Comparative Essay Sample: Honnold and McCandless

Alex Honnold and Chris McCandless' passions are dangerous and potentially deadly. Alex Honnold is a professional, free solo climber who has climbed numerous of the world's most prominent cliffs, most credited with the 7659 feet El Capitan. Alex's passion, Free solo climbing, is a form of technical rock climbing where the climber uses no protective equipment. These climbs are not only dangerous but highly calculated and take substantial time. Alex Honnold's harrowing experience of being the first person to free solo El Capitan is recorded in his documentary Free Solo. Chris McCandless is not a climber but rather a minimalist who pushes his boundaries while traveling across the country afoot. McCandless finds mere joy in spontaneity and depending on only himself. Chris McCandless's most famed adventure, written in the Death of an Innocent, is when he lived alone in Alaska with bare necessities for 114 days, where he later died. Although their passions differ, Alex Honnold is akin to Chris McCandless because of their ability to put their desires above all else. Still, they contrast because Alex fails to separate himself from society altogether and forms strong connections with the people he loves. 

Alex Honnold refrained from completely disconnecting from civilization by embracing aspects of society, while Chris McCandless completely dissociated from it. Compared to the majority, Alex Honnold lives a minimalist life by living in a compact van alone, donating ⅓ of his salary, and owning only a few items that do not involve climbing. Alex even avoids eating with plates and utensils, but rather the pan the food was cooked in and a spatula, revealing his disregard for material items (Free Solo). Although he lacks tremendous assets, he connects to society through alternative ways. He regularly goes back to Las Vegas's city, speaks to schools and institutions, participates in social media, and allows his experience with El Capitan to be filmed for the world to see (free solo). His acceptance in making his climb public revealed his willingness to connect to society. Although a modest man, he doesn't let his simplicity bar him from teaching and advocating about his experiences. Honnold took strides in his opinions on material items and, much to his dismay, bought a house with his girlfriend Sanni even though he refused to buy new appliances (free solo).  

Chris McCandless takes the ideas of minimalism to the extreme. McCandless was passionate about his expeditions because they allowed him to be free from the confinements of society. He went on several month-long, on-foot journeys before reaching Alaska, where he would abstain from interactions with other people and carry only essentials. When McCandless began his 3-year journey towards Alaska, where he would eventually die, he burned all of his cash, abandoned his car, and only carried "a rifle, a fishing rod, a Swiss Army knife, the book in which he'd kept his journal" (Krakauer 5) and "5 pounds of rice" (Krakauer 9). He wanted to become wholly immersed with nature and separated from society. He attempted this by not carrying a map and "[not] know[ing] what day it is, or where [he was]." (Krakauer 12) This immersion and ill-preparation are what led McCandless to his death. Honnold and McCandles similarly disagreed with the greediness of society but had contrary beliefs on how to do so.

Although Alex Honnold struggles with affection, he can form stable, meaningful relationships. Alex's dad had Aspergers, making it hard to connect with him emotionally. Because of his dad's inability to easily express his love for him, Alex grew up never saying the words "I love you." This emotional absence made it difficult for Alex to express his emotions, especially to his girlfriend, Sanni. Although she would at times get frustrated with his lack of communication, she disclosed that even though Alex never verbally says the word, "he shows [her that] he loves [her] all the time." (Free Solo) Though Honnold would not stop climbing despite Sanni, his family, or his friends, he shows them he cares deeply about them by consistently communicating with them about his climbs. He does not want the ones closest to him to stress or worry, so he informs them of the climb after he has finished and is safe. He never abandons his friends and family and even states that when he leaves home, "It's not goodbye, it's just goodbye for a few days." (Free Solo) Although Alex is incredibly independent, he keeps the ones he loves in mind; he is seen genuinely interacting with his friends and their families on multiple occasions (Free Solo). Alex takes a step in his emotional journey by finally telling Sanni that he loved her after completing El Capitan. While watching Honnold say "I love you," Honnold's best friend, Jimmy Chin, exclaimed that "In the ten years I've known Alex, I've certainly never heard him say 'I love you to anybody," (Free Solo). This reveals the actual capacity Alex has for love. 

Chris McCandless is disparate to Alex Honnold, eager to put himself before his family and friends for his expeditions. McCandless never had close friends and kept everybody at a distance from himself. He would consistently abandon his family, leaving them worried and scared for months. On Chris' final leave in 1990 to explore the American West, which would ultimately lead him to Alaska, he left without a goodbye. His parents were devastated and said to have been "left clutching the shards of a fierce and painful love." (Krakauer 2) For three years, his parents were left wondering if he was even alive and "would hear nothing more about [their sons] Whereabouts until [Chris's] body turned up in Alaska two years later." (Krakauer 2) Chris McCandless was selfish enough to put himself above all else to the extent that it ruined the lives of the people who cared for him. McCandless died alone, with nobody to find him, revealing his greed and desolation. Chris, similarly to Alex, found it difficult to express his emotions, but the thing that separated them was that Alex wasn't able to abandon the ones who cared for him.

Chris McCandless and Alex Honnold are similarly highly devoted to their passions and are eager to put them above everything else. However, they contrast because Honnold makes sure his love for climbing does not hurt his family or friends and allows him to contribute to society. Chris McCandless's ability to leave his family with no remorse revealed how selfish he truly was. His complete separation from society made him increasingly lonely, which helped him realize that community has negatives but brings people together to create happiness. Having a passion that one cares immensely about is essential, but letting it conflict with your ethics is detrimental.