, the concept of human existence
is freedom first, and then responsible for anything he chooses. Meanwhile, to
clearly clarify about existentialism by Jean Paul Sartre, it will be explained in this
research.
1. Fredoom
“I am condemned to be free. This means that no limits to my freedom can be found except the freedom itself”(Sartre 567).
Sartre resounds about the importance of freedom of man and creativity of
free choice. It emphasizes to individual absolute freedom. In existentialism, a
freedom of man appears as a logical consequence of statement existence precedes
essence. The meaning of existence precedes essence is affirmation subjectivism
which are not preceded by something called human nature or the rational scheme
M u n i r | 12
physiological, social and histories are rejected by existentialists. Human
determines his essence.
Barret says that Sartre‟s freedom is demoniacal. It is rootless freedom
(264). It emphasizes Sartre is the most radical in formulating the doctrine of
freedom, man is free and man is freedom. There is no limit and bound man, both
worldly and divinity. Principally, Human freedom is absolute with the
consequence of individual responsibility toward behaviors, thoughts, and
situations sendiri adalah juga absolute (Abidin201).
Freedom is not a matter which has to prove or speak; freedom is a reality
which has to accept through consciousness. Freedom man is free to choose among
possibilities, to decide among decides and responsible with all of it. Freedom has
relation with consciousness. Sartre in Heter says that he primary ontological
condition for humans is freedom. Our ontological freedom consists in the fact that
so long as we are alive, we are conscious. Ontological freedom is the freedom of
consciousness (2). It is explained that consciousness is a human potential to know
all of the facticity, or anything to be a pretentious to limit his freedom. In this
context, Sartre‟s view about the consciousness doctrine of freedom have a
intentional character, so that human will not ever just a consciously but conscious
of something. Sartre in Heterstates that freedom is the freedom of consciousness.
Consciousness is intentional. That is, consciousness always has a target or object;
consciousness is always consciousness of something (8). Sartre‟s view about
freedom is identical with consciousness. He tries to show about a consciousness
M u n i r | 13
a manner, so that the consciousness is avoided from causal relations which limit
it. In the world situation, every shape of consciousness is indicated by missing of
causal relation.
Sartre in Heter (10) argues thatfreedom of consciousness requires being
free in and against one's situation (one's past, brute reality, others and history).
The truly human being is a product of free own act. Being your self is possible if
human independent to choose and determine the shape of his existence. In a
principle, freedom is burdened to every man in specific situation in the world, and
it is not his choice. Human is free in a very free situation to mean his situation
through the deeds and efforts chosen and determined by himself. The world
situation is burdened to every man (example in the form of bad environment, war
and died), exactly it is become a requirement of freedom. Principally, freedom is
impossible to realize if there are no available situations, the stage do not choose
itself in this world. (Abidin 201)
Sartre says situation in the world as the absurd. It is because the world has
no reason to exist. Sartre says “I know that the world, the dirty world which
suddenly raises itself, and I had become upset with the dirty life and absurdity”
(180). The absurdity raises a pain and hatred feeling in the personality of human.
M u n i r | 14
2. Responsibility
Sartre in Existentialism and Humanism says that who, then, can prove that
I am the proper person to impose, by my own choice, my conception of man upon
mankind? I shall never find any proof whatever; there will be no sign to convince
me of it. If a voice speaks to me, it is still I myself who must decide whether the
voice is or is not that of an angel (26).It explains that human has a consciousness
to himself and cannot be changeable with others. Human being is different with
goods being, which there is no a consciousness. Man is nothing, but he tries to
create himself. Man creates himself with effort always. Then, man plans to
himself anything to face future as his existence. Man is nothing, but the important
thing is planning. Human existence emphasizes that he can fulfill his own needs.
He does not mean than his actions, no meaningful than life.It means that man is
responsible for himself. There is no anyone responsible besides human itself in
everywhere, and every human exist. In forming his self, human have a chance to
choose both of good and bad. So, every choice is his choice, he cannot condemn
others, even the lord. Sartre says “I am obliged to choose my attitude to it, and in
every respect I bear the responsibility of the choice which, in committing myself,
also commits the whole of humanity.” It means that although human makes a
decision based on independent control. Principe to choose is representatives of
humanity as an individual dream.
M u n i r | 15
On his effort, man always creates his freedom. It is identification by
choices which already chosen. Heter says that Sartre of being and nothingness
identifies freedom with choice of action (14). Sartre‟s view emphasize that
freedom is a foundation toward all of action that human choose. Human is free to
direct himself to anywhere, human is free to act and human is free to be anything.
