In and out of the wilderness

In his excerpt, Esturvick Evans adventures to the solitude and grandeur wilderness of the western civilization to rid himself of the imperfections of society, while at the same time learn about the more correct views of human nature. He explains how he wants to “divest myself of the factitious habits, prejudices and imperfections of civilization” (Evans). Evans believes society has lost its lust for the wild and nature. And that society needs to venture back into the wilderness to experience the true and raw feelings of human nature. On the other hand, Roderick Nash speaks of wilderness to be a means of an escape to those bored and disgusted with civilization. In his excerpt, he describes a pioneer in search of human nature’s true values. He writes “it [wilderness] not only offered an escape from society but also was an ideal stage for the romantic individual to exercise the cult that he frequently made of his own soul” (Nash). It appears as if Nash is describing Evans and mocking the people who want to express themselves spiritually through nature since cult is like a separate group from everyone else. He expresses how the materialistic world is filled with things that become so ordinary and redundant that we do not know what natural beauty is anymore. Both authors talk about the wilderness as a means of escape from the materialistic world and that by venturing out to the wilderness, people can understand the importance of nature in their everyday lives.

Evans and Nash on nature

In Evans article, he is describing why he would like to go into nature. He wants to know what it truly means to be a human being while distancing himself from the modern civilization of that time. To do this, he wants to go into the wildreness during the winter so he can truly experience the full power of nature. In Nash's article, he is saying that wilderness only appeals to those who are currently tired or unhappy with civilized life. He describes a stage that the Romantic individual can display their actions and ideas so he can properly mock them for it. It is almost as though they are just entertainment to the civilized world. This cult that Nash describes is the Romantic individual's own following that he must complete. After reading the articles, it becomes apparent that Nash is describing people like Evan in his article.

Returning to the Wild

Through the ages, civilization has gone through changes, which have brought about differences in the way people conduct their lives. This is how Estwick Evans felt about modern society. He felt as though society had become somewhat corrupted during its development. To him society represents something, which has in a way become lost and needs to find its way back to where it originally came from. That is where nature comes into play. Nature is seen by Estwick and Nash, who believed nature, was for those who gave up on civilization, as a pure world. Nature isn’t even seen to be a part of the same world as civilization because they are so different. It is though nature represents the way of the past. Nature is the pure world untouched or corrupted by man or time. Those wishing to seek refuge in this uncorrupted place are looking for something human beings have lost over time. They’re looking for human ideals, which have been lost on the journey of human development. Returning to nature is like returning to the past ways, which people have given up for more modern conveniences.

Divesting oneself and its implications for society

Both Estwick Evans and Roderick Nash discuss how the wilderness helps an individual learn more about himself and escape from the negative aspects of civilization. However, when closely analyzing the word choice both authors use, it becomes clear that they are really saying so much more than that. Evans specifically discusses how he wants "to divest [him]self of the factitious habits, prejudices, and imperfections of civilization" (344). The word "divest", meaning undress, has some very interesting implications in the context which he uses it. By expressing his need to divest society, it implies that he feels stifled and constrained by it, similar to someone wearing a bundle of jackets on a hot day. Much more significant though, is the unspoken implication that this metaphorically clothing is not as natural as the raw nakedness Evans would like to achieve. The clothing represents society and Evans' need to divest it to discover the "true nature" of man indicates that the raw essence of who a person is is stifled by the society he or she lives in. Nash too offers a similar interpretation of how some romantic individuals view society. He describes the wilderness as an "ideal stage for the Romantic individual to exercise the cult that he frequently made of his own soul" (344). The idea of a stage implies getting into a character or a new mindset in which one has less creative restrictions. Nash comparing the wilderness to a stage is significant because he is saying that the wilderness brings out a different side in people, in which they feel less restricted by the constraints of society. The stage is where they can not only be their true selves, but more importantly, the people they want to be. This idea seems contradictory, because normally when one is on stage, he or she is in a different role. However, the stage of the person's own soul is a true reflection of how the person in question views himself, as opposed to how society views him. So often people define themselves by how others define them, but in the wilderness, Nash expresses that these romantic individuals can not only escape from social judgment, but truly express themselves. Both authors are indicating that society can be a stifling thing that suppresses an individual's true spirit, and therefore, people escape to the wilderness to rediscover their true selves.

