Brothers,
In a well-crafted essay of at least five, well-developed paragraphs, please give your reaction to Sean Penn's film adaptation of Into the Wild, basing your essay off of the following five questions:
1. First of all, what was your overall reaction to the film? Explain in detail.
2. Interpret various images or themes as presented in the film.
3. What are three lessons you learned by watching the film? Explain in detail.
4. To what biblical themes that we've discussed in class does the film relate?
5. How is Alexander Supertramp's journey a spiritual one? Be detailed in your response. If a specific Old Testament biblical passage comes to mind, please reference the passage by indicating the book, the chapter, and the verse numbers. (Think prophets of Israel: How is Chris "Alex Supertramp" McCandless like one of the prophets? Explain.)
This assignment is Due: Tuesday, May 5 by class time.
It must be typed or submitted to the blog.
Your heading should be as follows:
Your Name
Bro. Rob Peach, FSC
REL 011.04
May 5, 2009
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24 comments:
Rick Fish
Bro. Rob Peach, FSC
Rel 011.04
May 5, 2009
My overall reaction was that I really liked the movie and liked how it was pretty much the same thing as the book.There were some small things that were a little different from the movie and book but it was all pretty much the same thing. I find this movie very interesting because I like how Chris handles himself in the wilderness and most humans wouldnt even be able to survive for the amount of time that he did.
Some images and themes I found interesting in the film are the river that he tries crossing. Another image is the moose . The last image I found interesting was Chris's luxuries he made on the bus.I think the river is interesting because it shows his every day struggle just to get to the other side or to survive. I think the moose is interesting because it shows that he can do all the stuff that isnt necessary but when it comes down to necessities and food and he can't handle it. The luxuries on the bus are interesting because it shows he can live in the wild and still have a shower or a bed and somewhere to stay.
One lesson that I learned is to always follow anything I believe in even if it sounds crazy to some people or may not be the right thing to do. A second lesson i learned is to never leave anyone who cares about me without any information about where I am or what im doing because that can drive one man crazy.
I think one biblical theme would be when Jesus rose from the dead because Chris wasn't happy with his life and wanted something new so he went and lived into the wild and was reborn into a new life. Jesus dies which would reflect as Chris living in his old life at home and being "dead" and the he moved into the wild where he was free and happy or "reborn."
Alexander Supertramps life can be looked at as a spiritual one because like I just said in the paragraph above it was like Jesus rising from the dead or as where Chris went from being unhappy and locked down to being happy and free.
Logan Dietz
Bro. Rob Peach, FSC
Rel 011.04
May 5, 2009
The well-crafted movie, Into the Wild, directed by Sean Penn, derives from the book of the same title, by Jon Krakauer. Emille Hirsch wonderfully plays the part of young Chris McCandless, aka Alexander Supertramp. My reaction to the movie, Into the Wild, is that the movie really brought together the story of Chris McCandless. It may have exaggerated a few things like the relationship between Chris’s parents, but overall I thought the movie did a great job of capturing the essence and importance of the journey of Chris McCandless.
The first image that I noticed was when Chris was in a forest, and saw a young deer. The image here was that Chris, just like the young deer, was new to the wild and still needed to learn a lot on how to live on his own, in the wild. Another image I noticed was found in Jan and Rainey. For Jan, Chris was represented as her long-lost son. For Chris, Jan and Rainey represent the parents that Chris wanted, not the parents he had that were constantly fighting with each other.
The first lesson I learned from the film is no matter how hard things can get, your body will always withstand it. Whenever I am at a football practice that I think is hard, I can just think of all the struggles Chris went through and how, with the exception of one little mistake (eating the poisonous root) survived them all. The next lesson I learned from the film is to live life to the fullest. Chris went on this journey across America because he was not happy with the life he was living. He says multiple times you aren’t living until your on the road. He even encourages Ron Franz to live his life on the road and he will make the best of it. The final lesson I learned from the film will help me many years down the road, when I am a parent. I realized that I will always need to set a good example for my kids, and be a good father. If not, my son may become crazed and escape on a journey across the country and end up dying after it is all said and done.
The story of Chris McCandless can relate to Abraham. Abraham was called by God to move to Canaan. In a sense, Chris felt he was called to leave behind all he had and live in the wilderness of Alaska. Chris also reminds me of Habukkuk because they both asked “Why?” While we all know the story of Habukkuk and his asking why, Chris would ask, “Why are my parents like this? Why am I living this life under Society’s rule? Why am I living a life of no freedom?”
Alexander Supertramp’s journey is a spiritual one because he goes on this journey to search for himself and who he really is. He goes on this journey not for fame or money, but for a better life: a better life of freedom and happiness.
Graham Sides
Bro. Rob Peach, FSC
Rel 011.04
May 5, 2009
My overall reaction to the film was that it provided a closer look of Chris's struggles and overall life. For instance, when Chris finds out that he has eaten the poisonous plant instead of the edible plant, the movie really shows his anguish in a way that can't be explained in the book. This occurs alot in the movie, because I think that the movie tells the story better and that the book was really more of a documentary.
One image that I found interesting was the moose at the end of the movie. I think that this moose symbolizes the greater power in Chris's life and his limits, because at that time, Chris was in no position to try to kill it for food because of his poisoning. One theme that I found interesting was acceptance. I believe that this theme is shown throughout the movie and book. One example in the movie is after Chris eats the poisonous plant, the movie shows a sign he wrote on the outside of his bus that says he lived a good life and to bless all.
One lesson that I have learned is to always follow what you think is your vocation in life, no matter how weird it sounds. In Chris's case, he wanted to find himself in the wild instead of constantly having luxuries around him in the real world. The second lesson I learned is to believe in yourself. If the times seem tough, never lose hope and never stop believing in yourself because if you do one of those to things then you have a greater chance of not surviving. The last lesson I take from this film is to live life to the fullest. Chris shows Ron Franz this view, persuading an 80 year old man to climb halfway up a mountain.