However, human is not only free, but also is demanded to responsible for his
freedom with choice of action
Man should not claim anyone else when man face problems. The truly
man is responsible to himself. Man has a commitment and responsibility. He pays
attention toward his satisfaction and feeling which is showed by his dream. There
is no anything able to control everyone to face future. Human is feeling a freedom
to make a choice, even anything of a risk and responsible come true (Barnes256).
Therefore, if someone is conscious to exist then at that time he is not only
responsible to himself but also to every human. So a man is responsible to all of
his existence, toward himself, others and nature.Therefore he studies from
behaviors of others and nature. It effects his minds. Through his thoughts, he
chooses a possibilities which he faces and try to realize it. Then it becomes his
responsibility.
2.1.2 Self-Reliance
Self-reliance is the contemporary usage of the term suggests an
independent action, a reliance on one‟s own resources as opposed to dependence
M u n i r | 16
the commitment to intelligent and imaginative independence and freedom
whereby one has the courage and enthusiasm to think and to express one‟s own
thoughts, ideas and dreams rather than a fearful or careful reiteration of popular
opinion or traditional „truth‟. It emerges from a belief that one is capable of self
-guidance and self-determination. Emerson‟s message is to „trust thyself‟, to dare
to see the world with your own eyes, to experience life from your own heart and
to trust your own instincts. This is the attitude towards life which may be
observed in infants and small children, before they have been clapped into jail by
their consciousness‟ (Emerson134). It explains that Emerson urges us as adults, to
attempt a re-adoption of this creative engagement with the world. He urges as
adults be like a child‟s attitude. Principally, child‟s attitude as an unaffected,
unbiased, unbribable, unafrighted innocence.
Emerson‟s view about self reliance explains that life changes and grow,
and can always learn something new. Man‟s life is a progress and not a station
(Emerson169). It means that life must go on because new experiences open before
us and that we are, therefore, always learning. It also explains to everyone, even
the wisest and most learned, can learn something new, it can glimpse a different
perspective and can integrate the unfamiliar with the well-worn and well-tried.
In self-reliance, Emerson always resounds to everyone‟s ability.
According to him wisdom and truth are not the prerogative of the learned and the
scholarly; each individual has access to his/her own truth, and this truth has a
validity which may be honoured if we share it with the world: The learned and the
M u n i r | 17
observations to people who are not very acute or profound, and who say the thing
without effort which we want and have long been hunting in vain (242). It
emphasizes that Emerson warns us that others, even friendship is not an answer to
our own deficiencies and limitations; it demands self-reliance on our part. He
explains „We must be our own before we can be another‟s.
Emerson says that the „need‟ of every person is unique to that individual,
and can only be expressed in a spirit of self-reliance and self-determination:
„Insist on yourself; never imitate (150). It urges that self-reliance means forging
one‟s own path, thinking one‟s own thoughts and meeting life with courage and
enthusiasm.
Principally, Emerson‟s doctrine of self-reliance is a call to our better
natures; it is an invitation to embrace our own thoughts and opinions, our own
convictions and contradictions and our own integrity and independence. For
Emerson, this is what really matters because “nothing is at last sacred but the
integrity of your own mind” (Emerson135). Emerson‟s belief in the liberating and
enriching power of independent thinking and living is echoed in the famous words
of his friend and colleague, Henry David Thoreau, who personally represented the
self-reliance promoted by Emerson through his own life decisions and
commitments.
Thoreau, like Emerson, urges to follow our own star, no matter how
eccentric or unfamiliar it may appear to be. Thoreau says “if one advances
M u n i r | 18
imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours” (303). This
is also Emerson‟s message; to live our own lives, to think our own thoughts and to
follow our own dreams.
2.1.3 New Criticism
New criticism is a literary criticism developed in America in 1920-1960.
New criticism is firstly popularized by John Crowe Ranson in his book The New
criticism (1940), and continuously followed by I.A. Richard and T.S. Elliot. Other
important authors of new criticism are Allen Tate, R.P. Blackmur, and William K.
Wimsatt, Jr (Abrams, 1981: 109-110). In the United States, this criticism
develops, and the experts are David Daiches, I.A. Richards, Renne Wellek and
Austin Warren, Alan Tate, T.S. Elliot, Cleant Brook and others. (Teeuw, 1984:
133-134).
New criticism is a literary critics that focuses on literary text and it tries to
evaluate literary work based on the text (qtd.in Qomariyah 17). This criticism
considers that literature should be approached through its structure. As an
autonomous structure, literary work should be understood intrinsically. It means
that it refuses the historical background and author‟s biographical context.
