Is Into the Wild about forgiveness, and if Chris came back what were his plans?

musicismylife78

Additionally, did Chris owe anything to his parents, not monetarily, but in terms of letting them know where he was?

I saw the movie in October and walked, no floated, out of the theater, thinking and still today, thinking its one of the most inspirational movies ever filmed. The entire operation, the cast and crew, the cinematography, everything is the cream of the crop and tops in my book. I immediately saw myself in Chris, and felt and understood where he was coming from. I have never SO identified with a movie character in my life. I know even better than some, as the powerful line of “happiness is only real when shared” he seemed to be indicating he was going to return to civilization, and that maybe living out in the middle of nowhere wasn’t for him. He needed people, and interaction. I lived for 3 weeks at a commune and came to the same exact conclusion. To me the movie is about living life to the fullest, taking risks and not regretting a minute of your life. I felt sad, and was crying or close to crying when he died at the end, but it wasn’t a sad movie. It was an uplifting movie.

My parents saw the movie the other day. They didn’t pick up on any of the themes I did. They felt he was rude and inconsiderate to his parents and sister. And they said he had forgiven. Is the movie about forgiveness? Did chris forgive his parents, or more specifically, his father for his abusive and philandering ways? I don’t think so, and I wonder if I am alone in this thinking. They felt it was a sad movie, and didn’t pick up on the inspirational parts.

Lastly if chris had lived, and come back to society and civilization as the statement “happiness is only real when shared” seems to suggest, what was he planning on doing? What jobs would he have undertook? Would he have met up with Tracy again? Was he planning on forgiving his parents? One thing that always bugged me, was what do people like Chris do, if they don’t go out into the wilderness? What were his other options, he obviously had major issues with society and capitalism etc…

the wolf

WAIT !!! He fuckin' dies at the end!!!!!!!!! WTF?

thanks for fuckin' up the movie for me, i was going to watch it tomorrow!!!



J/K : ) i have not seen it yet, i am however finally going to be able to watch it this weekend.

i knew that he died. i'll let ya' know what i think.

p.s. its cool to hear when a piece of art, be it a song, a book, a painting, or a film touches someone like this has touched you.

beachdweller

read the book, the family dynamic comes our more.

if he did 'owe' anyone, it was his sister.

Heineken Helen

it's interesting to see that your parents saw a completely different film and nothing inspirational in it. I would say the ones who found it inspirational (myself included) are those who haven't found what they're looking for... be it a spouse, kids, career, calling in life, whatever. Parents often live for their kids (mid life crisis excluded) so something like what Chris did would probably be horrific to them... and they'd imagine their own kids doing something similar and find it very sad. They might forget when they too were young and idealistic... although in previous generations being a drifter wasn't always a romantic notion like it can be now.

harmless_little_f***

Heineken Helen wrote:

it's interesting to see that your parents saw a completely different film and nothing inspirational in it. I would say the ones who found it inspirational (myself included) are those who haven't found what they're looking for... be it a spouse, kids, career, calling in life, whatever. Parents often live for their kids (mid life crisis excluded) so something like what Chris did would probably be horrific to them... and they'd imagine their own kids doing something similar and find it very sad. They might forget when they too were young and idealistic... although in previous generations being a drifter wasn't always a romantic notion like it can be now.

It seems to be a generational thing, to me, as well as a world-view thing. Those with a postmodern world-view - people who are disaffected by corporation, organisation and a lack of community in this world - will see a different film than those of the modern generation - who are arguably quite comfortable in the civilisation they grew up in, and are not at odds with the world reflected by McCandless's parents at all.

catefrances

into the wild is about a young man who, sick to death of the world he was growing up in, and the expectations put upon him by people he quite possibly no longer respected, decided to get away from everything he considered toxic in his life (which it turns out was that life.) he unburdened himself of everything he considered superfluous and went to see if he could perhaps find somewhere he was comfortable existing. and that includes being comfortable within his own skin and mind.

DOSW

I'm pretty sure he did end up forgiving his parents right before death (in the movie). Remember that earlier, Hal Holbrook's character said that "when you forgive, you love, and God's light shines" or something like that, and the sun came out. At the end, right before he died, the sun came through the clouds and shone on his face. I think that says it all right there.

And yes, ITW is a fantastic movie. At first I thought the book was better, but every time I watch it, it just gets better and better.