Thoreau and McCandless both seem to want to escape the modern world, for different reasons. Thoreau seems to want to turn his back on progress- or more accurately, the price of progress. His writing about the railroad workers (how the were building the rails to ride, but were buried under the rails, so they were actually rode upon) was one part that particularly stood out for me. Thoreau also feels that a person could learn all he needs to know by practical means- by navigating a boat instead of taking a course in navigation, or by building your own house instead of becoming an architect. He seems to feel that the busywork we fill our lives with actually robs us of the time and enjoyment we should get from it.
McCandless seems more to be running away from materialism. He feels that possessions do not make life more fulfilling. The act of burning his money and leaving behind all the things his parents deemed important is a kind of rebirth- an attempt to make himself over into the person he feels he should be.
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