In this movie, Chris can be related to Jeremiah. Jeremiah is a young prophet that claimed he was too young to be a prophet but God said to believe. This is almost the same as Chris in that everyone thought that Chris was being foolish going out into the wild without adequate supplies, but he proved them wrong by surviving for a while.
Chris's life can be looked at as spiritual because he believe in himself that he could survive in the wild. On this journey he wanted to find himself and who he really is.
Thomas O'Connor
Bro. Rob Peach, FSC
Rel 011.04
May 5, 2009
My overall reaction to the movie was similar to my reaction to the book. I enjoyed the movie and thought it was a good rendering of the story. It seemed to focus more on the relationships between Chris and others a lot more than the book did. I was also suprised that Chris' parents allowed the movie to be made when it portrayed them as negatively as it did.
There were many themes and images presented in the movie. These symbols include his car, the moose, and many more. In the case of the moose, its a symbol of waste, failure, and the consumeristic society that Alex rejected. Alex was able to give himself luxuries like a shower, but he was unable to provide himself with the basic neccessity of food. Also, I think it represents the waste in American society, and it reminded Chris of this.
If I learned one lesson from watching this movie, it was to be adventurous; to act on your impulses. Alex spent most of his time just living, not planning, going as time went on. Another lesson I learned is to do what you beleive in regardless of what others think. Not many people would do what Chris did if they had the chance.
There are some Biblical themes that relate to this story. In particular, I think his journey can be related to Habbakuk. Chris went out on his journey in the first place because he asked that 'why?' question. He wonders why society is filled with so much hate, why are his parents so misunderstanding of him, and why they are always fighting. He concluded that the best way to find hapiness was to get away from the consumeristic, materialistic culutre around him and 'live off the land' for a while.
Chris' journey is a spiritual one in many ways. He is going on his 'journey' in search of understanding himself and the world around him. He is tested metnatally and physically throuout his journey. He went in search of a better life for himself, seperate of the society around him, where he could be happy.
Wyatt Gasparik
Bro.Rob Peach, FSC
Rel011.04
May5,2009
My reaction from the film was very different from the book. When i read the book I realized everything that he struggled through and appreciated it, but when I had seen the movie it gave me a whole new outlook on the situation. It let me connect to Chris. It made me realize how real it was, I guess it didnt seem real enough when I read the book. When I actually saw what the situations and everything for my own eyes it made me really respect him a great deal more.
There were many images and themes in the film but some i found interesting were the hat that Jan and Bob gave him as a present before he left for Alaska. Chris takes the hat and later sticks it on a branch to mark where he has been. This had symbolizes family. He left the hat behind the same way as he did his family, without thinking much about it. Another symbol is the water that you seem many times in his journey. You see the water when he gets flooded in his car. You also see water when he is going down the rapids. The water symbolizes struggle in this journey. He gets confronted with the water in the car and on the rapids but he manages to get through it and come out as a better person. He is able to overcome the struggles and keep moving.
I learned countless lessons in this film. I learned that you should never be afraid to experience new things and new places. I learned to not shy away from things but to confront them and ultimately it will make me a better person in life. I also learned that family is one of the most important things in life. Your family is always there for you no matter the situation and you are always there for your family. Without family you wouldn't have people to rely on in life. Your family is the greatest relationship you have in life and you should do everything you can to hold onto it.
I think that Chris can be related to Jeremiah in that people both thought that they were to naive. People thought that Jeremiah was to young for the job as a prophet. Everyone thought that Chris was naive because they thought he made a irrational decision to go into the wild to embrace a new life.
Chris's journey is spiritual one because he is leaving his old life and making a new one for himself. This is just like being reborn. He seems unhappy with life with all the trouble and people. He wants a care free simple life.
Rob Scholle
Bro. Rob Peach, FSC
REL 011.04
May 5, 2009
The movie of "In to the Wild" acurately portrayed the character of Chris McCandles. Emile Hirsch, who plays Chris, gave an added depth to Chris' personality that you do not recieve from the book. Hirsch shows Chris' love for life and he live out his principles and ideals. Sean Penn, who directed the film, did a very good job of showing how Chris matured throughout his journey.
The story of Chris McCandles is filled with many symbols and themes. When Chris began his travels around the country, he took a new name- Alexander Supertramp. In one scene in the film, "Alexander" tries to apply for an ID. He quickly changes his mind when he realizes what he might become if he took on an identity. But then at the end of the movie, he signs his name Chris McCandles, the name his parents gave him. I think Chris used his name to disown and eventually reunite himself with his parents.
I think that Chris' journey into the wild teaches us more than anything else in the story. In the scenes that involve him killing a moose, we arre shown the value of a life. Chris' revival of the use of his real name shows his forgiveness of his parents. This act should show us that eventually we have to let go of resentment and anger. Chris' jorney, both physical and spiritual shows us that life is always a journey towards something greater than ourselves-God.
One characteristic of the bible is that it generally shows the whole person- the good and bad characteristcs. One example of this is David. Scripture tells all of his acomplishments and all of his sins. "Into the Wild" also does this with Chris. It does not portray him as a saint, or a horrible sinner. It just shows him as who he is.
Chris' journey began with resentment. He was angry with his parents and that sparked a rebellion. He needed something both greater than himself and his parents. He searched for this forfulment in the west, in nature, and sometimes in people. His joourney was to fill his soul with something that it lacked. That made it primarily a spiritual journey.
