Thoroughly Thoreau

McCandless and Thoreau have similar ideologies, although this is not particularly surprising. They are both, after all, considered environmentaliss and simplists, seeking a life that is in touch with nature and as clutter free as possible. They belong to a large and growing family of those similar to them, people who are rejecting technologies and material possessions. So their similarities are not what make them interesting, but their differences.

McCandless is bold. He is young, and a little naive, and sets on his wild journey with seemingly little preparation or plan. His goal is partially to explore and to discover - both the natural world and the deep world within himself. Thoreau takes things a little more moderately. He takes a more reserved approach, living in a quaint home and traveling far less frequently than McCandless the migrant. He goes out to be in touch with nature, but his goal is less extravagant than his counterpart's.

Thoreau is very mindful of his actions and the things around him. He takes careful note of each little detail, whether it be the price of a certain material item or an aspect of a tree he is utilizing. McCandless, as portrayed in the film, writes little, marking each of his days with a brief explanation. He is in it for the bigger picture, and finds beauty in seeing tall mountains and unexplored valleys, rather than the simple maple leaf that intrigues Thoreau.

These small differences are what make them unique, for there are a great number of things that bind them together. They are both simplists, afterall, and so accordingly have most of their ideology in common.