Therefore, it focuses on understanding text with its intrinsic structure, like theme,
setting, plot, character, etc. in line with the statement, new criticism spends to
analyze irony, paradox, image, and metaphor. It also concerns with the setting of
the work, character, symbol, and point of view (www.teacherweb.com). This
criticism appears as a reaction to preceding literary criticism which much focuses
M u n i r | 19
Based on the statement above, the new criticism is applied to analyze
literary work on its intrinsic elements. One of the intrinsic elements is character
and characterization. It is done because this research attempts to analyze the
character Christopher Johnson McCandles. Thus, it will focus on his character and
characterization.
1. Character
Character becomes one of the fundamental elements in literature
(Nurgiyantoro 164). According to Bennett (73) character is part of the literary life.
From the character a curiosity, fascination, likes and dislikes reader on a literary
work appeared. According to Abrams (32) the characters are the people that
represented in a dramatic or narrative work, which interpreted by the reader as
someone who is endowed with moral, intellectual, and emotional qualities. It is a
character that makes a story alive, interesting and meaningful. Indeed from
reviews those characters itself, the reader can get the description of the whole
story. As Abram said that character is a person represented in dramatic or
narrative work who are interpreted by readers as possessing particular moral,
intellectual and emotional qualities shown that with dialogue and action in literary
work (42).
Understanding the character itself means that the readers also try to learn the
qualities of it. Character as a reference to the personage habits and total his
characteristic pattern of behavior (qtd.in Qorib 15), will provide the reader
character‟s qualities through his dialogue and action by which the reader
M u n i r | 20
life, also has a character in fiction character traits, for instance, character maybe
aggressive or fearful, careful or careless, confident or self-doubting and so on. A
character in a story almost true life, thus a successful author recreates the actual
throughout life itself roomates particular that is able to make the reader to see a
presentation of real life (Jacobs 135).
Character refers to the people who are created by authors to inhabit reviews
their stories (Mason 9). Characters as the person that are presented in the literary
work, where reviews their appearance is interpreted by the reader as a character
with desires, motivations, and emotional qualities are expressed through in their
words and action in the story. On the other word, character in the fiction work is
the representation and the description of the personal qualities in the real life.
Therefore, although the character in the literary works is fictitious, they have the
personal qualities as the real person.
Characters should be believable and consistent (Mason 9). Being believable
means they can be believable in the context of the story. Consistency requires that
any changes in character be motivated enough by what happens to them in the
story. Authors may reveal characters in a variety ways. First, by having other
characters tell about them. Third person narrators can give us information about
what characters are doing and thinking, what experiences they have had, what
they look like, how they are dressed, etc. Secondly, by telling about them directly
with certain personality traits and explanation of motivation not summarized or
M u n i r | 21
Character seen from complexity divides into two kinds there are round
character and flat character. Round character is a character who experienced a
change in attitude due to several factors that give a different character at the
beginning and at the end of the story. While the flat character is a character that
does not experience a change of attitude from the beginning until the end of the
story generally flat character played by players protagonist (Abrams :31). While
the kinds of character based on the characteristics of good and bad divide into
three kinds; first is protagonist character as the main character. Second is
antagonist opposite to the protagonist character. Third is tritagonist figure to
mediate between protagonist and antagonist (qtd. in Alfizuma 7).
2. Characterization
Character can make a reliable and vivid story. People are always interesting in
discussing a character. Everybody admits that a human is unique creature who has
a very rich dimension to be discussed. In order to build a full and clear portrait of
the character becomes more alive, an author uses characterization.
Characterization is the description of human character in novels (qtd.in
Qamariyah 21). Characterization is very important since the reader can explore
the novel by paying attention on the character‟s speeches, actions and comments
of the other characters in order to understand more about the idea of the story
(Holman 2).
There are two different approaches to characterization, they are direct
characterization and indirect characterization. With direct characterization the
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indirect characterization, the author shows us things about the character to help us
have an understanding of the character's personality and effect on other characters.
According to Terry (5) there are five different methods of indirect
characterization: speech; in this case the author wants to the readers know the
each character from the conversation or dialog between the characters. Thought;
here the author wants to the readers understand what the character is expressed
through his or her mind. The effect on others of the character; Here the author
tries to explain the characters to the readers through a character's behaviour as a
reaction to other characters. Action; the author describes the characters to the
readers through the actions or attitudes caused by character. Looks; the author
describes the characters of the story to the readers in terms of the appearance of
the characters.
