Wrap-Up

Quindlen wants us to disregard the expectations of society. McCandless wanted to find himself and discover happiness and fulfillment in life. Thoreau wants to live a life devoid of illusions and instead based on a foundation of perspicuity and simple reality. They all agreed on how relationships should have a priority on oneself; instead of living a life in which we chase after others and are concerned with how people and the world views and relates with us, we need to first get ourselves together in terms of accurate self-awareness and acceptance.

I agree with all three of them to a certain extent. I agree with Quindlen on how we mustn’t be caught up in worrying about whether we meet the expectations of others. Her stance on how we should all pursue a life centered on our contentment and happiness appealed to me because I also think that we shouldn’t shoulder the burden of perfection and expectations, and instead should learn to live to be happy with who we are and what we want. I agree with McCandless on how we mustn’t be caught up with the limits of life and that we should strive to surpass them if we want too. Life isn’t about comfort and conformity; dreams are meant to be pursued, goals are meant to be attempted, and desires are meant to be achieved. I agree with Thoreau on how we mustn’t be blind to reality and that we should come to face ourselves and the life that we’re leading now with an unbiased perspective that isn’t so carried away with the insignificant details of life. But I also think that all three of these perspectives are to be true within reason. Relationships and responsibilities are both things that I value and regard very highly, and I think that there are times when they will come first before my own shallow desires. These three people all seem to value the idea of self-priority, individualism, and reality; responsibilities and relationships may be perceived as equally important, but they seem to fall in somewhere beneath the three; this, I do not agree.