"'Chris had so much natural talent,' Walt continues, 'but if you tried to coach him, to polish his skill, to bring out that final ten percent, a wall went up. He resisted instruction of any kind'" (Krakauer 111).
Family Dynamics
With the information of Chris's attitude towards well-meant advice, it is clear to see that he was not simply ignoring the warnings of those suggesting he pack more than what he had on his trip to Alaska, but also that he was trying to prove a point. It is mentioned a little earlier in the book that Walt McCandless was a man in charge - someone who "called the shots." Growing up as a child with a parent that is seen as controlling to said child may have been the reason why Chris refused to go along with what others around him suggested. He wanted to prove that he did not need the help of others who, as he may have interpreted, wanted him to conform to their ways, to chain him to their particular lifestyle. Chris did not wish to be treated as a child that needed someone to hold his hand and tell him what he should or should not do. He felt oppressed by even the sincerest worries of good people.
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