2.2 Review of Related Studies
Thesis by Mohamad Shofwan entitled The Motives of Christopher
McCandless Wandering Into the Wild in Jon Krakauer’s Into the Wild. The aim of
this research is to find the causes that influence Christopher McCandless thought
and behavior and the end of the wandering as the motives of Christopher
McCandless wandering Into the Wild. The analysis emphasize on the influence to
Christ‟s mind from his family and his reading where it is formed by the
phsycological aspect inside of Christ personality. In this research, Mohamad
Shofwan uses theory phsycoanalisis from Sigmund Freud. Meanwhile, the
researcher and Mohamad Shofwan use novel Into the Wild, but The researcher
M u n i r | 23
Thesis by Agus Sugiyarto entitled A Young American’s Search For
Meaning Of Life In Into The Wild. The aim of this research is analyzing the way
or step to fulfill desire of the meaning of life of Christopher McCandless. In this
research, Agus Sugiyarto uses structural approach and psychology. Using both of
approach, Agus Sugiyarto found that desire of the meaning of life is a reason
Christopher McCandless to respect of his life. The researcher and Agus Sugiyarto
use novel Into the Wild, but The researcher uses existentialism theory to analysis.
Thesis by Ida Martogiana entitled Self Defense Mechanism Of Chris
Mccandless In Into The Wild By Jon Krakauer. Thesis by Ida Martogiana analyze
about self defense mechanism of Chris McCandless as a main character. Relate to
self defense mechanism, Ida Martogiana uses psychology theory by Sigmund
Freud. The result of this thesis explain Chris McCandless must use self defense
mechanism to solve conflict; such as acting out and identification. Meanwhile the
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CHAPTER III ANALYSIS
Both philosophy and literature have the same in reality that is about human
life (Sutrisno 16). The content of philosophy is based on the fact which evaluated
its identity and essence. In accordance, literature also comes from reality but it is
processed through imagination. This imagination is stated on the human's
creativity further is poured in written words (Sutrisno 16). Thus, philosophy and
literature can run together, due everyone can do philosophy through literature,
without regarding its form. This actually has been done by some of literary
scholars who express and criticize the reality through the words or languages.
The appearance of some travel literature novels shows the author's desires
to criticize reality of existence in a certain problems. Into the Wild is one of the
novels whichcontains reviews of those philosophical values. This chapter will
intend to analyze the characterization of a major character, Christopher Johnson
McCandless. Then, it gives about McCandless‟ view of life. Finally, to be closed,
it uses theory existentialism by Jean Paul Sartre to analyze the existence values of
him, such as freedom and responsibility.
3.1 Christopher Johnson McCandless’s Characterization
There are two different approaches to characterization; they are direct
characterization and indirect characterization. With direct characterization the
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characterization, the author shows us things about the character to help us have an
understanding of the character's personality and effect on other characters.
3.1.1 Direct Characterization
1. The description of McCandless in the novel A. Intelligence
McCandless is an intelligence young man. McCandless has intelligence when
he was child. His intelligence indicates other in athletic and academic field. In
athletic area, the narrator explains to us that at the age of ten, McCandless enters
hisfirst running competition, a ten-kilometer road race. He finishes sixty-ninth,
beats more than one thousand adults, and is hooked. By the time in his teens, he is
one of the top distance runners in the region.
Academically, at third grade school McCandless is a high achiever.
McCandless has acceleration class because he gets an excellent rate. Meanwhile at
junior high school McCandless only once did he receive a grade lower than B.
Then at senior high school, at W. T. Woodson High School—a large public
institution in Fairfax, Virginia, with a reputation for high academic standards and
winning athletic teams, McCandless is the captain of the crosscountry squad.
Then when studying in college his intelligence is showed by accepting in
Emory University, university with a reputation for high academic standards.
During class in Emory University McCandless often gets a good rate. Meanwhile
paragraph that support McCandless‟ intelligence can be seen below:
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had distinguished himself as a history and anthropology major with a 3.72 grade-point average. (16)
From paragraph above we can understand that Christopher Johnson
McCandless or Chris graduate from Emory University with a 3.72 grade-point
average. Although Emory University is one of university elite in America,
meanwhile Chris as a history and anthropology student, he get a perfectly rate
during his studying, a 3.72 grade-point from perfectly point 4. So, it shows to us
that Chris is an intelligence young man.
B. Social conscience
McCandless‟ social conscience begins when he was child. Since childhood he
has been very close to his sister, Carine.Chris fulfills his childhood together with
his sister. It is caused by his parents working in many times. So that is way Chris
to closer with his sister.
