Developing and Making it Through

             Coming of age is something everyone has to deal with and the story "Into the Wild," by Jon Krakauer is a story that shows the choices and struggles of coming of age through a young man originally named Chris McCandless. This book powerfully shows growing up and experiencing completely new things because the character moves out to live on his own and have great new experience which are very noticeable in his life because there aren't distractions like civilization and people. Chris is a very interesting character and seems like he was an interesting person as he grew up and wrote very interesting quotes which he came up with over time alone. Coming of age can sometimes have terrible experiences and sometimes have amazing, great experiences but everyone goes through and experiences many common feelings along the way.
             McCandless' character implies coming of age has new and strange experiences which come up as life goes along. An example is on pg. 28, "But there was a way to avoid such aggravation: He could simply abandon the Datsun and resume his odyssey on foot. And that's what he decided to do." This is how Chris is coming of age and represents a type of experience that many people face. As time progresses you see that this decision he made was a good, growing-up decision he made which made his journey more of what he was looking for and by making this choice he developed luckily in a good way. Some choices may be forced upon you sort of like this one though there is a lot where it is simply up to you and you still can't really change what happens after the fact.
             Another coming of age event that happens to many people is as you feel and live through new things you develop new views on life and come of age more. Throughout the book in many different places Chris experiences something that changes his views of things. When he is there at his destination the lack of food and comfort give him visions like a vision quest which allows him to interpret life differently and how he wants to believe things. As time goes on peoples' visions and ideas become more solid and more of a change in the way you live. This is shown very strongly in the story because these examples of it happening are much more obvious and clear about what is going on.
             Coming of age has its ups and downs with everyone the main way to make it through the changes is to just try to enjoy what you have and what you pick up and learn as life goes on. I saw a lot of what Chris and people go through in my own life. I am also changing as I grow older and there are many changes that I like and also a bunch that I wish didn't have to happen. The main thing that I feel I have in common with a lot of people is that when things like this go on later on when you've accepted how your life is now it becomes okay. All of the changes people face are for the better in someway.