In the book Into the Wild Chris decides to change his life, he begins to live his life like a transcendentalist. One of the biggest concepts of transcendentalism is the idea …show more content…
First, Emerson believed that all people need to be true to themselves. For example he says, “Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind”(Emerson 225). Emerson is saying that nothing is as important as one's morals and what one believes in. Next, Emerson also believes that men and women should not try to be anyone but themselves and always stay true to themselves much like the idea of a transcendentalist which promotes individuality. In Self-Reliance, Emerson says “Whoso would be a man must be a nonconformist” (Emerson 225). Emerson values the idea that not conforming to society and being yourself with your own ideas is how to become a real man. Lastly, Emerson valued people’s differences and having different opinions. Emerson makes a very valid point when he states, “Is it bad then to be misunderstood? Pythagoras was misunderstood, and Socrates, and Jesus, and Luther, and Copernicus, and Galileo, and Newton, and every pure and wise spirit that ever took flesh. To be great is to be misunderstood” (Emerson 225). Emerson is making a point that the most brilliant people in the world were misunderstood in their lives so why is it bad to be misunderstood in the world. He is expressing that it is okay to have a different opinion or view on things, and that it is okay to not follow everybody else's ideas. Emerson believed that it was okay to be different, to be a nonconformist, and to have …show more content…
McCandless and Emerson both believe in the idea of non-conformity and self reliance. Chris believes that conforming to society is ridiculous and and that they only way to be eternally happy is to be your own person, much like the idea of Emerson who believes that non-conforming is the only way you can be a true man and be true to oneself. Also, Chris and Emerson both believe that someone should be able to be reliant on there self. Chris McCandless and Ralph Waldo Emerson both have similar ideas that relate to transcendentalism. Much like the beliefs of Ralph Waldo Emerson in Self-Reliance, in Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer, Chris McCandless reflects the ideas of transcendentalism. In Into the Wild Chris reflects such ideas like self reliance and noncomformity, similarly Emerson believes in ideas as self reliance, noncomformity, and becoming your own person. Each person Emerson and Chris have their own way of thinking but similarly would both be considered