In his adulthood, Chris social conscience‟s character presents when he
entersenior high school senior year in Woodson, Chris took life‟s inequities to
heart. During his senior year at Woodson, he becomes obsessed with racial
oppression in South Africa. He speaks seriously to his friends about smuggling
weapons into that countryand joining the struggle to end apartheid.On weekends,
when his high school pals were attending “keg-gers” and trying to sneak into
Georgetown bars, McCandless would wander the seedier quarters of Washington,
chatting with prostitutes and homeless people, buying them meals, earnestly
suggesting ways they might improve their lives. Meanwhile other statements that
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The final two years of his college education had been paid for with a
fortythousand-dollar bequest left by a friend of the family‟s; more than twenty
-four thousand dollars remained at the time of Chris‟s graduation, money his parents thought he intended to use for law school. What Walt, Billie, and Carine didn‟t know when theyflew down to Atlanta to attend Chris‟s commencement—
what nobody knew—was that he would shortly donate all the money in his
college fund to Oxfam America, a charity dedicated to fighting hunger. (16)
Paragraph above tells us that Chris donates all the money in his college funds
to Oxfam America, a charity dedicated to fighting hunger. Meanwhile also
explains to us that Chris‟s donating means he pays attention to the problems
which are experienced by others, such as the famine.So paragraph above affirm us
about the social conscience character that Chris has.
2. Others Character think about McCandless A. Intelligence
Other character thinks that McCandless is intelligent. Chris‟ sister, Carine
says that her brother has an intelligence character. She says “Chris brought home
good grades, He does not get into trouble, he was a high achiever, he did what he
was supposed to” (80). Carine‟s statement explains us that Chris is intelligent
young man. Deeply through Carine‟s statement, we know that Chris does not
seem to feel difficult when he wants to getgood grades. Meanwhile, Carine‟s
statement also tell us that his brother understand about what he should do.
Therefore Carine‟s character describes to us that Chris has an intelligent character.
B. Social conscience
Other characters thinks that McCandless has a social conscience character
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claims that Mccandless has overdeveloped social conscience. Meanwhile
Hathaway‟s statement that supports Chris social conscience‟s character can be
seen in the statement below:
“It was a Friday night, and I assumed we were headed to Georgetown to party. Instead, Chris parked down on Fourteenth Street, which at the time was a real bad
part of town. Then he said, „You know, you can read about this stuff, but you
can‟t understand it until you live it. Tonight that‟s what we‟re going to do.‟ We spent the next few hours hanging out in creepy places, talking with pimps and hookers and lowlife. I was, like, scared.“Toward the end of the evening, Chris asked me how much money I had. I said five dollars. He had ten. „OK, you buy the gas,‟ he told me; „I‟m going to get some food.‟ So he spent the ten bucks on a big bag of hamburgers, and we drove around handing them out to smelly guys sleeping on grates. It was the weirdest Friday night of my life. But Chris did that kind ofthing a lot.” (79)
Hathaway‟s statement above tell us that Chris chooses go to the place where
some of pimps, prostitutes and lowly people gathered and talked with them than
go to the party with his friends in senior high school in Georgetown.
Hathaway also tell us that Chris ever invited her to buy a hamburger with his
money and then he distributedto homeless people on the roadside. Hathaway said
that Chris did it many times. So through other character Hathaway, she affirm to
us that Chris has overdeveloped social conscience character.
Meanwhile Carine also explains to us that Chris has social
conscience character. Carine, Chris‟s sister claims that Chris social conscience‟s
character show through loving her. Carine claims that his brother very loves her.
Then Carine‟s statement that supports Chris social conscience‟s character can be
seen in the statement below:
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was still in grade school, he gotout earlier than me, but he‟d hang out at his friend Brian Paskowitz‟s house so we could walk home together.” (77)
Carine‟s statement above explains to us that Chris very love and protective to
her. It show when Chris was in junior high and Carine was still in grade school,
Chris got out earlier than Carine, but he‟d hang out at his friend Brian Paskowitz‟s
house, then Chris and her sister could walk home together. So, through Carine‟s
statement above affirm to us that Chris has social conscience character.
