Inventing A New Life

I think inventing a new life in a bizarre way can be a good and a bad thing. Some people may feel it helps them in a way if they aren't happy because of something tragic that happened in their life. It may seem really crazy to most people because it isn't normal to live out of your backpack or lead a life like that. People also might make fun of you in many ways because they might say you are a gypsy or someone who is trying to live off of other people in a way. I don't think that any of those things are right. I think living like that is a choice some people want to make and they do it on their own. They like the idea of having a life so different from anyone else. They probably also feel free in a way because they might be someone who is a lover of nature and someone who is humble and peaceful. I think those are the types of people we need more around because they don't seem to create so much drama. In our world today along with social media and all that, people are crazy and do terrible things to other people and say terrible things for no reason. They just think they can do it because they aren't right in front of the person and because it is online. Freedom of speech does exist, but it isn't something to take lightly. People should always treat everyone with respect no matter what. That's why I think people who want to live that particular lifestyle seem to not have as many worries or create any worries because they are peaceful in a way. I feel like they want to do what makes them happy and follow their dreams and find themselves.

Belt Symbols

If I were to create a belt and have symbols that represented things in my life, I would have ones that are most important to me. I would definitely have a music note because music has always been important to me. I have always had a special connection with it. I guess it's kind like how people are athletes or artists. The second symbol would be a beach because I love the beach and it is so relaxing. Another one I would have is my initials because well your name is a big part of you and is one thing that makes you yourself. An interesting one I would have would probably be a passport because I love to travel and seeing different places. One of my dreams is to travel the world. Another one I would have on my belt would be my zodiac sign because your birthday is pretty important and your horoscope tells you about your future. I think I would also have a camera because it would look cute and I like taking pictures. Maybe one more I would have would be my birthstone because I love the red color it has and it is so pretty. I think the best way to make the perfect belt would be to have symbols that express you the best.

Favorite Famous Quotes in Into the Wild

The three authors I picked that were mentioned in Into the Wild are Jack London, Leo Tolstoy, and Wallace Stegner. I think these authors are the ones who Chris McCandless liked the most and mentioned the most in his journal. Jack London was Chris' favorite author because he said how much he loved reading his books in his journal entries. Jack London was famous for his books called The Call of the Wind and White Fang. One famous quote from Into the Wild and White Fang was "It was the Wild, the savage, frozen-hearted Northland Wild." (Ch. 2, pg.9) This connects to the story of Chris because it is describing the Wild that Chris explored and lived in and the nature he loved to bask in. My favorite quote from that passage was "It was the masterful and incommunicable wisdom of eternity laughing at the futility of life and the effort of life." (Ch.2, pg.9) I like this quote because it shows how nature is carefree and how there is so much fun and exploring to do in the outdoors. Chris  would understand this quote because it is just that and explains maybe what he would describe nature is and how much he loves it. The second author was Leo Tolstoy who was famous for his books called War and Peace and Family Happiness and Chris left his copy for Wayne Westerberg of War and Peace when he left Carnage to continue his odyssey. One famous quote from Into the Wild and Family Happiness was "I wanted movement and not a calm course of existence." (Ch.3, pg. 15) This connects to Chris because it tells how Chris wanted to live even though he was trying to invent a new life for himself. One quote that I liked about nature is "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."-John Muir I think Chris would understand this in a way that his journey was a way for him to learn more about life and himself. The last author was Wallace Stegner who was famous for his book The American West As Living Space. One famous quote from Into the Wild and The American West As Living Space was "It should not be denied... that being footloose has always exhilarated us." (Ch. 3, pg. 15) This quote connects to Chris because it shows how being free and doing what you desire makes you feel amazing and that was probably how Chris felt. Another quote that I liked about nature was "I still haven't found what I'm looking for."-Anonymous I think Chris would say that quote makes sense even though he might have thought he found the meaning he needed when he went out on his journey even though some people don't every time. All these authors have inspired Chris in some way because he talks about them in Into the Wild and some of the books mentioned were found in the bus where Chris McCandless' body was found. 

