Into the Wild- quotes analysis

As Christopher McCandless sets off into the wilderness of Alaska on his own, he takes little with him. He changes his name and leaves everything he has behind such as his education, money, friends, and family. He goes out with few knowledge on the great outdoors but with much confidence as if he has done it several times before. He constantly insists that he knows what he's doing and will be fine. However, he is far from it and in fact is probably less prepared than could ever be. Although some might view him as an idiot or a reckless nutcase, he can often be seen as a heroic and symbolic individual with a great mind and sense of aspiration. 

Many people thought of Chris McCandless as a mature and hard worker. "He was the hardest damn worker  I've ever seen. Didn't matter what it was, he'd do it...and he never quit in the middle of something. If he started a job, he'd finish it. It was almost a moral thing for him" (Krakauer 17). To many, he was an inspiring individual and worked hard for what he wanted. Although it may seem as if he just went into the wilderness and stayed in a remote area surrounded by nothing by himself, he worked hard to fend for himself and survive for the time he did. He walked countless amount of miles all over the country, finding food on his own since he had no money. What he did was not easy, and even though some people hate him for what he did, it's definitely not something everyone can do. In fact, majority of society probably wouldn't have survived as long as he did with as little as he had. 

Along with his sense of hard work, he had a strong determination to discover himself and be happy. "So many people live with unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit with a man than a secure future. The very basic core of man's spirit is his passion for adventure. There is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun" (Krakauer 58). This definitely describes what Chris McCandless set out for. He had a strong passion for the adventure in the wild, to discover life outside of the chaotic rush and daily routine of mainstream America. He was most likely tired of the constant pressure to be something he didn't truly have his heart set on. For him to take initiative and go out in to Last Frontier on his own is unimaginable and something that should be seen as inspirational. I truly believe that he died happy with a great sense of accomplishment. He did something most people would never even consider doing because it's beyond their comfort zone, which makes them believe it's absolutely ridiculous. In fact, it's the complete opposite. People are trapped in their own fears of doing what they love, something that would truly make them happy, and that's exactly what sets Chris McCandless apart from the rest of society. He wasn't afraid and took action in what he believed.

Into The Wild- Christopher McCandless

From reading the first couple chapters of Into the Wild, I find Chris McCandless, aka Alexander Supertramp, to be quite a fascinating individual. Although I can understand why some might argue that he is a reckless, irresponsible and conceited man, I actually think that he can be inspirational for what he was trying to do. He wanted to go out to the Alaskan wilderness and from what I think survive off of the land with almost nothing just for a while before returning back. And even though he didn't make it out alive, I believe that what he might have wanted to accomplish and show to others was inspiring and I don't think it's anyone else business to be mad about what he did because he just wanted to prove a point. He lived the life he wanted to and everyone has their own right to do what they want with their lives as long as it doesn't harm anyone. So with what I have just started to read, I think he can be seen as a passionate and great individual with hopes and dreams like many others.

The American Dream

After reading American Dreams by Kevin Jennings, I realized that his points were actually true. In fact, we do have to change the meaning of the American Dream in order for it to be somewhat attainable. He talked about how growing up, he was determined to have the life of success, fulfilling to the "dream" that was idolized by many. He was going to work hard and make his mom proud. However, as he got older, he started to realize that he was hiding who he really was because if not, he would have no chance in life to live up to the "dream." Realizing this, he even tried to kill himself thinking that it was impossible and there was no point for him to live. He makes a really good point- if you're different from what you are expected to be, then you are nothing and will be nothing. There is no American Dream for you to live up to because the definition that it is given is completely absurd. If we keep thinking this given definition is correct, then of course it will be forever impossible to achieve by many. But if we redefined it into a much broader and realistic sense, then it might be possible. Plus, who ever said that it only had to be about having a nice big family, a large house, expensive car, and other luxurious items? Perhaps it's suppose to be less than that, but better. For everyone to have an equal chance in life, or as Kevin Jennings said, to find freedom and be exactly who you are. Maybe that's all it really is, to live the life you want without being judged and give back to the world. Not to have to hide anything from yourself or society- who are you trying to impress when you're the one living and only die as yourself? You were given a life to live, why live as someone else who is already alive? The world doesn't need two of the same people, only one.

What We Are to Advertisers

The two categories that I chose are Experiencers and Makers. The Experiencers are "on the edge, enthusiastic, impulsive, and even reckless." They're social butterflies and are always doing something to fulfill their time. Makers on the other hand are more of the practical side of Experiencers. They build things and learn from that. Makers are also "conservative, suspicious, and respectful." I noticed that I am more of the Maker and completely not the Experiencer after reading the explanations. I feel like I'm more of a Maker because I don't really socialize with others and enjoy staying to myself. I like to create things and learn in that way. I'm definitely not an Experiencer because I don't live on the edge and I'm always cautious in what I do. I'm also entirely opposite of a social butterfly. It's the last thing I want to do.