C. Idealist
Other characters thinks that Chris is an idealist, itcoming from his mother,
Billie. Billie explains to us that although hisson was born in the race and competes
for the money, but Chris has contrary-minded. Chris grow become a man who is
not interested to money. Meanwhile Billie‟s statement that supports Chris
idealist‟s character can be seen in the statement below:
“We worked very, very hard,” Billie emphasizes. “We did without when the kids were little, saved what we earned, and invested it for the future.” When the future finally arrived, they didn‟t flaunt their modest wealth, but they bought nice clothes, some jewelry for Billie, a Cadillac. Eventually, they purchased the townhouse on the bay and the sailboat. They took the kids to Europe, skiing in Breckenridge, on a Caribbean cruise. And Chris, Billie acknowledges,“was embarrassed by all that.” (80)
Billie‟s statement above explains to us that Chris is embarrassed with his
wealth. He should be proud with his family‟s wealth, but it does not affect to
Chris. Chris thus feel ashamed with his wealth and luxury.Meanwhile other
statements by Billie that support Chris‟s character can be seen in the paragraph
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"Chris, the teenage Tolstoyan, believed that wealth was shameful, corrupting,
inherently evil—which is ironic because Chris was a natural-born capitalist with
an uncanny knack for making a buck.“ (80)
Billie‟s statement above affirms to us that Chris is the man figurewho believes
that wealth is shameful where the wealth will cause chaos and bad behavior. By
having dream as a rich man, someone can oppress and deceive each other in order
to reach the aims. Since a man idolizes money so the humanity is less.
Besides, the statement above also tells us that his mother, Billie believes that
his son is Tolstoyan or Leo Tolstoy‟s fellow where Leo Tolstoy‟s life is far from
wealth. He leaves wealth and chooses simple life. It is started when Leo was in
Kazan University for studying language and law, but he is getting bored so he
decides to get out of the collage. Although he decides to get out of the collage, he
still knows and understands the diverging life practices. A nobleman who lives in
luxury life, it does not get wealth in the right way. When Leo Tolstoy passes his
study, he then goes around and wanders the West Europe. His hearth nauseates
toward west civilization and materialism in bourgeois society. Leo Tolstoy‟s
decision which passes his life by leaving wealth and life in simple way becomes
the inspiration for many people. Hence Billie calls his son; Chris is one of Leo
Tolstoy‟s fellow that feels ashamed by either wealth or materialism in a life.
D. Independent
His mother, Billie is other character that says Chris is independent character.
Billie says to us that Chris‟ independence begins when Chris was child. Billie says
that here is this cute little boy pulling a wagon full of fresh-grown beans and
M u n i r | 31
on his face like I‟m damn cute! Want to buy some beans? By the time he comes
home, the wagon would be empty, and he‟d have a bunch of money in his hand.
Then Billie also explain to us that Chris grew vegetables behind his house in
Annandale and then sold it door-to-door around the neighborhood when Chris was
eight-year-old. Meanwhile Chris print up a stack of flyers and start a
neighborhood copy business named as Chris‟s Fast Copies, offering free pickup
and delivery. Using the copier in Walt and Billie s office, he paid his parents a
few cents a copy, charged customers two cents less than the corner store charged,
and made a tidy profit when Chris was twelve years old. So, we know that Chris is
independent character.
3.1.2 Indirect Characterization
1. McCandless’s action
Chris‟s idealist character also presents through his action. It can be seen, after
Chris graduated from Emory University. Chris leaves all the wealth and
luxuries in his life. Chris leaves home and family. It can be seen in paragraph
below:
By then Chris was long gone…. At long last he was unencumbered, emancipated from the stifling world of his parents and peers, a world of
abstraction and security and material excess, a world in which he felt grievously cut off from the raw throb of existence.Driving west out of Atlanta, he intended to invent an utterly new life for himself, one in which he would be freeto wallow in unfiltered experience. (18)
Paragraph above tells us that after passing or graduating his study for about
M u n i r | 32
existence in passing of life. Christ then leaves his home everything. He is meant
to create a new real life for himself where he will be free to mourn without
filtering experience. Meanwhile other statement that supports Chris idealist‟s
character can be seen in the paragraph below:
He saw the flash flood as an opportunity to shed unnecessary baggage. He concealed the car as best he could beneath a brown tarp, stripped it of its Virginia plates, and hid them. He buried hisWinchester deer-hunting rifle and a few other possessions that he might one day want to recover. Then, in a gesture that would have done both Thoreau and Tolstoy proud, he arranged all his paper currency in a
pile on the sand—a patheticlittle stack of ones and fives and twenties—and put a
match to it. One hundred twenty-three dollars in legal tender was promptly reduced to ash and smoke.(21)
From paragraph above, it can be explained in his action, Chris also leaves his
car and slop out the contents of the baggage. Chris also
leaves everything whichstill stick him, such as buryingthe account card etc that
are in his wallet. Chris also burns the money in hiswallet. Subsequently,
Chris wanders alone with a backpack on his back and goes to the wild. So,
through Chris‟ action we know that he has an idealist character.
