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Happiness is only real when shared.” said Jon Krakauer, author of Into the Wild. Having a healthy relationship is a key component when pursuing happiness in life. That is why Chris McCandless, who was unsuccessful in forming a relationship with his own family, sought out nature to fill the void of his family. Throughout his journey with nature, Chris McCandless has formed numerous relationships that positively impacted his overall travel experience, some of which were with Wayne Westerberg, Jim Gallien, and Ronald Franz.
McCandless’ relationship with Wayne Westerberg has impacted his adventure in a rather positive way. Wayne Westerberg provided Chris with both a place to live and a job to support himself early on during his journey. Not only that, Chris “found a surrogate family in Westerberg and his employees”, providing him with some qualities he couldn’t even find with his very own biological family (Krakauer 18). Unlike his own family who liked to restrict and hold him back from accomplishing the things he enjoyed, Wayne knew Chris only as a traveler and therefore never interfered with any of his personal life decisions. Even when he found out that Chris was working under a fake name, he never wanted an explanation as he “doesn’t like to pry into other people’s business” (Krakauer 18). That was the sole reason that led McCandless on his journey into the wild, to be able to enjoy the luxury of living in his bubble. To Chris, he saw Wayne almost as a replacement for a father figure he never had, someone who provided him with the materials to live his own life while also not interfering with his decisions. Meeting Wayne Westerberg has made a positive impact on Chris’s adventure because not only was he provided with shelter and a job, but he was also given the thing he initially set out to look for, a non-restricting relationship.
Another relationship Chris formed along the way that positively impacted his adventure was with Jim Gallien. Jim was concerned with Chris enough that he tried to talk Chris out of his journey, describing his gears as “exceedingly minimal for the harsh conditions of Alaska” (Krakauer 5). Jim cared about Chris, but also at the same time saw him as just a young kid full of determination and was careful not to overstep his line of protection. However, even when he was unsuccessful in convincing Chris not to go, Jim still “offered to drive Chris to Anchorage, buy him some decent gear, and then drive him back to wherever he wanted to go.” (Krakauer 6). In a way, Gallien showed Chris the affection and care he never had with his own family. Chris McCandless’ relationship with Jim Gallien has positively impacted his adventure because Jim not only saw him as a youth full of determination but also tried to look out for him in one way or another, something he never had growing up.
While on his adventure, Chris McCandless also met Ronald Franz, a man he grew the closest with and was someone who made a huge impact on his overall traveling experience. From “driving to Palm Springs in his truck, to having a meal at a nice restaurant, to taking a ride on the tramway to the top of San Jacinto Peak, Franz was one of the few people Chris trusted enough to receive physical help from (Krakauer 51). Franz has in many ways helped Chris travel to any places he desired and also provided him both financially and with the necessary gear needed for his adventure. Although Franz acted like a father to Chris, he made sure not to “alienate the boy, saying little during Chris’s outbursts and just letting him rant” (Krakauer 52). With Ron, Chris was able to form a fatherlike relationship with someone who looked after him while also not keeping him back from doing the things he wanted. In a lot of ways, Chris’s relationship with Ronald Franz has positively impacted his adventure because Chris was able to bond with someone who acted like a father he wished he had, one that didn’t exert control over Chris.
Throughout his adventure, Chris McCandless was looking to fill the void left by his father and was somewhat successful through his relationships formed with Wayne Westerberg, Jim Gallien, and Ronald Franz. Each of them has played a huge role in Chris’s life and has each positively impacted his adventure. Wayne, Jim, and Ron provided Chris with the needed materials to continue on his adventure, while also at the same time didn’t exert their control over Chris, which is exactly what Chris was looking for in a father.
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