Chris McCandless demonstrated compassion primarily towards the underprivileged, as seen in his high school years when he focused on helping the downtrodden. He often interacted with and supported homeless people and prostitutes, offering them meals and advice for improving their lives. Chris was deeply affected by poverty and injustice, which he perceived as the result of wealth's corrupting influence. However, his compassion was selective, often excluding those he viewed as wealthy or privileged, including his own parents.

Chris McCandless embodies Emersonian ideals through his reverence for freedom, which leads him to reject societal norms and his controlling parents. Like Emerson, Chris seeks a transcendental truth beyond the immediate, driven by a quest for deeper meaning. In "Self-Reliance," Emerson advocates for trusting oneself and pursuing individual paths, even against societal norms. Chris mirrors this by abandoning material possessions and societal expectations, urging others to embrace adventure and non-conformity for true fulfillment.

Chris held people up to the pedestal he created for London, Twain, Tolstoy, and Thoreau; he couldn't view his father objectively.

Krakauer's book gives readers a more sympathetic and rounded picture of Chris McCandless that the one found in Krakauer's article. For example, while the article describes Chris as a narcissistic dreamer with a death wish, in his book Krakauer quotes his journal entries to reveal that McCandless was actually an intelligent young man who had a spiritual quest to become a better person and was not self-absorbed. To further humanize McCandless, Krakauer offers evidence that Chris's disillusionment with his family was rooted at least partly in their father's behavior and that Chris cared for his family despite leaving them.

Chris McCandless's idealism significantly shapes the narrative by highlighting his rejection of materialism and pursuit of a purer life, inspired by Thoreau. This quest for authenticity leads him to self-reliance and personal transformation but also contributes to his demise. His idealized view of nature as ultimate freedom blinds him to its harsh realities, illustrating the tension between romantic notions and practical survival, and underscoring the theme of the dangers of idealism.

Chris McCandless felt estranged and resentful towards his family, particularly due to his parents' materialism and perceived hypocrisy. Conversely, his family, especially his sister Carine, felt deep concern and love for Chris, despite being puzzled and hurt by his actions and desire for isolation.

In Into the Wild, Chris McCandless's ideals are rooted in transcendentalism, influenced by thinkers like Thoreau and Emerson. He valued nature, independence, and nonconformity, rejecting materialism and societal norms to pursue personal growth and self-discovery. His actions, including venturing into the Alaskan wilderness, were driven by a desire to "suck the marrow" from life and test his survival skills. Although his quest for happiness and meaning led to his demise, Krakauer portrays him as courageous and idealistic.