According to the two quotes in the beginning of selections from Into the Wild by Estwick Evans and Roderick Nash, the wilderness ,perhaps, offers a way for people to escape from the civilized perspective of the world and experience that world from a new point of view. This wilderness provides "the solitude and total freedom" required to be unbound from the laws of society. Only in this law-free environment can people see the "more correct views of human nature and of the true interests of men." People have to be placed in a different environment in order to be enlightened of the events occurring around them.
However, the wilderness isn't for everyone. It is only for the "bored or disgusted". Only those who are able to endure the suffering and dangers can survive the harsh realities of nature. One must have the desire to learn of the "prejudice and imperfections of civilization" to fully experience and survive the solitude and uncertainty of the backwoods.

Evans and Nash's "solitude"

"I wished to aquire the simplicity, native feelings, and virtues of savage life; to divest myself of the factitios habits, prejudices and inperfections of civilization;... and to find, amidst the solitued and grandeur of the western wilds, more correct views of human nature and of the true interest of man. The season of snows was preferred, that i might experince the pleasure of suffering, and the novelty of danger." (The Alaska Interior, Estwick Evans).



"Wilderness appeled to those bored or disgusted with man and his works. It not only offed an escape from society but also was an ideal stage for the Romantic individual to exercise the cult that he frequently made of his own soul. The solitude and total freedom of the wilderness created a perfect setting for either melancholy or exultation." (Wilderness and the American Mind, Roderick Nash).



In this quote it seems as if nature or the wilderness is some type of paradise that most people want to go to, to escape their problems. Evans uses the word “solitude” in his quote which sounds to me as if it means that there is no influence of man in the wilderness, as if these people can escape from their day to day problems. Also by “solitude” it could mean the lack of technology. These days technology is everywhere and you see it 24.7 nonstop, it can be overwhelming, but in the wilderness there is no technology and there we can take a rest from it. Nash also mentions “solitude” in his quote and it sounds exactly the same how Evans mentions it in his quote. Nash’s usage of “solitude” seems to mean, again, the lack of human influence or signature. A place to get away from it all and put aside our thoughts about our human problems and just relax; where “total freedom” can be found. Freedom from work, thoughts of human regular problems like bills and things of that nature and freedom from being with other human beings.

Evans and Nash

The idea of being alone in nature is intriguing for both Evans and Nash along with most people. But the mindset you hold for such a journey is extremely important. Evans thinks that the thrill of the trip and the danger creates the experience. He states “that I might experience the pleasure of suffering and the novelty of danger” (344). These thrills can only be achieve by a near death or dangerous experience. Nash seems to think differently. He says “the solitude and total freedom of the wilderness created a perfect setting for either melancholy or exultation” (344). Nash’s point is just that the beauty and vastness of nature is enough to get anyone excited. You don’t need to put your life at risk to get everything you can from nature. Nature can be appreciated many different ways be many different people.

A Natural Soul

Both Estwick Evans and Roderick Nash answer an essential question, “What is wilderness?” Roderick Nash describes it as a safe haven for those who want to “escape from society”, where one can express what he wants without fear of consequences. Nash states that the wilderness appeals to those who are sick of the monotony of human life. This is very similar to shamans, who segregate themselves from most of the human world in order to have a connection to nature. Estwick Evans opposes that view by describing nature as a place of “simplicity, native feelings, and virtues of savage life”. He states that civilization actually gave him “factitious habits, prejudices, and imperfections”, which are not true to human nature. Wilderness, according to Evans, is essentially where we as humans can go back to our roots and change our mindset. This is just another form of what Nash describes as a stage where one can express himself and “exercise the cult…of his own soul”. Soul is defined by the OED as the principle of life in man or animals, while nature is defined as the vital or physical powers of a person. Although they are talking about different aspects of a person, they are conveying the same idea: nature reveals a person for who they truly are, letting one enjoy or express themselves to their heart’s content.