Joe Fennimore
Bro. Rob Peach, FSC
Rel 011.04
May 6, 2009
Sean Penn’s Into the Wild was a truly unique interpretation of the story of Chris McCandless. The movie not only included all of the important events and speeches in the book, but it actually expanded upon his journey at times. Even though Penn took creative liberty when he added scenes like the visit to ‘Salvation Mountain’ or his return to the city in an attempt to get a new ID, he stayed true to the most important themes and morals of McCandless’s ideology. The actors were good choices. There were only a few particularly well known actors in the movie such as Vince Vaughn and Hal Halbrook, but I think that it was a wise decision to use unknown actors and actresses because the characters are so in depth that have a celebrity personality added to them would take away from the story. Having real people play the parts in the story made it easier to feel and understand his relationship with the people that he met along the road and it made the general story feel warm, where the book felt rather cold about his relationships. Emile Hirsch did a good job in the role of Chris McCandless, harnessing his free spirit in a very animated way that made Chris’s ideas seem believable and possible. My one critism of his performance is that he displayed none of Chris’s flaws in personality. This, however, is not such a bad thing. Chris McCandless was certainly a much more likeable person in the movie than he was in the book. It was probably a choice on Sean Penn’s part to make Chris seem like a more positive figure because he was the hero of the story and the audience should be made to like and admire him. The music in the movie was very well suited to the atmosphere of the movie, but it played almost perpetually, which was annoying at times. The music was very simple country music, which, as I said, followed well with the scenes of Chris’s journey through the country. The photography in the movie was beautiful. It was apparently done by a famous French cinematographer named Eric Gautier and he did an outstanding job of matching the lighting to the intended mood of the story. Happy scenes such as Chris’s time with Jan and Rainey on the beach were set in the warm light of the sunset and more depressing scenes such as his dying days in Alaska were cast in a dull, pale light. The structure of the movie was very similar to that of the book, jumping around quite a bit between before he got to Alaska and his final days in Alaska. The only thing that was different was the arrangement of a few scenes, and the fact that Penn added five chapters of Alexander Supertramp’s new life. I do not think that this addition was necessary, but it did offer a new method of interpreting the story. In general, I think that Sean Penn’s interpretation of Into The Wild was inspiring.
A few images and themes that stood out to me in the movie came from his final days in Alaska. The scene of Chris’s final thoughts was one that was not shown or done in the book because Jon Krakaur knew that he couldn’t possibly hope to accurately document his final thoughts. In the movie, though, imagination was used to build this unknown part of the story. Chris looks out a window at the sun and has a vision that he is running back to his parents. He says, “What if I came running back and you grabbed me in your arms? Would you see what I see now?”. It shows that at the end of his life he recognizes the importance of other people in his life. This vision, though, is also similar to God welcoming him into heaven. For many days he feels that he is trapped in the wild, but at the end of his life is he able to return home. Then, when he is near death, a grizzly bear walks past him and does not eat him. It simply ignores him. Symbolically, the bear is actually similar to Chris’s relationship with other people because he would always meet people along his journey, but eventually he would leave them because he thought that he had nothing to gain from them. He could only see them in the way the bear saw him. Chris thought that they were spiritually lifeless and that he was the only one who had the initiative to strike out from society the way he did. The bear could not see Chris’s value because it was not interested in the spiritual side of him. The most important symbol I noticed was Chris’s misunderstanding between the wild pea root and the wild potato root. One was poisonous and the other was edible. Unfortunately, he mistook the poisonous one for the edible one. Similarly, he misunderstood himself. He thought that journeying alone was the only way that he could ‘feed himself’ but it turned out that doing so got him killed. He talks about how an author that he liked tried to call everything by its true name. Just as he misnamed the root, however, he misnamed himself. By calling himself Alexander Supertramp, he was trying to be someone that he really wasn’t. He only realized his mistake at the end of his life while he was dying.
Three lessons in the movie came from Chris’s conversation with Jan, his desire to name things by their true name, and his relentless spirit to work despite the fact that he did jobs that others did not want to do. In his conversation with Jan, Jan tells him the story about how her son ran away from her and that she didn’t think it was right that he had run away from his parents without telling them where he was. The lesson is that all people have an obligation to value their lives because there are other people who care about them. Even if those people were not supposed to be hurt, being destructive with your life hurts them deeply. No person can ever truly cut themselves off from their world. In Chris’s desire to name everything by its true name, it teaches that no one should ever be taken at face value or by what other people say about them. It requires lots of time getting to know them to understand people’s true value. Then, Chris’s persistence to work teaches that while some jobs are difficult, they still need to get done and the best way to get them done is to approach them with a positive perspective.
The most prominent religious theme in the movie came from Chris’s time with Ron Franz. When the two of them are talking up on the mountain Ron Franz tells Chris his theory about faith. He believes that the most important thing to God is that people love each other and that forgiving each other is the best way to love. He believes that Chris should forgive his parents because they love him and that everyone needs to forgive. That focus on forgiveness is especially important in Chris’s story because his journey is really a means for him to escape from his parents whom he does not forgive because of their mistakes.
Chris’s journey is very much a spiritual one because he leaves home to find the meaning of life in general and the meaning of his own life in God’s creations in nature. He sees the beauty of nature as an undeniable truth and he wants to know this truth more deeply than he already does. He is out on this journey to escape the society which he believes hinders his free spirit and he believes that physically moving out of it will release himself.
When I first started watching the movie, I said to myself that this was going to be worst movie that I have seen, because I did not even find the book too interesting, because reading about a guy who decided to hitchhike into the wilderness not thinking of what would have possibly happen to him, was diffinitly not worth spending my time on. But when I finally started giving my full attention to the movie, I realize that it was not what I thought it was, it was so touching, the movie setup and all the characters where just phenominon. At the end I almost shares tears because I felt sorry for Chris about how he died.
