INto the Wild by Sean Penn (war, watching, Psycho, price)

[cremebrulee]

Originally Posted by BlueWillowPlate

Actually, I think this article is much better. It even-handedly looks at both points of view, the Chris who was an idealistic seeker, and the greenhorn Chris who bumbled into a bad situation.
The Cult of Chris McCandless

thanks for the link, enjoyed....don'tcha love it the way we humans assume and then label someone...??????

[Dd714]

Originally Posted by BlueWillowPlate

Actually, I think this article is much better. It even-handedly looks at both points of view, the Chris who was an idealistic seeker, and the greenhorn Chris who bumbled into a bad situation.
The Cult of Chris McCandless

I've read that article before, pretty good, still leaves the mystery of how he died and disbunks both the book and movie "poison" theory.

I really have a problem with Penn's quote:

"I'm not trying to romanticize him," insists Penn, who has little patience for McCandless's critics. "There are few people in Alaska who have done anything comparable to what Chris did. We're not talking about a week with another buddy and ATVs, hunting. This was 113 days, 79 of them by choice...So I think he did very well by any standard, including Alaskan."

I think alot of native Alaskan's would have a problem with that statement. Not to say all are half Eskmo natives and live in the bush 6 months out of the year, but anyone (even from the lower 48 states) with some semblance of outdoor skills would be able to survive during the late spring and summer period McCandless stayed out there, particularly with the shelter he found. Winter would be a different story, but he wasn't there during winter. I mean, the dude found a bus with a wood stove and bed on it - including supplies (matches, cooking utensils, etc)! He had it better than half the populatiion in India. If the guy didn't find that bus he would have been dead within a week of exposure, but he really lucked out.

[sundance67]

I really thought the book was over- rated...I'll be seeing the movie because Sean Penn is brilliant. I also thought that McCandless was romanticized- even in college I had to do an essay on the book. The teacher gave me an F because I disagreed with her opinion that he was some sort of hero.

[cremebrulee]

Originally Posted by Dd714

By the way, he had an incredibly painful and lonely death. Starvation is days of pain, with a few minutes of euphoria before you die. It's not a way I want to end my days.

This is one of his last messages as he was too weak to do much but scratch a sign on the bus door (as stated in the book but not in the movie):

"In God's name someone help me please"

Not too romantic of a death is it?

is any death romantic?

[Dd714]

Originally Posted by cremebrulee

is any death romantic?

Sure. Well maybe that's not the word - but their are deaths with meaning and purpose, or at least, a semblance of comfort in dying a natural death at an old age. Everyone dies, there is no mystery in it, but a death can be wasteful, worthless, and meaningless...or it can be glorious (for lack of a better term).

McCandlesses life and death obviously touched many, mostly because it was featured in a best selling book. But his death itself was one of lonliness, fear, and pain at a young age, leaving behind a family that had been desperately searching for him for some time. He did not live a full life, in spite of his experiences. You don't experience life nor do you understand life by going to college, reading Neitche, and backpacking on a summer vacation (simplying his adventure here). That's merely one page of life.

[BlueWillowPlate]

Originally Posted by sundance67

I really thought the book was over- rated...I'll be seeing the movie because Sean Penn is brilliant. I also thought that McCandless was romanticized- even in college I had to do an essay on the book. The teacher gave me an F because I disagreed with her opinion that he was some sort of hero.

Your prof really disagreed because your opinion was not the same as hers?

Originally Posted by Dd714

Winter would be a different story, but he wasn't there during winter.

In winter, he might have had a lot less trouble walking out.
Regardless, I am not going to second-guess Penn or any Alaskans out there.
I guess I simply do not see this story in terms of black and white, and never will.
I don't consider McCandless a hero, I don't think he himself did--and I do not necessarily think that Penn did, either.
Chris was simply a strong-willed, short-sighted, idealistic young man.
The movie definitely concentrated on the lesson McCandless taught Hal Holbrook's character.
Security is swell, but it can be a sort of slow death, too.
Possessions can be important, but life is about more than ownership.
To me it *is* admirable to realize one's discontent and try to do something about it.
Skiing out of bounds, hiking alone, hopping a freight train, giving all of your money to charity, going into the wild without decent boots; these might not be considered sensible things to do, but Chris and others did them and still do them, with mixed results.
Some feel the pull do such things, others don't.

Originally Posted by cremebrulee

is any death romantic?

No.
And we all die alone, no matter how many other live bodies are or are not with us.

[Rhiannon29]

Originally Posted by sundance67

I really thought the book was over- rated...I'll be seeing the movie because Sean Penn is brilliant. I also thought that McCandless was romanticized- even in college I had to do an essay on the book. The teacher gave me an F because I disagreed with her opinion that he was some sort of hero.

That's a terrible thing for a teacher to do.

[Dd714]

Originally Posted by BlueWillowPlate

In winter, he might have had a lot less trouble walking out. .

That is a good point. I've hiked in the tundra, the taiga. It's like hiking in a mushy swamp, every foot fall sinks into the ground. It's tough to do. Not much better than snow but ideally the snow would be frozen over and packed and you wouldn't sink in. Also the rivers would be frozen over and passable. Alaskans like to travel in the winter into the outback because it's easier to transverse with snowmobile or dog sled.

Then again, in winter, you need serous cold weather gear to survive on foot - Parka's, 4 season tents, snow shoes.

[daytripper]

Originally Posted by warptman

The sad thing about this book and movies is that you and I know that there will be some Macandles wannabes out there that come to Alaska and think they can live off the land. It is tough living up here and this book will bring the masses to Alaska. That'll be good for tourism, but I hope and pray that no one else dies like this fool.

Just what we need....more Cheechakos ( greenhorns) The Civil Air Patrol
would be would not appreciate having to look for these fools when they end up lost.

[b. frank]

Originally Posted by daytripper

Just what we need....more Cheechakos ( greenhorns) The Civil Air Patrol
would be would not appreciate having to look for these fools when they end up lost.

I wish people would stop picking on the memory of Alexander Supertramp.

Maybe he was a fool and a potential pain in the ass for rescue workers.
So what? His life was worthy of a book and a movie because he was an interesting character who lived the way he wanted which put him at odds with the mainstream.
I wish more people would do what they want to do in life, even if they end up dead for it. The Civil Air Patrol members should quit their jobs if they don't want to rescue foolish, unprepared people. We create services like theirs because we live in a free nation where we are free to be as stupidly adventurous as we want.