Growing up, I was always fond of creativity and making my own things. When I buy things, majority of the time I end up using it for a complete different reason than it was meant for. I find ways to be creative in everything I do, therefore I believe it puts me in the category of a Maker. I'm conservative, and it's not easy to find me at social events with others.

After reading each description, I found that I am not an Experiencer because I'm not outgoing. As stated before, I'm not social and don't enjoy associating with others in events. I don't act impulsively and not reckless. I try to stay away from that. To put it simple, I don't really "experience."

Advertisement analysis

In this advertisement, there is a baby smoking a cigarette and decaying each second. At first, this ad might be a bit confusing for some because most people don't think of babies when they see or hear about cigarettes. However, after looking at the picture a little more in depth, it becomes clear the message being displayed. There are also different signs or symbols in this ad to help contribute to the message, which advertisers think carefully about.

First, the colors being used are a combination of bright and dark. The babies bright blue outfit and eyes show a sense of innocence. Babies don't know what is going on around them. They have no control in the actions others take and don't even understand the consequences, therefore being left helpless. There is also this dark atmosphere associated with it- the cigarette in mouth, smoke coming out, and rotting of the face- which bring in a feeling of disgust and torture. The combination of this innocence with bright colors and destruction of more dark appearance coincide with each other to create an ad that attracts the viewer but also puts this revolting image in our minds to think about.

Also, it is clear that the object is being shown directly, but the message is indirect. Seeing the cigarette, it is obvious that this ad is an anti-smoking ad with the phrase "I smoke second hand. warning: may kill your baby." Yet, seeing the baby shows that this ad is not directly towards adults or even smokers themselves but rather those around them. What adds to this image even more is by showing a baby instead of a teenager or pre-teen child because a baby has no way of helping themselves. They can voice their opinions or attempt to get away, where as a little older child can say something or potentially do something to help themselves if not the smoker. Also, by showing a baby who is brand new to this world, it leaves more sympathy towards the viewer and a sense of helplessness.

Overall, this advertisement portrays fear towards the viewer because of the decaying image and big print on the side. It is pretty much saying that "if you smoke, you are not just causing harm to yourself but potentially more harm to those around you." Second hand smoke can actually be more damaging than smoking yourself. Don't smoke unless you want to kill your baby, or others around you.

Fear and fantasy advertisement

Three examples of fear advertisements are 1.) anti-smoking, 2.) texting while driving, and 3.) pollution/global warming.
1.) anti-smoking ads: 
     - This ad shows fear by producing an image of cigarettes as bullets in a gun. In this image, the viewer can clearly see that smoking is in turn killing your body. It's pretty much saying that if you choose to smoke, you are pulling a gun out ready to kill yourself because smoking causes nothing but damage to your physical health.

2.) texting while driving ads: 
     - This ad shows fear because it is an image of gravestones with the last words they said...or wrote. The text that is on the gravestone is also a happy tone and something that is not worth dying over. It just shows that it's becoming an epidemic in society and that teenagers are too consumed into social media at all times and are risking their lives for a couple words.

3.) pollution/global warming: 
     - This ad shows fear because there are two penguins together on a brink of ice trying to unplug the light which is killing them. It shows that human beings are killing precious creatures and outside life by doing little things that are so damaging to the earth.

Three examples of fantasy advertisements are 1.) skittles, 2.) red bull, and 3.) axe deodorant.
1.) skittles: 
     - This ad shows a fantasy because by giving a hypothesis of what could happen with skittles, there is this thought that someone would like that to happen and they could imagine the outcome. People think about the fact that their fists actually being "sour" and so it wouldn't hurt others to punch them. It can give a sense of happiness.

2.) red bull: 
     - This ad shows a fantasy because there is a picture of a can of red bull with wings, implying that if you drink red bull, then you will have wings too and fly. In other sense, you will be awake and ready to go. It could most likely be aimed towards teenagers because they tend to be sleepy from staying awake really late or use it to have more energy during school.

3.) axe deodorant: 
     - This ad shows a fantasy because it is telling guys that if they use axe, they will attract all the girls. For most guys, getting girls is their most proud moment. Perhaps, this ad would also attract guys that might not be all that attractive and so if they used it, girls will love his scent and want him. You can see in the picture that this guy who is using axe has a lot of girls in his bed with him, thus saying that he is almost a God-like figure all due to a smell.

