Into the Wild #4

I have started to question my own sanity (just kidding). I just though that I would say that when I was presented with the question regarding Chris's choice of working in the megalomaniac commercial giant of "McDonalds". I don't really think that it was anything other, than he was probably tired of "survivalist" living, and required some way to support himself. You must see, that I do not give McCandless credit to be some insightful visionary. I feel he was a disturbed individual. Lack of hygiene can be a component of many mentally ill. Not all, but definitely in many cases. Just maintaining life in society takes, "energy", you could say. You are required to follow social moiré’s. I do not think he was always equipped to do this.

People, who worked with him, said he was reliable; to me that simply said he was aware he needed money. However, he was also looked at as someone who was in their "own little world", a "deer in the headlights", an outsider. This is not someone, who chose to remesh with society. This is someone, simply doing what they had to do at the moment. However not exactly what I would refer to as responsible; in a long-term sense. He never put "roots" down for too long. He was detached from people. His hygiene was sub-par, I know that would have been tough to take, especially in a food service job.

I think Chris gets along with Jan Burres and Bob, because he does not not see them as judgmental. They are "professional flea marketers", they do this town to town. They are transients like Chris. I think Jan see's him a bit like a son, and he could look at them as "pseudo" parents. They are older than him, but would not have the expectations. He also feels a connection by the "books" she sells. He is drawn to literary things.

I think the character of Ronald Franz is sad, but this man's sad story starts long before he met Chris McCandless. This is an extremely lonely man, who went through his life trying to fill his loneliness by helping others, at least this was semi-productive. After forming a relationship with McCandless, who makes him face and focus on his loneliness, he becomes more" symptomatically lonely". Especially after Chris moves on. Chris convinced him to set off on his own "journey" , but that what I thought was sad. I don't think he was the right or healthiest influence for someone like Franz. This man makes me saddened at the fact of how easily people are influenced by others. I think for what ever reason Franz felt a connection with Chris, he probably had not felt an emotional attachment with anyone for a long time, then he had the misfortune to make a connection with someone like him.