All 3 Uses of
ambivalent
in
Into the Wild
- His ambivalence toward sex echoes that of celebrated others who embraced wilderness with single-minded passion, Thoreau (who was a lifelong virgin) and the naturalist John Muir, most prominently, to say nothing of countless lesser-known pilgrims, seekers, misfits, and adventurers.
p. 66..3ambivalence = mixed feelings
- Although McCandless was enough of a realist to know that hunting game was an unavoidable component of living off the land, he had always been ambivalent about killing animals.
p. 166..5 *ambivalent = with mixed feelingseditor's notes: In this case, McCandless was uncertain of how hard to try to avoid killing animals even when it would be convenient to do so.
- That ambivalence turned to remorse soon after he shot the moose.
p. 166..5ambivalence = mixture of conflicting feelings
Definition:
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(ambivalent) having mixed feelings about something -- such as when part of you wants to do something and part of you does not