Connections from Into the Wild

The two selected paragraphs from Into the Wild are basically hinting that nature acts as a safe haven from what we have made of our civilization. It offers a new beginning where man can have a fresh start at life, and "divest [himself] of the factitous habits, prejudices and imperfections of civilization" (Evans). Wilderness attracts people who are not pleased with the way that society is today. Not only is this environment an escape from what man has created, but it allows a person to "exercise the cult that he frequently made of his own soul" (Nash). The paragraphs together imply that nature is an escape from the daily imperfections of civilization, whether for better or for worse, which is what man strives for.

Connections for into the wild

Jon Krakauer introduced an essay “Into the Wild” with two quotes from Estwick Evans and Roderick Nash. Both quotes talk about people escaping society to find what is the true meaning in humanity. Nash excerpt talks about certain individuals who are “bored or disgusted” with society what society is. These people leave to find a peaceful place to express their ways in finding their answers to life. In Evans excerpt, he expresses his experience out into the wilderness finding his answers. Evans is an example of the people Nash talks about. Nash speaks of one who is “bored or disgusted”. Evans is disgusted with the faults in civilization from its “factitious habits” and “prejudice”. Evans feels that the way society is at the time is not right and he must go into the wild to find the right ways to do things in life. Nash also speaks of that the wilderness is a place for a “Romantic individual to exercise the cult that he frequently made of his own soul”. This individual “Romantic” is one who wants to get away from what everyone else is doing. One who is not for conforming to the norms of society and wants to what they believe. According to the OED a cult is “A relatively small group of people having religious beliefs or practices regarded by others as strange or sinister”. Nash refers the Romantic performing the cult because it isn’t normal and more radical. Evans on the other hand expresses his desire of finding the “correct views of human nature and of the true interest of man”. His desire is Nash’s reference of a cult because he believes different and wants to practice what he believes is the “right” way humans should live. Both authors talk about people thinking that going into the wild will help them find their answers of how society should be.

Evan seems to be set out on a journey of self discovery. He is like a traveler interested in experiencing things that contrast each other, like the "pleasure of suffering". His desire to experience the wilderness stems from a more spiritual pursuit of the ideal states of human behavior. At the same time Nash seems to be refuting the "grandeur" of the wilderness that Evans is fascinated about. Speaking from a scientific mind, Nash claims that romanticizing wilderness is an escapist attitude , shown by one who has lost interest in the far more glorious feats achieved by human beings.

Pleasure of Suffering

Through Estwick Evans' description, we get a glimpse of his intentions to achieve his wishes and desires. His eagerness to acquire raw, simplistic feelings in exchange for the manufactured, selfish feelings of civilization is evident in his willingness to "experience the pleasure of suffering". Evans uses the oxymoron "pleasure of suffering" to reinforce his true intentions. The misery he encounters in the solitude of the western wilds will be the same source of the satisfaction he obtains. Roderick Nash elaborates by pairing solitude and total freedom, both sources of pain and pleasure. Freedom seems like a mainstay to pleasure, however the independence and solidarity of wilderness for an unprepared individual may lead to pain. Nash continues to describe the individual for which the wilds seem best suited for. A Romantic being would appreciate the escape offered by the wilderness, for their adventurous nature would appreciate the “novelty of danger”, as Evans proclaims.

The Alaska Interior Close Reading

In the two excerpts that Karkauer placed at the beginning of his essay, both authors describe the desire one has to become closer to nature. That is where the similarity ends. Roderick Nash speaks very negatively about the type of people who wish to become closer to nature. He describes them as being "bored" or "disgusted" with man and his works. He also utilizes words such as "escape" and "cult" to convey an idea that this type of person is a bit unusual and potentially even rogue. On the other hand, Estwick Evans describes the situation in a different light back in 1818. He instead uses words like "virtues" and "grandeur" which are much more positive. When reading both quotes side by side it quickly becomes apparent that Nash could very well be talking about someone like Evans. Evans is the type of person that would appear to be bored or disgusted with nature and therefore wants to find something higher. Overall, this is a relevant introduction to Krakaeurs text "Into the Wild".

