“There is pleasure in the pathless woods,
There is rapture on the lonely shore,
There is society where none intrudes,
By the deep sea and the music in its roar;
I love not man the less, but Nature more.”
– Lord Byron
Last week I watched the movie Into the Wild, based on the book by Jon Krakauer and screenplay and directed by Sean Penn. This is a true story about Christopher McCandless, who upon graduating college, got rid of all his possessions and any ties to society, and embarked on a wandering journey through the west, eventually meeting his untimely death in the wilderness of Alaska where he was trying to live off the land.
This is one of the most powerful movies I can remember seeing. Many of us have the spirit of wanderlust and freedom within us, and this story really touches that in a profound way. I’ve read Krakauer’s book several years ago; it was a quick read and I don’t remember it having much of an impact on me. The book left me with the idea that Christopher was simply crazy and on somewhat of a suicide mission. The movie; however, explores more of the personal relationships Christopher made along the way, and shows that although Christopher despised the trappings of society, he had a lust for raw life and his death was truly an unfortunate accident. Also, importantly, the movie is able to show the awesome landscapes of the west which themselves could be considered central characters in the story.
It’s an incredibly sad and touching story that many of us can relate to in some way, whether we’re stuck in the rat race or actively pursuing our own dreams, or a little of both.
As a side note, I was pleased to hear several Kaki King songs in the soundtrack. She’s long been a favorite musician of mine, and her melancholy yet inspiring guitar is a perfect match for the film.