Consuming Passions Final Draft

            When shopping for whatever it may be-clothes, music, accessories, and many more- there are certain trends that everyone is in to for their own reasons. Everyone has their own styles that they prefer compared to others; it's what makes us who we are and different from everyone else. For me, I tend to lean towards things that are more comfortable, girly, and creative. With clothes, I discovered that comfort is more important to me than style is, however, I still try to make sure that I'm not completely off the trend; I don't want to look totally hideous. Usually, I'm caught wearing shorts and a T-shirt, or jeans and a sweatshirt. I also like to pair it with sneakers or flip flops since those tend to be more comfortable to me. The clothes I wear are more comfortable to me than others because I can walk freely in shorts rather than tight skinny jeans due to their looseness. T-shirts are simple as well as sweatshirts which keep me warm when it's cold. I don't need to buy an overpriced huge fur jacket to be warm when there are cheaper and even cuter jackets I can find. Occasionally though, I like to mix it up by wearing my cowboy boots to show the girly side of me. I feel that comfort is more important to me than style because when I'm comfortable, I will end up being more of myself and not held back from others. Sure, if I'm trendy or stylish, I will look "cool" or people might view me in a different way, but if I'm not comfortable, then it defeats the whole purpose of being myself. Following trends that don't appeal to you only makes it harder for people to know the real you.            

            With music, I noticed that I prefer to listen to country, pop, alternative rock, or hip hop, with moments of listening to some rap songs. I realized that I only listen to rappers such as Eminem or Professor Green, a British version of Eminem. This section of genre is very limited because I only like to listen to meaningful lyrics that are deep rather than sex, money and drugs which tend to be majority of rap songs now a days, which Eminem and Professor Green rap about their struggles or accomplishments in life. I'm interested in rap music that is meaningful because to me, rap is just like poems but with beats added to it. I enjoy writing poems, especially about my life or my feelings, so therefore I can relate to those two singers in some way. I can relate to what they're saying in their verses. Other than that, I'm not one to complain about types of music because music is my life. In some way, all music speaks to me in an emotional way.

            Aside from music, I also enjoy buying necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and nail polish because I find them to be cute and shows the girly side of me. They show color and beauty, and I find them to be cute when put together properly. I just love the sparkle or charms that it shows. Lastly, I probably spend most of my time shopping for school/office supplies such as pencils and pens, markers, stickers, etc. I realized that because of my love for creativity, I need to keep up with the newest pencil or special color pens. The stroke the pens or pencils make and the array of colors appeal to me in a way that shoes appeal to most girls- it's just something that I need to keep up with. Everyone has their own interests, and this happens to be mine due to my artistic and creative side.

            When it comes to the type of stores I go to, I'm not very picky. I usually try to find something from wherever I go since there isn't really a specific brand I go for. This would probably be because of my comfortable taste rather than style. However, I mostly shop at stores like Wal-Mart, Target, Claire's, and Michaels due to the relative cheapness of the items there. I believe that if you can find the same item or one similar to it at a thrift store or lower priced store compared to the brand name stores, then it's more sensible for me to go buy the cheaper ones. I wouldn't like to say that I'm cheap because I do buy brand names occasionally when I really want it. But I don't see why I should spend more for something I can get for less, especially during tough times. I would say I go for sales/clearance sections because that's what my parents do, which has a big influence on me. Being brought up, I was always told to save money and not to spend it on things that aren't of complete necessity. So with that said, I tend to go for the cheaper items that are still of some similarity to my preference. These are the stores that I go to when shopping and I find them to be a good way to get cute things for a lower price.

            I believe that the main drive for me to make these certain consumer choices are because of my personality. As an arts and craft type of person, I will obviously be more interested in art supplies or things that I can use for other creative advantages because that's what artist do. Rather than spending hours shopping for the latest trends on boots or shirts to stay in the fashion sense of the world, I spend hours in stores like Office Depot or Staples to find the cutest and coolest items. These stores appeal to me when shopping for these supplies because they have an enormous variety of items that I look for, and majority of the time, they can be found at a relatively good price. It is important to me to find good prices because when it comes to art supplies, they happen to be very expensive. Because of my creativity, I spend more time outside of school making or designing things instead of putting together a fashionable outfit or finding new make-up styles. So because of my personality, it is not at all surprising that I spend more time creating things than shopping for other items that aren't of any importance to me.

            After the reading about America's need to purchase a lot of things, I think that it's true. Most Americans tend to buy quite a bit of stuff, sometimes more than they really need. It's easy to go to a store and see something that appeals to you, so your immediate reaction is to buy it simply because you like it. However, most of the time the item is not as important as you first thought it would be, and truth is it wasn't necessary to buy it. I tend to do this often. It's just in my instinct, along with majority of the nation, to buy what I like or want and not really need. I imagine it as everyone having this and that, which makes me feel like I need this or that so I fit in. When going out, it's just an automatic reaction to buy things that might not be of any importance, but seems valuable at the time.

            After explaining what I tend to buy more often, where I shop for these items, and what makes me buy certain things, as well as reading about the points in the book, I have come to a conclusion that I do buy more than I need, especially when it comes to creative supplies. I analyzed the things I do and now understand that I like to get things whenever I feel like I "need" them, even though I don't. In my mind at that moment, I think to myself that this certain item is amazing and something I need to get right away out of impulse. However, after receiving the item and being all excited about it, I then see that it was not necessary. Although I use the things that I buy often, I notice that I have plenty of them and can't use all items at once. I should only get a couple, if not one, of an item rather than several of them just because of the style.