Into The Wild

Estwick Evans has a strong desire to divest, or from OED to undress himself from civilization as it has clothed him with "prejudices, factitious habits and imperfections". By allowing to to be naked, in a sense, he can finally obtain a real view of nature with out industrialized civilizations predisposing him to false assumptions such as animals in a zoo or whether or not a tiger can do circus tricks. He wants that real world experience by preferring "season of snow, the pleasure of suffering, and the novelty of danger" Evans wants to acquire an experience his civilization could not give and if it was given it was given in a protective wrapping instead of raw and real. Even if he was to obtain the real experience, he could subconsciously revert to the human mindset of preserving his self image. One man, Roderick Nash understands that some would want that escape especially people "those bored or disgusted with man and his works". It can help those individuals express their souls as what Evans would like to do. But using words such as "cult", Nash is somewhat deriding the people who want to express themselves spiritually through nature since cult is like a separate group from everyone else. It is as if Nash has been living in a bubble all of his life, while trying to learn about nature and everything non-human. Yet no matter what, if one wants a feeling to escape and the plain old internet and television is not working, then maybe going into the wild can help

evans and nash

In the opening to "selections from into the wild" both Estwick Evans and Roderick Nash say similar things about people getting tired of their daily routines and looking to do something new. Evans says the reason for doing so is to "experience the pleasure of suffering, and the novelty of danger" (344). These are two things that one bored with everyday life may not experience in civilization. so he says he is going on an adventure to get away from the imperfections of civilization so he can discover "more correct view of human nature." Nash refers to wilderness as "the ideal stage for the Romantic individual to exercise the cult that he frequently made of his own soul" (344). Nash belittles people like Evans by calling them Romantics and referring to wilderness as a stage. Perhaps there is no greater truth than what we already see in civilization.

True Meaning of Life

Roderick Nash, the author of "Wilderness and the American Mind", describes a person who is a romantic that is "bored or disgusted with man and his works". I think he means that our current materialistic world is filled with things that become so ordinary and redundant that we do not know what natural beauty is anymore. While Nash analyzes the reason why people leave a civilized society, Estwick Evans does so by actually going to the western wilds. He wants to attain natural, unadulterated feelings of self. Evans separates himself from "factitious habits, prejudices and imperfections of civilization". These obstacles have in a way blocked his real feelings. His main objective was to find "more correct views of human nature and of the true interests of man". So he went there not just because he was confused or puzzled, he had a mission in mind, to understand what we are doing here on earth.

The Comparison between Nash and Evans

In the two quotes in the beginning of Krakauer's essay, both authors describe nature as aplace of sanctuary. It offered an escape from society when referring to nature. Nature is a place of relaxation and stress free. Eastwick Evans described it as wishing to acquire simplicity and virtues of savage life and an escape from civilization. Evans wanted to be one with nature.Roderick Evans described it as" total freedom of the wilderness ." Nature is a place to release all tensions and a place for relaxation. It can appeal to many people and can be a place for people to clear their minds and explore the real world. Both quotes explain the true emotions on what they really want to accomplish and experience a new way of living. A place with no noise or pressure and a sense of relaxation and a peace of mind. Nature can be a place to escape form the daily pressures of life and can bring us to a calmness state of mind

INTO the Wild or OUT?

In these the two quotes that open the “Selections from Into the Wild” on page 344, we view Roderick Nash’s description of the “Romantic individual” and their desire to escape from society into the perfection of the wilderness. Estwick Evans is an example of the type of person Nash is referring to. Evans wishes to divest himself from the imperfections of civilization which shows his disgust with man and man’s work. Nash believes that this need to escape into the wilderness stems from “melancholy or exultation”. By saying this, Nash limits their purpose of entering into the wild while restricting what they are able to attain from their journey. While his statements may be true, Evans sheds light on a different perspective. Both authors agree on the fact that people who venture into the wild dislike civilization, yet Evans hopes “to find, amidst the solitude and grandeur of the western wilds, more correct views of the human nature and the true interests of man”. The words true and correct implies that civilization has moved toward an artificial and false world. The journey would bring him back to the truth.

