Into the Wild

So, I watched the movie last night and read the book almost two years ago. The opinions out there about McCandless, his motives and the validity of it all are endless, some quite entertaining. I always thought it was a little off but also had a sense of admiration too. The idea of leaving a monetarily privileged yet somewhat broken family life to find oneself or to find what makes one really happy is admirable. The approach maybe not well thought out....But if the approach were thought out I don't know if the motive would actually be accomplished. Nevertheless, the story is about a belated progression from boyhood to manhood.

I think of my boyhood and my constant drive to experience the wild, whether it was the natural wild or the synthetic. I think I can safely say that this drive is apparent in many boys as they progress. There is always that point though where you have been away for some time and find yourself wanting to go home or wanting to reconnect. McCandless, although quite the supertramp, had a network of people who he connected with, shared experiences with and befriended. He got to his final destination, witnessed maybe the most amazing scenery of his life and experienced the most amazing feelings but soon realized he was alone. He had no connections with the very thing he thought he couldn't live with. He writes "happiness is only real when shared" and shortly passes on, unable to pursue it further. Extremist? I'd say so. But a reminder of the importance of balance? I believe so.