In the book Into the Wild, Chris McCandless changes his name to Alex Supertramp as part of his journey to escape societal expectations and find a deeper sense of self. By adopting the name Alex, he aimed to shed his old identity and the pressures that came with it. This new identity symbolized his desire for freedom, adventure, and a break from the materialistic world he had grown disillusioned with.
Chris believed that by becoming Alex, he could live a more authentic life, one that was not defined by his family, education, or societal norms. He wanted to experience life on his own terms, free from the constraints of modern society. The name Alex Supertramp reflected his ideal of a wanderer, someone who roams freely and lives off the land, embracing the simplicity and challenges of nature.
Ultimately, Chris’s decision to change his name was a bold statement of his commitment to his new way of life. It was a way for him to fully immerse himself in his journey of self-discovery and to distance himself from the life he had left behind.