Connection paragraphs

In the two quotes at the start of Krakauer's essay, we are presented with two similar views towards the wilderness and its lack of appeal in human society. Estwick Evans speaks of "divesting [himself] of the factitious habits, prejudices and imperfections of civilization" (344) implaying an inability to escape from those notions while apart of the human society. Feeling the negativity from the civilization, Evans seeks the "western wilds" for the "pleasure of suffering and the novelty of danger' (344). The idea of seeking danger could be seen as a thrill for Evans, otherwise stating his boredom of the human world and what it currently entails. instead Evan's wishes to experience new exciting things that he has not had the opportunity to experience in civilization. We can that Roderick Nash sets up a similar argument from his very first line where he states that the
wilderness appealed to those who are bored or disgusted with man and his works" (344). Similar to Evans, Nash believes the wilderness to be ideal for those bored with the typical everyday life and a way to seek excitement. He also believes it ideal for the "romantic individual" who is obsessed with "his own soul" (344). This appears to be a belief that the wild is an ideal setting for one who loves himself and his own work and would therefore greatly appreciate time alone with only himself to depend upon. Having the freedom to do what he wishes, he will have to face the dangers of the wild by himself and will have no one to depend upon for help but himself. For it is only in the wilderness than man can truly come to test him self-worth and how capable he is without depending upon his surrounding human civilization.

Wild Society

In the beginning of "Into the Wild", both Estwick Evans and Roderick Nash express that humans want to escape from their current complicated lifestyle and approach life with a different attitude and mindset. Nash explains why he thinks people try to escape the current imperfect civilization. Nash says, “Wilderness appealed to those bored or disgusted with man and his works, and it was an ideal stage for the Romantic individual to exercise the cult that he frequently made of his own soul”. It is important that the reader recognizes Nash’s use of the word “cult” shows his negative insinuation towards people who think nature can help them get rid of their faults. Coincidentally, the type of person Nash describes is the person that Evans is. Estwick Evans says, ”I wished to acquire the simplicity, native feelings, and virtues of savage life, and to find more correct views of human nature and of the true interests of man”. Estwick is implying that our current lifestyle is too complicated and he expresses his disgust with the way humans currently live when he used the words “more correct views of human nature”. He feels as if the only way to right himself from this wrong way of living is to go into nature to shed himself of all the factitious habits, prejudices, and imperfections that he has acquired from the current civilization. Both authors point out that nature can be very beneficial for dealing with our faults, but it is obvious that they both have different opinions on whether or not humans should have to rely on nature to find solitude in life.

"Bored and Disgusted"

There comes a point in life when a man seeks nothing but solitude. This can, however, be difficult to achieve in a competitive world. Nash claims that “wilderness [appeals] to those bored or disgusted” (Nash). Humans are so preoccupied and engrossed with day-to-day activities that they fail to see the beauty of wilderness. Only the individuals who make an effort to look past the worldly jobs and tasks can appreciate the serene vibes of nature. Evans managed to look past the superficial distractions and “wished to divest [himself] of the factitious habits, prejudices and imperfections of civilization…and to find, amidst the solitude and grandeur of the western wilds more correct views of human nature and of the true interests of man” (Evan). Evans wishes to use the wilderness to live a life free of the materialistic life humans are so used to living now. In Nash’s words, Evans is “disgusted” by civilization, and therefore wilderness appeals to him.

Evans and Nash

Estwick Evans and Roderick Nash both discuss that humans want to escape from their busy society because it is complicated and unfair that have many rules that they cannot have freedom.Nash illustrates that "more correct views of human nature and of the true interests of man." He points out that the nature can be a perfect place to escape from this world and find their life. Also, Nash states that "Wilderness appealed to those bored and disgusted with man and his works. It not only offered an escape from the society but also was an ideal stage for the Romantic individual to exercise the cult that he frequently made of his own soul." Nash explains that the wilderness can be a place for "Romantic individual" that they can escape from society. In the wilderness, there will be no rules that humans can obtain freedom and happiness. Both authors tell that they are able to find true meaning of life.