Sources-

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2d/Jack_London_young.jpg

http://a3.files.biography.com/image/upload/c_fill,dpr_1.0,g_face,h_300,q_80,w_300/MTE5NTU2MzI0OTQxMDA2MzQ3.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/13/Wallace_Stegner.jpg/220px-Wallace_Stegner.jpg

Place I want to visit in the U.S. - Hawaii

I have been to many great states in the U.S. and one place I would want to visit would be Hawaii. I have always been fascinated by pictures I've seen on the internet of Hawaii and how beautiful the beaches look. My parents got to go there once but I have never been and I love going to different beaches so Hawaii is a place that is made up entirely of islands. The island I would want to visit the most would probably be Maui because it is said to have the best beaches in the world. The waters off of Maui are also the best to whale watch. I think whale watching would be pretty nice there because I have only been swimming with dolphins once in Mexico. I enjoyed that so I think whale watching would be cool also because the scenery would be beautiful. I would also like to go snorkeling maybe on that island too. I also want to go hiking and see all the pretty waterfalls. I have always wanted to go parasailing also over a beach and enjoy how beautiful it would look. I also think it would be fun to go on a helicopter ride over one of the many inactive volcanoes that are in Hawaii. I feel like when you go to Hawaii, there are so many things to do outside which would make a lot of sense because the weather seems so perfect at any time of the year. Right now, its like 75 degrees and that is really nice weather. I am also a person who really hates the cold like I want to live in a place where it doesn't get too cold because it gets really annoying after a while. Anyway, being outside is healthy and good for you. I hope I get to go to Hawaii one summer and enjoy all it has to offer.

Jon Krakauer - Author of Into The Wild

Jon Krakauer was born in Corvallis, Oregon in 1954. His father got him into mountaineering at a pretty young age, when he was 8 years old. He graduated from Hampshire College in 1976 and became a carpenter and a salmon fisherman. He revolved his life around mountain climbing because he loved the sport so much and because he started at a young age. He climbed Mt. Everest in 1996 while some of his teammates lost their lives due to a storm that was happening. He wrote two other books, Into Thin Air, and Everest. Into Thin Air became a #1 New York Times bestseller. He also raised a lot of money for charities. Such as Educate the Children, and Veterans Helping Veterans Now. He raised about 1.7 million dollars for the charities he worked with. He also received an Academy Award in Literature in 1999. His most famous book was about a man named Chris McCandless who died of starvation and malnutrition in the Alaskan wilderness. Krakauer was very fascinated by this story and that's why he wrote it. It is a true story that seems scary and quite disturbing because of what McCandless went through just to explore a new life he wanted. Krakauer accomplished many things and still continues to write stories about nature and the wilderness today.

Source-
http://www.randomhouse.com/features/krakauer/author.html

Into The Wild - Wikipedia Summary

The book, Into The Wild is about a man named Chris McCandless who sort of wants a new lifestyle for himself and has been having problems with his dad and his family. He hiked the Stampede Trail in Alaska because he wanted to get away and he really had this goal to do this. He wasn't as prepared as he thought he was. I honestly don't think he cared because he just wanted to be in touch with nature and not care about belongings or money. He donated all his money before he left and burned some of it that was in his wallet. He only brought a backpack containing 10 pounds of rice, a rifle, boxes of rifle rounds, a camera, a small selection of reading material, and a field guide to the region's edible plants. He definitely wasn't prepared for the three months he planned to explore Alaska. Later on, his backpack was found with several identification cards and 300 dollars. A map of the area he was exploring was also in his backpack. It was said that Chris McCandless survived about 119 days in the Alaskan wilderness. He did try to leave once in July, but the road was covered with ice and snow and there was no way he could escape. His death had many different theories. He died supposedly from starvation and lack of nutrition. He just didn't get the right amount of food because there was nothing there and also because he brought a lack of food with him in the beginning. On September 6, 1992, Chris McCandless's  body was found inside an abandoned bus in Alaska where he was exploring like he wanted. Chris McCandless was a man with great drive, who wanted a new life and was so in love with nature that that was where he always wanted to be and to wake up to.

Source-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Into_the_Wild_(book)