Death of an Innocent

In this society it’s hard to consider that someone would voluntarily want to live a life without worldly processions, responsibilities, and money. As I continued reading this intriguing narrative I began to ask myself, is living a life such as that really a dreadful idea? I think everyone can in some way relate to McCandless. Granted his actions are somewhat far fetched, but his beliefs are a staple in American culture. For the most part, it seems that people have forgotten the simple things in life. Living in a culture where you are judged on how much you accomplish your wealth, and success. We often lose sight that money and other economic value is not the true meaning of life.
Chris McCandless is someone who dared to go against the norm and be true to himself. His ideas were simple, to live a life free from society’s ideas of happiness, and to better understand oneself. Even though times have changed since this heroic story took place, people still carry McCandless views and beliefs in society today. In this generation where we put so much value on material possessions, it is often hard for us be content with oneself. In the story, it is made clear that McCandless despised the idea of materialistic assets that we as a Western society have now become obsessed over. In several instances the author describes how worldly goods are of no importance. It mentions how he donates $20,000 to a Famine Relief Fund, and also speaks about how he burned the little money he did have, and buried the meager belongings he owned. Once again his he goes over board with his actions but we have all given money away to someone or an organization. Donated clothes to the goodwill, or even given something that you valued to someone who was in dire need.
Living in a world where economic value is the forefront of our society we tend to fall in society ideas of what we can do to make money. Money equals success therefore success equal happiness. That’s what is frequently discussed thought our society. Often it is instilled in the youth to go to college so you can get a good job and make oodles of money. Rarely do you hear people telling there children to go to school do to something you enjoy and love. McCandless thoughts of “losing our bearings to push overselves into unknown territory,” is somewhat freighting to many of us, but we have gone through it. Simple things such as your first day of school, to meeting new people, are some examples. In an uncanny way McCandless exists in all of us. Even though we may not be as extreme or adventurous as he, we all need time to find our own path in life. Death of an Innocent, in not only an appropriate title for the story, it is also a great way to explain what is going to happen if economic value is the primary goal in our lives.