Are they Both the Same?

Evans is a very passionate person who's goal is to find the truth about society, while on the other hand Nash describes a type of person who is thirsty for knowledge outside of society and want to make their own path in the world. Nash is actually describing the man that Evans claims to be. For example, Nash makes two descriptions of a man who seeks wilderness, who is "... bored or disgusted with man and his work". This passage parallels exactly what Evans claims "to divest myself of the factitious habits, prejudices and imperfections of society". Though these statements have similar ideals, it really is not fair for Nash to make these claims. Nash is only an observer, since he references "the Romantics" as an outsider, while Evans has actually lived and experienced it from the first person perspective. Impressions from a person who experienced this phenomenon is more reliable then someone who has only pondered about it. Evans is a Romantic that shares his experiences with the reader and has accomplished what Nash has described, so therefore without Evan's recollection of his adventure, Nash's theory would only stay a theory and would never be as powerful on it's own. Evan's passage is a full testimony of what happened and supports itself without any help from Nash, only elaborating on what he has already said. Even though Nash's quote helps to describe Evans quote, Evans' quote is actually more descriptive by stating "amidst the solitude and grandeur of the western wilds," giving specific locations and emphasizing how personal this experience was to him .In essence both passages discuss the same thing but Nash's is not as impact-full without Evan's passage.

Revolutionary Differences

A difference of era can be characterized by the two quotes discussed at the beginning of Jon Krakauer's Into the Wild excerpt. Nash discusses how people, especially people with a Romantic view of life, in order to be introspective and do some soul searching, should go into the wilderness where then can be alone and free in their being and also in their mind. However he uses the word "cult" which has a negative connotations so I do not think Nash approves of the Romantic perspective on life where people go into nature when they are happy or sad to sit around and really do some soul searching. Nash appears to think that this soul searching business is some sort of obsessive hogwash adopted by people who follow the Romantic way of life. Estwick Evans on the other hand is seeking out the Romantic way of life and wants to try it out. Evans says that he wants to shed himself of all the traits attributed to the civilized man and go into the wild so that he can do some searching and find his true self and in the process experience new thing. He is attempting to grasp this romantic notion of life that Nash so despises but he is not right in his approach. Evans wants to experience these new things but the mistake that he makes is he has already decided the new things he wants to experience. Romanticism is about experiencing new things and not knowing what to expect, kind of completely letting yourself go. I looked up what time period Nash was from, he wrote Wilderness and the American Mind in 1967 which is after the Industrial Revolution. Evans wrote his during 1818 which is before the Industrial Revolution. I think the difference in text, tone, and opinion is very clear in the writing of these two authors separated by a key event, the Industrial Revolution.

Flaws vs. Perfection

From the reading, "Into the Wild", both Evans and Nash convey that humans want to escape from their current busy lifestyle and instead approach life with a different attitude and mindset, acquring solitude and simplicity. Evans conveys his message by using elaborate vocabulary and punctuation to emphasize the importance of the wilderness as an escape from society. He feels that the human civilization is just full of exploitations and flaws. Humans falsely assume that human civilization is a model for ideal society and perfection. Paradoxically, he believes that even though the wilderness is a place that requires a lot of danger and suffering, humans can acquire solitude and purity. In order to experience life in the wilderness, we first have to approach the environment in a different light. Similarly, Nash utilizes simple sentences and also claims that wilderness is a place "appealed to those bored or disgusted with man and his works" or human civilization. He discloses in detail that the wilderness could also be a place for Romantic individuals so that they could escape from their previous principles with their soul and change their outlook on the environment. As we connect the idea of solitude from both authors, we can conclude that they concur that humans have contradicting views on the wilderness and the natural world or human civilization. If humans want to break free from the imperfections of human civilization and attain freedom and happiness, they must suffer throught the hard times of savage life in the wilderness. In reality, human civilization satisfies human desires but not happiness but wilderness and savage life satisfies freedom and solitude but not human desires.