Some images that I thought was interesting in the movie was the flood, the car, and the river. I thought the car was interesting because it signifies the washing away of Chris' past, and that he was going to start a new biginning. I also find the car interesting because I thought that It represented the breaking away from his parent, since it was the parent that bought him the car. Lastly, I found the river chris tried to cross but failed quite interesting because I thought that it potriate the notion that there is a limit to what one can do or how far you can go.
Some lesson that I learned are as follows; I learned that there is a limit to what some can do, because if Chris had realized that, maybe he wouldn't have died mesirably. The second lesson I learned from the movie is that I should always tell people about my plan before I execute it and listen to their opinion before I make my final decision, because if chris had shared his idea with someone, maybe that person would have offered a better idea on what to do, than just wasting his life. The third lesson that I learned in the movie is to learn to control my anger and emotion, because that is what made chris left home and embacked on that unfruitful journey.
The biblical theme that I think applies to this movie is that of Ezekiel. Ezikiel used different forms of demostration to show the Israelite was going to happen to them if they do not change from their evil ways. Just like Ezikiel did, Chris did not only orally expressed his feelings to his parent,on how disgusted he was by their actions, he demostrated to them by leaving the house, distroying all his document and money, and hitchhiking to the wilderness.
I thought Chris' jouney was a spiritual one in the sense that when he left his house and start the journey that eventually ends his life, he threw away all his old thing including money and invented a new life for him which I considered to be REBORN because his is starting a new life and by so doing, erasing away the old one he had before.
Deandre White
Bro.“super gangsta”Rob Peach, FSC
Rel 011.04
May 6, 2009
My reaction was that the movie showed more detail than the book. In the movie you can actually see what he felt when his parents argued and what he observed about other people actions in different locations. What i thought that was interesting was that when something bad happened something else popped up and helped him through tough spots. Also another thing that i thought was interesting was that he survived out in the wild much longer an average person would last.The other part that i found interesting was that he persuaded an 80 year old man to climb a huge hillside with him to look at the things below them. One image i found was the river scene because when he couldnt pass it shows that everyone has times when struggled to reach their goals. Another image is the things that surrounded him because when he found the bus he made it into a house and he was able to bathe because or the water around him. One lesson i learned is that u can do anything as long u put your into it. Another lesson is to think about others before you do something that you might regret. I think chris is like jeremiah because he was too young to take on that big role of leaving his family to go into the wild. Jeremiah was young also but he took on a big role of being a prophet. He like Habbakuk because he was asking questions about his life like his parents issues just as Habbakuk would ask GOD questions during his times. Chris's life can be looked at as spiritual because he believed that he can survive in the wilderness by himself to find out the other man inside him.
Osas Malkin
Bro. Rob Peach, FSC
Rell 011.04
May 5, 2009
When I first started watching the movie, I said to myself that this was going to be worst movie that I have seen, because I didn't find the book too interesting, because reading about a guy who decided to hitchhike into the wilderness not thinking of what would have possibly happen to him, was diffinitly not worth spending my time on. But when I finally started giving my full attention to the movie, I realize that it was not what I thought it was, it was so realistic in because of the way Sean Penn made the movie, it was so emotional, everybody that chris met on the way where very nice.At the beginnig, some part where not shown in the movie which was when alex the with a man in the car and they where talking about the society and Chris said "f**k the society." but apart from that i think that the movie setup and all the characters where just phenominon. At the end I almost shares tears because I felt sorry for Chris about how he died.
Some images that I thought was interesting in the movie was the flood, the car, and the river. I thought the car was interesting because it signifies the washing away of Chris' past, and that he was going to start a new biginning. I also find the car interesting because I thought that It represented the breaking away from his parent, since it was the parent that bought him the car. Lastly, I found the river chris tried to cross but failed quite interesting because I thought that it potriate the notion that there is a limit to what one can do or how far you can go.
Some lesson that I learned are as follows; I learned that there is a limit to what some can do, because if Chris had realized that, maybe he wouldn't have died mesirably. The second lesson I learned from the movie is that I should always tell people about my plan before I execute it and listen to their opinion before I make my final decision, because if chris had shared his idea with someone, maybe that person would have offered a better idea on what to do, than just wasting his life. The third lesson that I learned in the movie is to learn to control my anger and emotion, because that is what made chris left home and embacked on that unfruitful journey.
The biblical theme that I think applies to this movie is that of Ezekiel. Ezikiel used different forms of demostration to show the Israelite was going to happen to them if they do not change from their evil ways. Just like Ezikiel did, Chris did not only orally expressed his feelings to his parent,on how disgusted he was by their actions, he demostrated to them by leaving the house, distroying all his document and money, and hitchhiking to the wilderness.
I thought Chris' jouney was a spiritual one in the sense that when he left his house and start the journey that eventually ends his life, he threw away all his old thing including money and invented a new life for him which I considered to be REBORN because his is starting a new life and by so doing, erasing away the old one he had before.
Dan Pickle
Bro. Rob Peach, FSC!
REl 011.04
May 6. 2009
My overall reaction to Sean Penn's film interpretation of the book Into the Wild was good due to many reasons. First, it closely followed the book. In the book Christopher McCandless' life is told out of order unlike a timeline. There are many flashbacks which help to further explain his life and convey the emotions and mindset during his adventures. I also feel like the movie was able to show emotions McCandless felt more powerfully. In the book it is hard to imagine some of the things he felt and had to deal with. The film does a good job showing how hard some of the experiences he went through were, such as when he was starving in the wild or realized he ate poisoned roots or when he got caught hitching a ride on a train. On the other hand it also portrayed the good experiences he went through better then the book could. Some of these were when he went kayaking down the river. The satisfaction he felt from that is shown in the movie by him screaming "Im Supertramp!". In the book it just lists his actions. Some other good experiences the movie shows better then the book are the friendships he makes and the people he touches throughout his journey.
