I Prefer Dangerous Freedom Over Peaceful Slavery

"Chris just didn't like being told what to do. I think he would have been unhappy with any parents; he had trouble with the whole idea of parents."

Topic: Dynamics of Family

           Based on this quote it can be said that the issue Chris McCandless had with his parents was not necessarily their fault. Hathaway, one of Chris's close male friends says this about Chris's relationship with his family. This is an interesting thought, because when McCandless was found dead in the Alaskan wilderness, the media frantically searched for a culprit to this poor, seemingly troubled boy. However, there may not have been a direction to point their fingers, because the potential problem may have been with Chris all along. Chris was an independent young man who felt as though he didn't need the support or advice from a guardian since his youth. This pushed him to feel animosity towards his father in particular since he was an especially controlling person, according to the book. Because Chris did not like being told what to do, he  would have disliked any parents he had, seeing as that's what parents are there to do.