Evans and Nash

Both Evans and Nash discuss the idea of solitude on their quotes. Evans mentions solitude as a positive and exhilarating feeling when exploring the wild on one’s own. On the other hand, Nash discusses solitude as a freeing experience to be given a chance to discover the world without the repercussions of someone holding them back. Evan’s quote describes the sojourn that he is taking as an experience of his own while Nash manages to write about how another person, aside from himself, is experiencing the wild and he is simply describing it from his point of view. Nash believes that people who become bored or disgusted with their lives are the ones that seek to go into the wild and experience nature. In essence, Nash is simply describing in his quote what Evans is experiencing in his.

Protection

At the beginning of Krakauer's essay there are two quotes that try to explain the mind of someone who is trying to find themselves in a less than perfect world. Roderick Nash talks of people who are "bored and disgusted with man and his works". He believes that the people are trying to escape from what civilization has done to the world. Nash seems to believe that nature is the world as we know it purged of all this is corrupt and evil in this world. While Nash does feel that nature is a perfect escape from this world he does warn that the wilderness is "a perfect setting for either melancholy or exultation". He lets you know that while in the wild you may have feelings of great joy or sadness. Estwick Evans may be one of the people that Nash is writing about. While Evans also agrees that you can find both pleasure and danger in nature, he does so in a very different respect. Evans wants to return to "the simplicity, native feelings, and virtues of savage life". It is interesting to note that Evans uses the word "savage" here as it commonly has a derogatory connotation. However Evans speaks of returning to nature to get away from what he feels sick of. Evans believes that the best time to return to nature would be in a time of snow, so that you can experience "the pleasure of suffering, and the novelty of danger". Evans believes that one of the better things to experience is suffering itself. Most people live in civilization to avoid suffering They feel that the benefit of living outside of nature, is the safety of ones home, and the protection that it brings.

The meaning of life

Evans wants to explore the wilderness because “I wished to acquire the simplicity, native feelings, and virtues of savage life; to divest myself of the factitious habits, prejudices and imperfections of civilization; … and to find amidst the solitude and grandeur of the western wilds, more correct views of the true interests of man. The season of snows was preferred, that I might experience the pleasure of suffering and the novelty of danger”(344). Evans wishes to go to the western wilderness, so he could experience the world the way man is supposed to. Evan’s use of “acquire”, “simplicity”, “native feeling”, and “savage life” tells us that, if we venture out into the wilderness we will find the life style of our ancestors, which is simply. A life with that had no rules, except for survival, a “savage life”. Leaving behind all the technology and “imperfections” of the modern human society, and just live the way that man was meant to live. Both Evans and Nash believe that escaping to the wilderness will let man experience life the way it was meant to be. Man will be free to do what he wanted without any rules or laws to judge him. The only thing he would have to worry about is surviving and to understand the true purpose in life. Nash believes that the “Wilderness appealed to those bored or disgusted with man and his works. It not only offered an escape from society but also was an ideal stage for the Romantic individual to exercise the cult that he frequently made his own soul. The solitude and total freedom of the wilderness created a perfect setting for either melancholy or exultation”(344). Nash believes that the wilderness is place for people to go if they are sick of man and his evil ways; to heal their own soul and just feel the way you want to feel. The wilderness will heal your soul from all the wrong doings of man. It allows you to escape the world of man and enter into the natural world or the world of our ancestors giving us total freedom. This freedom would be from what ever we wanted to be free from, humans, technology, evil, etc. ,but this freedom will also let us ponder what is truly meaningful in this world. The natural world it a perfect spot for a “Romantic individual” to ponder life’s true meaning and write a story or a poem that is truly meaningful.

An Escape

Selections from "Into the Wild" starts off with two quotes written by Estwick Evans and Roderick Nash. Evans uses a broad selection of word choices to describe an experience in the wilderness. It appears that the individual is on a journey, seeking something more about himself. At the same time he is viewing the corruption, imperfection, and prejudices in the community. Nash describes the wilderness as a stage in which people encounter. They use the wilderness as an escape from reality. The wilderness is the best place to seek wisdom because it is separate from the hectic routines of our normal lifestyle. In the wilderness, one can step back and take a look at what really is going on the surrounding. The wilderness is set apart for a reason. In the wilderness, we are dependent upon nature and the resources presented to us. Spending time there gives one the opportunity to understand human nature and creation. It allows one to distinguish reality from unreality.