I found many interesting themes throughtout the movie. First, the moose he kills and cannot sucessfully dry out to use. The moose was a way of survival to him because it was food. The fact that he couldnt use it and it went to waste was a symbol because it shows his inability to survive which was extremely important to him. It also shows the waste that society produces that he wants to get away from. Second, the river he crossed was a symbol of the crossing into the "wild". Even though civilazation is closer then he realized (being a couple of miles away) this river eventually becomes, not just a marker in his journey, but the end of it. Lastly, his car Datsun, represents many things. It represents his freedom. Before he graduated college and went on his journey the car was his way to escape. Noted in both the book and movie were his long trips during school breaks which were cross country or to a place far away. After he graduates he takes his car and leaves. The name Datsun can be taken apart to Dat sun, or that sun. The sun sets in the west and thats where he first went.
I can take many things from the movie. A major theme and leason I found throughout the movie and book was to live your life however you feel like you need to, and that self knowledge is important to live a full life. Second, is to not be satisfied with life as it is unless you are absoultely sure its perfect. There is always something you can do to make you life better for yourself or more interesting or satisfying. Lastly, is to never judge anything the way it seems. There is always something deeper in life, its just up to you to get out there and find it.
The film can realate to a few biblical themes. These themes are mostly when Chris is with Ron. Ron talks to him about god and faith. Ron says "when we forgive we love and when we love god's light shines on us". This is much like biblical themes such as you should turn the other cheek, and the repetative themes of forgivness throughout the book. Also, the film can relate to the journey of life and the final end and paradise.
This being said, McCandless' journey was a spiritual journey. Maybe the paradise for him was the final understanding of life. When he knows hes dying he writes a note saying he lived a great life. In the film it also shows his understanding of what hes been through and done and the relationships hes made and the journey hes had. McCandless is much like a prophet because he goes on what many people would consider an absurd and pointless journey, but like the prophets his has greater meaning then whats on the surface.
Overall, Sean Penn's film adaptation of Into the Wild by John Krakauer, showing Christopher McCandless' journey, was a sucess in my opinion.
My reaction to Into the Wild was that it was very similar to the book. The movie showed a more detailed look at the struggles than Chris went through. Also the book portrayed Chris's parents very harshly. The movie focused more the people he met and the relashionships he had with them.
One image could be the moose because it showed failure and the waste in American society that he was trying to get away from. Another image was the young deer because Chris could not bring himself to kill the deer because it was new to the world and still had to learn how to live on its own. The shower would be another example because it showed that he was in the wild he still could not live without some luxuries.
I think the most important lesson that I learned is to live life to the fullest. Chris McCandless was unhappy with the life that he was living because he thought that everyone was too caught up with money and material possesions. He wanted to be free of that and live his life to the fullest in Alaska so that he could live off the land.The second lesson that I learned is to beleive in yourself and you can accoplish whatever you put your mind to. The third lesson that I learned is that you shouldn't run away from your fears but you should confront them and that will make you a stronger person.
I think the Biblical theme that relates best to Chris is Habukkuk because Habukkuk asked "Why?". This relates to Chris because he also asked "why?", like "why do my parents always fight", and "why is society so obsessed with material things". What he thought was best was to free himself from a materialistic society and to live off the land in alaska.
Chris's journey was very spiritual because throughout his journey he found a better understanding of who he was. Ultimately his goal was to make a better life for himself, free from a materialistic society, so that he could be happy.
James May
Bro. Rob Peach, FSC
Rel 011.04
May 5, 2009
My reaction to the film was the same basic reaction I had towards the book, but in different ways. For both of these accounts, I felt that they did an excellent job of retelling Chris' journey, including the people he encountered, the paths that he took, and at many times his mindset while taking the risks and chances he took. However, the movie did a better job of conveying these three factors than the book in my opinion. The book was more of a literal documentary of Chris' journey; the movie took the information from this documentary and made it a story. The movie really expressed the different relationships he made on the way, and how he in a sense created a family of his own out of these people. The movie also gave a physical image of the roads he traveled, which I did not necessarily imagine the same; for instance, I had imagined the area which the bus was in to be a forest, rather than a plain of tall grass. Also, by giving these physical images, it helped create a better understanding of what exactly Chris was thinking when he took some of the risks he did.
This film was full of images and themes, many of which are not so easily interpreted. The recurring theme of striking out against the expectations of society is strongly expressed through multiple actions of Chris. These actions include him burning his money and abandoning his car, walking out on his job because he would not wear socks, and his not-so-subtle rant about society to Wayne in the bar. They all show, sometimes literally, Chris' views on society and how controlling it is to only do what is expected. For instance, rather than comply and wear socks on his job, he decides to quit. No matter how seemingly small the request is, Chris will not conform to society's standards. However, other images beg to question whether or not he ever truly was able to break society's hold on him. When he killed the moose, he was unable to get much meat from it because he did not know how to properly prepare it. This is a symbol of, in many ways, how Chris would never truly be completely free from all things the term civilization implies. Though he wanted ultimate freedom, he was unable to attain it.
There are many lessons offered from this film, the most obviously stressed being to follow your heart, not other people's. If you want to do something, if you believe in something, you must follow through with it no matter what other people think of it. To quote a saying from an unknown author, "You were born an original. Don't die a copy". This statement holds quite a lot of meaning. However, there is certain moderations that must be taken in your own personal freedom; this is the second lesson. You can have fun, and you can do what you want, but if you do it to the point where you lose sight of everything else, the contrast of this freedom against control is lost. The third lesson, and possibly one of the most important, is that this freedom should not be received and kept alone. Everybody should have at least one person in their lives that they can share their achievements, enthusiasm over, and views with. A feeling of self-fulfillment is important, but if this feeling is not shared than it is never felt to its potential.
