Into The Wild Movie Essay

As college professors, do you ever consider exploring the world? Christopher McCandless once stated, “The core of man's spirit comes from new experiences.” This quote resonates throughout the movie adaptation, Into the Wild. Based on a true story in the 1990’s, the film explores a man’s existence and the meaning of life. Although released in 2007, I discovered the movie three years ago through the internet. Instantly, it became my favorite movie. Into the Wild describes an eye-opening adventure, an influential message, and a story that I, and possibly others, can relate to.
Into the Wild portrays Christopher McCandless, a recent college graduate, and his adventure throughout the American West. Christopher begins hiking in Lake Mead, Arizona. He then treks the Pacific Coast Trail where he meets a couple. A few months later he starts working as a contract harvester in South Dakota.

Two months past, and he decides to kayak to Mexico, via the Colorado River. Soon, he re-enters the United States. He continues tramping through the states and Canada. In April, 1992, Christopher finally arrives in Alaska. He explores, hunts, and lives in isolation until August, 1992. He becomes languid. He dies. Subsequently, his monumental adventure would become an icon, a story that would inspire future wanderers.
The movie characterizes an interpretable message. To me, Into the Wild explains how the adventure is about finding yourself in the world. Through his journey, the audience learns about Christopher’s beliefs and desires. Notably, he says, “I read somewhere how important it is in life not necessarily to be strong... but to feel strong.” He also expresses how if you want something in life, you have to go for it. The movie displays themes of nature, freedom, and identity. Nature’s allure and its separation from society can lead to self-discovery. I relate to this movie and its meaning on various levels.
Since I was a toddler, I have always wanted to try new things and explore my surroundings.

The outdoors fascinated me, and any adventure called my name. I form a connection to the film in a sense that I, like Christopher, have a passion to find myself and take risks. Adventure is out there, and I am going to seek it. The movie parallels Henry David Thoreau and his isolation in the wilderness. There is a distinct resemblance between McCandless and Thoreau. Movies with the same theme, such as Stand by Me, Cast Away, and Wild, also mirror similar ideas.
Although some may disagree with McCandless’ decisions, I perceive them as accomplished dreams. Into the Wild details a young man’s odyssey and his battles with internal and external conflicts. Multifarious messages appear, but the one I take away most, is “Happiness only real when shared.” In other words, it means that what makes you happy isn’t entirely true until you inform people. Christopher wrote this quote in a book, shortly before he died. I hope others relate to the movie’s meaning, so they can also have a “Great Alaskan

Adventure.”