Soul of Humanity

The beginning of the selection from into the wild by Jon Krakauer consists of two quotes about nature and its effects on man. Simplistic styles of living have a soothing calming effect due to connecting with nature and withdrawal from the distractions of modern society. Estwick Evans capitalizes on this idea when he explains the reason for his idea to go into the western wilderness. Estwick tells us that he set out “to find, amidst the solitude and grandeur of the western wilds, more correct views of human nature and of the true interest of man” (344). Estwick speaks of a more correct view of human nature and a style of living that is of the true interest of man. The fact that he sets out in search of these things gives the sense that there is something off about the way we as a society currently live and that we are missing out on something that the “wild” has to offer. This connects to Roderick Nash’s idea of what nature has to offer in his observation of why people go off on trips into the wilderness. Roderick explains that the wilderness “offered an escape from society but also was an ideal stage for the Romantic individual to exercise the cult that he frequently made of his own soul”5(344). Roderick is telling us that yes the wilderness offers an escape from nature but at the same time it also allows for our souls to be “exercised”. To exercise ones soul is to allow our bodies to tune into what we normally ignore, or take for granted, because we follow the modern idea of what human society should be. This connects to Estwick’s idea that he could find a style of living in the true interest of man in nature, and that the current state of our society detracts from the soul of humanity.

Man vs. Wild: Expos Edition

The two quotes at the beginning of “Selections from Into the Wild” from Estwick Evans and Roderick Nash are looking at two different goals reached by the same method. They feel that going into the wild is the best of ways to not only see human civilization’s true nature from the outside, but also as a way to explore and exercise pools of the mind that would otherwise remain untapped. Evans states believes that one can “find, amidst the solitude and grandeur of the western wilds, more correct views of human nature and of the true interests of man” (344). This quote has a clearly negative connotation on the human civilization. He mentions the “true interests of man”, which leads one to believe that there is an ulterior motive to our presence and advancement. On the other side, he refers to the “grandeur” of nature which seems to lean towards the idea that nature is an untampered and pure location, untampered by the evils of the world we as humans have created.
The quote from Nash is similar to Evans’ quote in the idea that nature is an escape from the corrupt world of man, but says that nature can be more than an escape. Nash claims that the “[wilderness] not only [offers] an escape from society but also [is] an ideal stage for the Romantic individual to exercise the cult that he frequently [makes] of his own soul” (344). This quote does not necessarily go against what Evans’ quote says, it simply goes further in depth about how the mind can expand and think freely in the untraveled depths of the wild. His quote goes further to state that the wild can lead any which way, whether it be good or bad. The wilderness is a place to explore one’s inner-self and think in ways that an individual might usually find insignificant and useless.

Two Perspectives

In the beginning of Evans’ quote, not only does he tell that he wants to leave civilization and go into the western wilds, but he defines the savage life as being simple, native and virtuous and civilization as being factitious, full of prejudice, and full of imperfections. Notice that is defining civilization being only bad while the wilds are all good. Because neither is perfect, this shows that he is unhappy in his current civilized life and just wants something new. He is so desperate for this, that he sees two things that are usually considered bad, suffering and danger, as good because he has never been able to experience them out in the wild. This is the typical view point of the phrase “The grass is always greener on the other side.” But is he correct in this thinking? Nash believe he is not. He even claims that wildness is a claim from society, which even Evens hints at, but Evans sees it as an opportunity and an escape, while Nash seems to be much more negative about it, through the use of the words bored, disgusted, and cult. Finally, Nash claims that people can either find melancholy or exultation. It is possible that Evans recognizes elsewhere that nature can possibly bring melancholy, but here he is choosing to be optimistic and work probably towards this exultation that Nash describes. While both authors appear to have some of the same knowledge, Evans is so unhappy in his current state that he is choosing to be very optimistic about nature so that he might have something better to work towards. Nash, on the other hand, is less miserable so he does not understand why anyone else would want something besides civilization.