Inwords/Outwords

The wilderness is now becoming less and less explored because of those not leaving their homes and being unable to experience it firsthand in order to form their own opinions on what the wilderness is. While Krakauer was on his journey to the bus, they discuss the fact that McCandless decided to go into the wilderness without a map. Krakauer reports that “Andy Horowitz, one of McCandless’s friends on the Woodson high cross-country team, had mused that Chris ‘was born into the wrong century. He was looking for more adventure and freedom then today’s society gives people.’” (356). This quote from Horowitz explains McCandless not using a map for his adventure. McCandless is said to be “born into the wrong century” which is because in our current century people are not like McCandless where they would go out and explore what is unknown to them. In the current century most people are content with staying in their homes, which is the reason why people have trouble forming their own opinions on what the wilderness is. If people in today’s society become more adventurous, then those of the current century can figure out what the wild is in their own mind like McCandless is able to do. Experiencing the wild is something that can only be done the further we are from civilization. People who live in cities have less experience with the wild than those who live further from urban environments, thus those who live further from the city have a better understanding of what the wilderness is. Abram took a trip to Bali in Indonesia and was able to witness firsthand why being away from an urban environment is beneficial. Abram observes “ Over my head the black sky was rippling with stars, densely clustered in some regions, almost blocking out the darkness between them, and more loosely scattered in other areas”(2). When Abram steps outside his hut he takes notice to the massive amounts of stars in the sky. Abram uses the phrase “rippling with stars” because of his unfamiliarity with this type of view. Abram had been in the United States while doing street magic, which means that he isn’t used to this view because of the fact that stars aren’t as readily seen in the night sky around cities and populated areas. Abram has an experience that is only possible by one distancing themselves from their home and urban environment. The wilderness has become less explored because of the lack of adventurism in today’s society and because of the distance that lies between themselves and unfamiliar places which they dare not venture too.