2. McCandless’s speech
Chris‟s idealist character isalso presented through the McCndless's speech. In
his wandering, Chris meetsother wanderer; the wanderer is a hippiecouple. The
sweet couple tells that they also have a son as Chris‟s age. Then, Chris‟s figure
can remind them to their son.With the friendly nature of Chris, quickly they are
M u n i r | 33
the sweet couple asks to Chris about why he does it all. Then, Chris answers by
using Henry David Thoreau‟s quotation; we can see the quotation below:
“Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth. I sat at a table where rich food and wine in abundance, an obsequious attendance, were but sincerity and truth were not; and I went away hungry from the inhospitable board. The
hospitality was as cold as the ices.” (82)
Chris‟s words above tells us that life is sincere life and full of the truth. The
meaning is life is what it is. It is Friendly and simple life, andthe real life. Life is
unreal life that is filled with luxury and materialism. So we know that Chris‟
speech indicates him an idealist young man.
3. McCandless’s thought
After explaining the idealistic character ofChris‟s actions and speeches, the
other characters suchas independence also presents through Chris‟s thoughts. The
thought is told to someone else who meets him in his wanderings. Ronz Franz, he
is the person who meets with Chris, he is a retired military that is looked like
someone lose way when he lose his family. He losehis wife and son who passing
away in the crash.Ronz said that Chris is a figure that is still young. He should
have a high school and good career.
However, because of the friendly of Chris, then Ronz is enamored by Chris
quickly. Then, Ronz tries to adopt Chris but Chris refuses him. Chris promises if
he will send a letter to Ronz everywhere he is.After leaving Ronz, Chris
continues his wandering, Chris keeps his promise to send a letter to Ronz. In that
letter, Chris says that Ronz should revolutionize his life to get more life. It is
M u n i r | 34
“So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of
security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man‟s living spirit is his
passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greaterjoy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun. If you want to get more out of life, Ron, you must lose your inclination for monotonous security and adopt a helter-skelter style of life that will at first appear to you to be crazy.You are still going to live a long time, Ron, and it would be a shame if you did not take the opportunity to revolutionize your life and move into an entirely new realm of experience.My point is that you do not need me or anyone else around to bring this new kind of light in your life. It is simply waiting outthere for you to grasp it, and all you have to do is reach for it. The only person you are fighting is yourself
and your stubbornness to engage in new circumstances.”
Statement above tells us that Chris wants Ronz to revolutionize his life. It
shows that to through this life, someone who has the courage to fight a life of
security because the very basiccore of the man‟s living spirit is the secure future.
So, to take anopportunity to life to revolutionand move to a whole new world of
experience. Therefore, someone will become accustomed to relying
on anything forhimself and independent because the only one who are
struggling is ourself. So,for that future, someone will enjoy his life with
a better life due to those experiences. Through McCandless‟s thought, we know
that he affirm to us about experience life with out of security zone and
accustomed to relying on anything for himself and independent life.
3.2 Christopher Johnson McCandless’ Existentialism
Based on existentialism theory by Jean Paul Sartre previously, he says that
man is condemned to be free. Condemned, because he did not create himself, yet
M u n i r | 35
is responsible for everything he does (Sartre 16). Sartre‟s statement explains to us
that every human gets freedom to create a life through a choice and action
independently. Yet every human is demanded to responsible for everything he
does. Meanwhile on the analysis below, it will explain about the existence of the
main character in novel Into the Wild, Christopher Johnson McCandlesss. It is
about his freedom and responsibility. Both of them will accompany him to find
self-identity on his life, before in the end of his life tragically.
3.2.1 Christopher Johnson McCandlesss’s Freedom
Christ‟s freedom is started when he was in senior high school at W. T.
Woodson High School—a large public institution in Fairfax, Virginia. He is
obsessed with racial suppression and injustice in South Africa. He talks about
gunrunning in that country with his friends seriously. His mother, Billie says that
his son is fond of that thing. Christ hardly thinks about how people are allowed to
be famine, in particularly this country.
Basically, freedom is life without hypocrisy and falseness. Meanwhile, after
passing from Emory University, Christ‟s family celebrates graduation party. His
parents suggest him to continue his school to reach the satisfying career. His
mother, Billie gives him the gift such luxury car in which will be used while his
father gives Christ a lot of money. Those are the strategy from his parents that
they want him to reach satisfying career in his life.
