Chris was heavily influenced by 19th-century , specifically the works of Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson . Key parallels include:
Analysis of these works often centers on the tension between . While McCandless sought "ultimate freedom," critics and native Alaskans often cite his lack of preparation and arrogance as the factors leading to his tragic death from starvation in an abandoned Fairbanks city bus. The Wild Truth Into the Wild
: Krakauer first published his investigation as "Death of an Innocent" in the January 1993 issue of Outside magazine. Chris was heavily influenced by 19th-century , specifically