Into the Wild

The movie, Into the Wild, now in theaters, is Sean Penn's theatrical adaptation of John Krakauer's novel by the same name. It is based on the true story of Christopher McCandless, who after graduating college, gives up virtually everything and lives as a "leathertramp," going by the name Alexander Supertramp. For two years, he travels around the country, taking odd jobs and meeting some interesting characters along the way. Ultimately, he sets out on his Ultimate Alaska Adventure, winding up in the the wilds of Alaska, living in an abandoned bus until he dies.

Along the way, there is much philosophical musing. McCandless grew up in a materialistic, abusive home. His father's expectations of him were oppressive. Eventually, he just checks out and disappears. He meets others who are trying to work through their own pains and struggles - a farmer who gets in trouble with the law, a hippie couple dealing with pain and loss, a retired man who, after thirty odd years, still struggles with the death of his wife and child. This man, Wayne, grows to love Chris and their time together provides one of the compelling moments in the movie.

When McCandless settles into the abandoned bus in Alaska, he has much time to read and reflect - Tolstoy, Thoreau, London. He can't run from anyone or even from himself any longer. He dies utterly alone. Not another person knows where he is. The end of the movie is powerful and haunting. Did his journey take him where he needed to go? Did he reach a point of enlightenment that made the struggles worthwhile? You'll have to watch the movie to find out. If you are drawn to compelling journey stories, to the exploration of meaning, to the desire to look deep within, I recommend this movie to you.