Idea of progress

I’m going to talk about the notion of progress. I would like to illustrate this notion through the story of Chris McCandless told in the film and the book “Into the Wild”. Chris is rejecting the materialistic society. He was against the idea of progress. We can see Christopher Johson McCandless for the first time during his graduation. His parents seem to be the strict contrary of other parents who are applauding graduates. Indeed, his parents don’t seem to appreciate the fact that Christopher is the only one to jump on the stage and to get himself noticed. After the graduation, Chris his younger sister Carine and his parents go to a gourmet restaurant to celebrate his diplomas. In fact, we can notice that Chris family is a wealthy family. The atmosphere was tense even if the mother tries to make conversation because the father seems distant, aloof with his family. Chris announced that he wants to go to Harvard to study law. His parents look like suddenly happy. But, when his parents said that they would like to offer him a new car, Chris refused. He said that his actual car ran great. He reproaches his parents to worry about what the neighbours might think. As, Chris is against the consumerism he reproaches his parents for being materialistic. He disapproves their consumerism. Then, we can see that Chris doesn’t go to Harvard. Indeed, he gets rid of his papers so that nobody finds him. He backpacks through the United States to go to Alaska. Indeed, he wants to see the wilderness and to feel free. During this time his parents were worried and as Chris doesn’t have phone, they decided to visit him. But his flat was for rent. Chris had left two months ago in April. The letters sent to Chris come back in the house of his family because it’s a deal with the post office to hold them. Carine said she understood his departure because he had been studding for 4 years. Now, he is free from his parents and their materialism. Three month later Chris’s car was found by the police. The police said there were no struggles. Chris left his car willingly. His parents realized that Chris didn’t want to be found.

During his travels, Chris met a friend called Ron. When he was in South Dakota, he sent him a letter. Chris blames Ron for being a stay-at-home man. Ron and Chris don’t share the same vision of life. Ron seems to give priority to human relationship over a nomadic life. Indeed, Chris had to leave friends and family behind him.

In conclusion, Chris refused materialism of society and decided to go to Alaska. But in Alaska, he couldn’t find animals to eat. He found berries that he ate. But these berries were poison and Chris died. I think this story has a pessimistic view of the world. Indeed, it shows that no one can deny the consumer society today and that Chris finally makes a mistake. In rejecting materialism, he turned back to the world and that made him die.

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