This film relates to many religious themes, in much more conviction than the book does. For instance, when Ron Franz tells Chris about forgiveness, and how it is the key to ultimate self-fulfillment and God's pride for you. This is important for Chris to hear because of the rift between his parents and himself, which is conveyed extremely well in the movie. He needs to forgive his parents for their opinions on his views, and we never really know if he is able to do this. This forgiveness also requires another religious theme, love. It takes love for another person to forgive them, and the movie shows that Chris truly cared for people, especially Jan, who the movie portrays as Chris' mother figure on his journey. He was capable of the love; the question is whether he was able to harness this and forgive.
Chris 'Alexander Supertramp' McCandless' journey is spiritual in many ways, and can be related to the prophet Ezekiel. Ezekiel performed acts thought of as odd to preach, such as staring at a model of Jericho for a year or pretending to escape the walls. Chris also went to extremes to prove a point, his point being that if you do what is expected and what other people tell you to do, you will never truly be happy. He conveys this point by striking out into the wild, taking adventures and risks as they came. His actions spoke louder than any words he could have said would have, and his actions are now a famous example of freedom.
Michael Klim
Bro. Rob Peach, FSC
Rel 011.04
5 May 2009
My overall reaction to the movieis that i liked it and i feel that Sean Penn did an excellent job of reaccounting the adventures of McCandless, and that he did a great job of giving insight into his relationship with his family as well. Though I realize that Penn enhanced some aspects of the book and not others I feel that he only did this to enhance the overall appearence of the film itself. Also, I believe that the movie made McCandless' journey feel more realistic to us, the viewers.
One image from the film that can be interpreted is the name of McCandless' car, Datsun. This name can be broken down into the words "dat sun" which sets in the west. This ties in to McCandless' journey because the sun sets in the west and the far west is the destanation of McCandless' journey.
One lesson I learned from the film is that I should always follow my own path and not to let others force me away from it. Another lesson I learned is that I should question socicity and try to fix the flaws in the system. A final lesson I learned is that I should live life in the now as opposed to living in the past.
The theme of McCandless' journey into manhood reminds me of the Isralites exodus from Egypt because he moves away from the oppresson and slavery in his home and goes to freedom and total happiness on his journies and in Alaska itself.
McCandless can be compared to the biblical character Jeremiah. This assumption can be made because though he is young and small he is filled with spirit and is willing to go extremely far to prove his point. Also, in the end he feels forsaken just as Jeramiah does.
The Vincenzo Merante
Bro. Rob Peach, FSC
Rel 011.04
May 5, 2009
-The movie and the book were both very inspirational.i was interested in the book but i must say the movie blew the book out of the water. Sean Penn potrayed Alex's life to perfection and it helped me understand his life even more. The movie made someone like me want to leave society and go straight into the wild.
-Some symbolic images found throughout the film would simply be Chris's name change. Before Chris takes off on his journey, he decided to create a new lifestyle for himself. That means changing everything about him;even his name. Chris McCandless becomes the legend, "Alexander Supertramp." This name is significent because it symbolizes Change. maybe change for the better or change for the worse. But this name is so oddly thought of because Alexander Supertramp could have many different meanings. Alexander was a great ruler back in the day, becoming "alexander the Great". Supertramp simply states how Chris goes from place to place in seek of his true identity.
-Three lessons i leared from into the Wild(film edition) would be trust, love, and hatred. Alex spent a great deal of time tramping around and on the way he met some very important people. He built great relationships with them and the base of each relationship was trust. i believe that trust kept him alive for aslong as he was. Second was Love. Love is usually thought of as a good thing to have. But in Alex's case, love is what caused him to leave. The love he was getting, to him, was perceived as being fake or not "true Love." Alex doesnt want that feeling anymore and goes to find love in the wild. Hatred is another important lesson. The wild purified Alex of all his hatred essentially. He saw how love is so very important through hatred. To me, you cant have love without hatred.
-I think the film could be related to Jesus's journey into the desert. Both deal with the finding of the inner human being. the essence of human relations and the finding of good in everything living. Alex goes into the wild, to escape from evil kind of and surrond himself with positive and loving vibes. Jesus went into the desert alone and when He came out He found out who He truely was similiar to what alex supertramp did. Alex Supertramps journey could be classified as a spiritual one because through all he went to he found meaning to his life. God has different plans for each and every single person on this universe. It takes time, patience, and understanding to find out what He has in store for us. Alex had all three of these characteristics and we dont even know if he found his meaning to life. But Alex knew that God had a message for him so he went and tried to reveal it. maybe death was it, because now alex might be in a better place....
Jake Rostek
Bro. Rob Peach, FSC
REL 011.04
May 5, 2009
My overall reaction to the movie was that I liked watching it and I found it interesting. I liked the fact that I could see things that couldn't be written in the book. It gave me a better understanding of certain events that were hard to imagine by reading the book. For instance, it showed in more detail how close Chris had become to some of the people that he met along his journey.
The image of the moose represents Chris' inability and unpreparedness to survive in the Alaskan wilderness. It shows that he wanted to get away from a society that wastes so much, but by him being unprepared, he is much like the people that he is so eager to get away from. Another theme represented in the book was the shower that Chris designed. He again shows that he is still connected to the lifestyle that he is trying to run from.
One of the lessons that I learned by watching the film is that I must be prepared for the consequences of any major decision that I make. Another lesson that I learned is that if you set your mind to do something, that you should keep going for it no matter how tough the journey may be. The last lesson that I learned is to cherish the good people that you meet along your way in life. There is something to be learned from everyone we meet in this journey called life.
The biblical theme that I think the film relates to is Habakkuk. Habakkuk asks why God doesn't take action, among other things. Chris also asks why society doesn't take action. It is this lack of action against what Chris feels is wrong with world that leads Chris to find another way of life.
