As a child Chris was put into accelerated school programs for "gifted children," in which Chris was always trying to find a way out of. Chris's parents weren’t always open and available to their children they were responsible for shaping his personality and providing a structure in which they lived by. Carine recalls, "...There was always a little wanderlust in the family, and it was clear early on that Chris had inherited it." (pg. 108) Although the atmosphere was tense within their household the family often embarked on adventures, taking to the road, they purchased an Airstream trailer and spent time away.
Chris inherited a rebellious attitude and often had a hard time following the rules. He had begun to run competitively, becoming the top distance runner in the region, took interest in ending apartheid in South Africa, which was a system of racial segregation enforced through legislation, he also had concerning feelings towards hunger and homelessness. I believe he felt as if the people in need were not given the chance to truly enjoy life, he strived to improve humanity. He was given a car, law school money and was forced into Emory. He ended up donating his money to charity, i think that symbolized how unconcerned he was in materialistic things... Eventually he buried his valuables; left his car under a tarp, burned his cash, and took only what he could carry on his back.
Chris was striving for independence; he did not want to accept help from his parents or society. Chris was determined to leave he past behind. He changed his name and social security number to insure that he was impossible to find and unmarked on the map. He was looking for the beauty in life and seemed completely content with being alone. In the final days of Chris's life he marked passages and wrote on the pages of books as a journal. I think his greatest pleasure was being able to share his knowledge and receiving nothing in return.
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