Natural Existentialism

A riveting true story of perhaps one of the greatest adventures to find one’s iner-self, Into The Wild is a must see for those who have ever felt somewhat different/distant from others, for those who have been confused about their identities or for those who simply like nature and can appreciate good cinematography. Into The Wild is the story of Christopher Mccandless (who later adopted the pseudonym Alexander Supertramp), a young man who graduated from the prestigious southern Emory University only to shortly thereafter embark on a journey through the wilderness. From an existentialist’s viewpoint, this is already becoming an interesting plot. Chris abandons all but what is necessary to live, dissociates himself from his friends, family, colleagues and others who may have influenced him, and begins his struggle to “Kill the false being within”. False in this context is not just referring to the superficial and materialistic aspects, but also the aspects of life that are influenced by others. And so, just a few days after graduating, Chris burns all his identification, donates his college fund to Oxfam and embarks on an adventure to create his own identity.

The first stop on his adventure is with a road tramp hippie couple (his inspiration for the pseudonym), Randy and Jane. They pick up Chris along a road and quickly fall in love with his intelligence, charm, and youthful vitality. One scene again raises the eyebrow of an existentialist where the group is on a private beach, away from society and influence. Chris confronts one of his phobias, water, and goes to see Jane who appears to be troubled. In his confrontation he quotes Primo Levi and says

"...the sea's only gifts are harsh blows and, occasionally, the chance to feel strong. Now, I don't know much about the sea, but I do know that that's the way it is here. And I also know how important it is in life not necessarily to be strong but to feel strong, to measure yourself at least once, to find yourself at least once in the most ancient of human conditions, facing blind, deaf stone alone, with nothing to help you but your own hands and your own head."


Again, this is a very existentialist moment in which he realizes he is responsible for his actions and must confront his problems on his own. The journey continues as Alex paddles down rapids, works at a farm, and travels further north, getting closer to his eventual goal of reaching Alaska. Upon passing a city, he contemplates returning to society briefly, however after he sees an image of what he would probably look like in the future, he vows not to return just quite yet.

Chris looks for salvation from his terrifying city experience by once again joining his hippie friends in a trailer park. Life at the trailer park is simple but those who are there are happy. Chris and a female acquaintance he meets in the trailer park, come across a somewhat dimwitted man. This man says that everything he has done is of his doing and that he is happy. However simple this man is, his existentialist character shines through.

One of Chris’s final preparations for his journey to Alaska comes when he meets Ron Franz (Played very well by Hal Hobrook). Ron is an elderly war veteran who lost his family due to a car crash. Immediately the two begin to get along as Ron is lonely and Chris admires the old man’s young spirit. Ron takes on a fatherly role, questioning Chris’s intent in the interests of his safety and well-being. He asks why Chris is running away. The response is so existentialist and so well acted, that words cannot do it justice (hopefully we’ll get to see this in class). I won’t give away the ending, but I highly recommend this movie and I challenge you to decipher the ending, as I believe each person will take away something different from it. - Lance Barnard