Alex Supertramp's journey is a spiritual one because he goes into the wilderness to test himself. God also has lead people into the wilderness to be tested such as Moses going into the desert and David going into the wilderness to escape Saul. Chris McCandless was also escaping - but he was trying to escape society.
Tyler Zymroz
Bro. Rob Peach, FSC
Rel 011.04
May 5, 2009
I really like this movie. Emile really showed Chris's true emotions while on his journey. You read the book and don't know how he really feels. Penn did an excellent job on portraying his journey as a spiritual and meaningful one and no just him taking a trip to his grave.
One image i would point out is the river. At the beginning of the movie he puts a hat on a side of a river then crosses it. Later in the movie he tries crossing a river but cannot. This symbolizes him trying to cross the river to get to love or meaning for his survival. Another is the killing and cooking of the moose. This is a symbol of him being unprepared. He wastes his time and bullets, and he messes up while cooking the moose. It makes him mad at himself for thinking he was ready for something this difficult.
I learned to go after what i truely want. Chris wanted to go to Alaska and he did exactly what he set off to do. He never backed down, and went for his goal. Another lesson would be to never hold a grudge. At the end of the story Chris has this vision of everything being alright and him in his parents arms, but his parents will never know he forgave them because he didn't get to confront them. The final lesson i learned was live your life to its fullest. Meaning do what you can while you can. You can't regret what you've done, but you can regret what you haven't done.
Ezekial is kinda like Chris's story. Ezekial sets out to do something (stares at a model of Jericho for a year) and does it until he accomplishes what he said he would. Chris does exactly this, he said he would go to Alaska and does so. I also believe Habukkuk could be another biblical theme. Habukkuk asks why to everything, as does Chris. On his whole journey, to keep him going he asks himself why. Before he goes on this journey he asks why like why does material possesions matter? Why do my parents fight? So with this asking why he finds himself wantings some freedom.
I really enjoyed this book and the movie. Penn did an amazing job of bringing emotion and portraying McCandless's journey as a greater thing than just a crazy guy going to Alaska. But for not Krakauer writing a book about this epic tale none of this would've ever happened. So both of these artists should be given tons of praise for bringing meaning to Chris's journey.
Robbie McKinstry
Bro. Rob Peach, FSC
REL 011.04
May 5, 200
My overall reaction to the movie “Into the Wild” was a positive one. I was never truly able to grasp the depths of Chris McCandless through Krakauer’s representation in the book, but the movie had all the imagry needed to show McCandless as a person, and not a supernatural being living off the land and visiting hippies.Additionally the movie did not have any of the excess verbage presented by Krakauer in the book, and was more concise and to the point. That was my main dislike of the book: I believed Krakauer was much too verbose and needed to get to the point.
I viewed the wind farm and Salvation Mountain as symbols in the movie. When Ron Franz is driving Chris as far as he could and is about to finally say goodbye, they pass a wind farm. I thought that this was a clear symbol relaying the message “Hard work and determination can bring reward through a clean and ethical manner.” Wind energy is a clean and provides electricity for our homes.Chris suggested to Ron that he make a radical lifestyle change, and althought it would be difficult, the challenges would be worth it and the results would be rewarding.
I viewed Salvation Mountain as a symbol for moral integrity. It showed that if you live in God’s grace, then you won’t have trouble with anything, and will live a carefree existence. God’s grace is a roundabout way of saying moral integrity, because moral intergrity is the main way of obtaining God’s grace. Chris had high regards for ethics, and I believe that’s how he was able to travel so far. He had to constantly take things from kind resources along his journey, and I think they were only willing to shell out their belongings because Chris was morally sound.
The three lessons I learned in the movies were to be considerate of life, to be prepared, and never lose hope in people. I did not view the killing of the moose as a strike against his pride, but a travasty to Chris because he took a life for naught. This showed me to be considerate of life, and recognize when it may be better to suffer myself, than to harm a nonhuman being, like the moose. “Into the Wild” also convinced me I need to be prepared. It came as not supirse to me that Chris eventually died in the wild, because he was extremely unprepared. If I were to make such a radical step in my life, or at least
undertake a project as large as Chris’, I would want to be more prepared that he.
I think think “Into the Wild” is best represented by the story of Ezekiel. Both Chris and Ezekiel were scholarly people who refused to conform to a corrupt society. Chris went to extremes to accomplish every task, while Ezekiel went to extremes through his actions and acting in order to accomplish one task. Both were outcasted by al but a few, and both showed their displeasure for society through extravagant methods and without using words.
I also think Chris’ journey was a spiritual one, and my explication of said statement is through a comparison. No one will attempt to say Jonah’s journey was not spiritual. Jonah was sent to Ninevah to tell the cruel, horrible Assyrian people that God would destroy them if they did not repent and change their ways. Chris was sent into the wild in order to change himself for the better. Both of these are clear examples of Joeseph Cambel’s discription of the Hero’s Journey: striking out to preform the heroic deed as we discussed in class. Jonah, however, decided to travel South instead of North and run away from his duty (Sorry Brother, in class I told you the opposite directions). Chris decided to run away from his life and his home out of selfishness, and much like Jonah was able to save the people of Ninevah, those around Chris would have benefitted more from his presence than his absence. Eventualy, Jonah’s actions caught up with him and he was thrown overboard, and swallowed up by a whale. However he did not belly-ache (haha pun) but prayed to God for mercy. He made a gut-call (hahahahahaha) and decidded to travel back to Ninevah after he was thrown up by the whale. Chris’ actions eventually caught up to him and he sufered in the wild after he had eaten the poisonous root. However, he finally made the decision to “call everything by its rightful name” before death, and signed his name as Christopher McCandless instead of Alexander Supertramp.
This, my brothers, was his ultimate redemption.
