Chris attempted to leave the Alaskan wild in early July of 1992. He realized in order to leave he had to cross the Teklanika river. Unfortunately, the water levels were still too high. At this point, Chris was very lean and not killing as much game as he needed. He was reading passages from Doctor Zhivago and soon writes in the book, "HAPPINESS ONLY REAL SHARED" (189). Chris' circumstances have changed. He is no longer in the wild by choice, but by force. Therefore, he begins to look at his lifestyle in a new perspective. Although he can experience so much beauty and untouched nature, he has no one to talk about it with or share it with. His loneliness becomes apparent to him.
Closer to his death he writes this message to any passer-bys in another book, it reads: S.O.S. I NEED YOUR HELP.... I AM OUT COLLECTING BERRIES CLOSE BY AND SHALL RETURN THIS EVENING. THANK YOU. And he signed the note, "CHRIS MCCANDLESS, AUGUST?" (198). By getting rid of his alias Alexander Supertramp is another clue he has realized the life he escaped from is the life he most desperately wanted back: human contact.
If Chris was able to get out of the wild, I believe he would have contacted his sister and arranged to see her. Eventually he would see his parents but only briefly. Even after his experience I don't think he would embrace his mother and father. Although he would have these realizations, he would continue to live a similar lifestyle but not as primitive. Maybe get a house in the wild of Montana, still traveling, and visiting civilizations every once in a while.
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You give really good background before you dive into what you think Chris would've done had he survived the wilderness. I think this sets up the "need for human relationships" idea that Chris was having right before he perished.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree that he would've contacted his sister. She was totally the closest person to Chris, maybe the closest friend he ever had. I think that that's really sad. :/ I feel like he was a bit closer to other people that he met and he more than likely would have visited them as well.
I feel like he would visit his parents briefly as well, maybe to rub it in their faces, nicely of course, that he survived the wilderness.
Mostly though, he would continue on his journeys because he's definitely "a rolling stone" hahah.