However, Christ feels ashamed toward his own wealth. He assumes that both
of his parents are full of hypocrisy and falseness of life. Thus, it can make Christ
M u n i r | 36
mother, Billie assumes that his son is bashfulness toward his family‟s wealth
which is inspired by Leo Tolstoy, the figure novel of his reading. Chris is
Tolstoyan or Leo Tolstoyan‟s fellow. It is asserted by Billie. Billie‟s statement
shows that Christ is Tolstoyan or Leo Tolstoyan‟s fellow; it can be seen as below:
"Chris, the teenage Tolstoyan, believed that wealth was shameful, corrupting,
inherently evil—which is ironic because Chris was a natural-born capitalist with
an uncanny knack for making a buck.“ (80)
Billie‟s statement above tells us that Christ is a young man that believes that
wealth is shameful where the wealth will cause chaos and bad behavior. By
having dream as a rich man, someone can oppress and deceive each other in order
to reach the aims. Since a man idolizes money so the humanity is less. Besides,
the statement above also tells us that his mother, Billie believes that his son is
Tolstoyan or Leo Tolstoy‟s fellow where Leo Tolstoy‟s life is far from wealth. He
leaves wealth and chooses simple life. It is started when Leo was in Kazan
University for studying language and law, but he is getting bored so he decides to
get out of the collage. Although he decides to get out of the collage, he still knows
and understands the diverging life practices. A nobleman who lives in luxury life,
it does not get wealth in the right way. When Leo Tolstoy passes his study, he
then goes around and roams the West Europe. His hearth nauseates toward west
civilization and materialism in bourgeois society. Leo‟s decision which passes his
life by leaving wealth and life in simple way becomes the inspiration for many
people. Hence, his mother, Billie calls his son; Chris is one o Leo Tolstoy‟s fellow
M u n i r | 37
Therefore, Chris wants that life without falseness. He also wants to pass life as
simple life and be own master. Christ‟s desire is existed through the life that is not
rich such simple life, without money, and also without luxurious facilities.
3.2.2 Christopher Johnson McCandlesss’s Responsibility
Responsible toward the Chris‟s choices that chooses free life without
money and luxurious facilities are existed through some kind of things. The first
thing is drawn that Chris leaves his home. The second thing is captured that Christ
changes his name. The third thing is seen that Chris burns his money in his wallet.
The forth thing is known that Chris passes life by wandering in to the wild.
Chris leaving home is one of the responsible things toward his choice. Chris
chooses to pass free life, to be own master without money, luxury. Thus, Chris
leaves his home. His home is the symbol falseness of life where it is the second
place of his parents which is full of luxurious facilities and there are many rules
that they made for his son, Chris. Meanwhile statement that supports Chris leaves
his home, it can be proved in:
“By then Chris was long gone. Five weeks earlier he‟d loaded all his belongings into his little car and headed west without an itinerary. The trip was to be an odyssey in the fullest sense of the word, an epic journey that would change everything. He had spent the previous four years, as he saw it, preparing to fulfill an absurd and onerous duty: to graduate from college. At long last he was
unencumbered, emancipated from the stifling world of his parents and peers, a world of abstraction and security and material excess, a world in which he felt grievously cut off from the raw throb of existence.Driving west out of Atlanta, he intended to invent an utterly new life for himself, one in which he would be freeto wallow in unfiltered experience. (18)
Statement above tells us that after passing or graduating his study for about
M u n i r | 38
all elements of his life that are judged as blocking his existence in passing of life.
Chris then leaves his home everything. He is meant to create a new real life for
himself where he will be free to mourn without filtering experience. So Chris
decides to leave all of security zone that all of them exist in house.
The second responsible thing of Chris is changes his name. After leaving his
home, Christ further decides to change his name. It is his responsible thing toward
life choice. Christ choose to pass a life that totally free. Statement that supports
Chris changes his name, it can be proved below:
To symbolize the complete severance from his previous life, he even adopted a new name. No longer would he answer to Chris McCandless; he was now Alexander Super-tramp, master of his own destiny. (18)
Statement above tells us that after leaving house, Chris change his name to be
Alexander Super-Tramp. The name explains that it symbolizes the new of his life.
His life is free life and to be own master. The meaning of his name is that Chris
now becomes a man who choose vagabond.
Furthermore, the third responsible thing that is described that Christ burns his
money in his wallet. Christ chooses to pass that totally free. Meanwhile
paragraph shows that Christ burns his money, it can be proved below:
One hundred twenty-three dollars in legal tender was promptly reduced to ash and smoke. We know all of this because McCandless documented the burning of his money and most of the events that followed in a journal-snapshot album he would later leave with Wayne Westerberg for safekeeping beforedeparting for
Alaska.(22)
Paragraph above tells us that Chris burns one hundred twenty-three dollars is
promptly reduced to ash and smoke. Chris does it before departing to Alaska. So