Dan Smith
Bro. Rob Peach, FSC
Rel. 011.04
May 6, 2009
My first reaction to the film was distaste. I did not like the film at all as well as the book. it was not so much the writing or screenplay as it was the concept of Mccandless going into the wild. It was stupid and thoughtless of him and ultimately he paid the price.
The first symbol noticed the symbol of the 'wild.' The 'wild', in mcccandless' case was him finding a place where he could be at peace with himself and be able to find his place in the world. Another symbol was the moose. The moose represented McCandless becoming caught up in what he was trying to get away from. He choose to build luxuries such as a shower rather than preparing himself a fire and such. It also showed the notion of 'American Excess' where we consume to much for no reason sometimes that we cannot handle.
The first lesson i learned in the film is not to do something as stupid or dumb as Chris. His actions were idiotic and uncalled for. He just couldnt handle society. The second lesson i learned is not to jump trains because you will be beat up. A final lesson i learned is how you can find yourself by testing your limits like Chris did on mountains and traveling.
The film can relate to many biblical themes. I found it bears a strong resemblence to Habbakuk. He asks the question why and this is the reason for his journey.
Supertramp's journey can be seen as spiritual because he sets out to look for truth and seek himself and he does the by challenging himself everyway including spiritually.
Guthrie Renwick
Bro. Peach, FSC
Rel 011.04
May 6
As I watched the movie my first reaction was that the movie was a more personal story. It showed the emmoitional side of all the people chris met on his journey. The book was more a documentry than a story and only said the things that happened on the surface instead of what happened on the inside.
The image that stuck out the most to me was at the end of the book when he saw his hat on the other side of the river it was unable to reach it. This image to me meant the return to civilazation was unreachable and chris was stuck in the wild. Another image that stuck out to me was when
The grizzly bear came into his camp and saw he was so weak he wasn't even threatened by him and walked away. That is the moment, I believe, chris realized he was going to die.
The three lessons I learned from the film were just because you have you have everything you need, everything won't nessacarily go as planned. Also, be carful what you wish for. Chris mccandless wanted to go to the wild of Alaska for over two years but when he finally got there he wasn't as prepared as he thought he was and because of it he ended up dying. The last lesson from the movie was you don't know how bad life can really be until you hit rock bottom. Chris was born a rich kid from annadale and ended up becoming a bum in los angles.
More later
Erich P. Harkema
Bro. Rob Peach, FSC
REL 011.04
May 5, 2009
My reaction to the film was mixed; I felt more of a hook coming from the film then the intro in the book gave, yet at the same time it felt half-baked without the commentary and interviews that Krakauer had inserted into the book. The film also portrayed Chris as if he had no flaws and showed his parents in a more negative way. Portraying them as abusive, conflictive, an misunderstanding. The film did portray Chris' sister the correct way, though.
Some images I found interesting in the film included: His car, and the plant he ate. I found the car interesting for two reasons; One reason was because of it's name, Datsun. The sun sets to the west and he allways was traveling west, so it portrayed his "quest to the west". And the second reason is because of the flood that hit his car. It seems to portray a baptism or rebirth, since when you are baptised your are given a new name in some cultures to represent the start of a new life. The plant represents the power of Mother Nature, since Chris' quest was to fight the forces of nature on his own. The plant portrays the message of Chris' quest being impossible and the consequences of trying it.
Some lessons I learned from the film were that for one, I should respect my parents more, since they are very important and are people you can allways go to. Another is that you should lead a life that interests you, do what you want to do not just a boring over and over schedule of the same thing just to follow everybody else. I don't mean that I should go "Into the Wild" like Chris did, I just mean that you should enjoy life instead of just the bare minimum. And a third lesson I learned is lying is wrong. The whole reason Chris went on this "Quest to the west" was because his father lied to Chris by never telling him about his other wife. This is what made Chris withdraw from his parents. SO it was an example of how a big lie can have huge consequences.
Some biblical themes we've discussed include: Jonah, because Chris was warned by many not to go on this crazy trip and to turn back. It's just like with Jonah how God told him to do one thing and he got scared and tried to run. You know what happened to Jonah at that point. Chris pulled a Jonah and was stubborn, refusing to turn back. This caused the present consequence.
Alexander Supertramp's journey is spiritual because it seems like a search for faith. He may be trying to find God in himself in this journey and he might even be searching for himself. We may never know if he found himself in Alaska, but we can assume he learned too late because he tried to go back to society and was unable. We can imply from this and his journals he was finally ready to head home. He may have been searching for God through nature, which is a non-man-made thing in this world. But you also have to consider he may have tried to imitate his idols, those authors of the books he cherished so much. I don't know if he got what he want, but if that's what he wanted he got it......in an unexpected way.
I thought this movie was very good. This movie did a good job of describing Chris's emotions on while he was on his journey. I do believe that the book was a better interpretaion of Chris' life than the movie. However, the movie showed more details in the emotions of Supertramp.
An image, that i would like to point out is the moose. When he hunts the moose, to me alex symbolizes every humna being. The moose resprents a specific goal. We all try to go after and success our goal. At the moment in the movie, Alex's goal was to kill the moose. Another image to me that was important, was the flies covering the moose. That to me tells me, that he was unprepared and lack of technique. And also, it tells me, that hewasnt ready for such, a difficult conquest. The third lesson that i like to point out, was the viewing of Salvation Mountain. The Mountain was a symbol of righteousness and honesty of fullfilment in our lifes.
Those three lessons showed me that, to get what i want, I have to put my heart in to and Accomplish anything that i can do. I learned not to lose hope on anyone and believe in of what it is right.
I really enjoyed this movie and the book. The passion of this movie, astounds me and gave me good lessons, that i can use for the remainder of my life. Hopefully i can teach little children about this, so they can find their goal earlier than, mine at this age. Alex really showed me of how to become a real human being and "Reach for the stars" meaning accomplishing any dream you might have.
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