Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Into the Wild

Caution: Don't read this if you don't want "Into the Wild" spoiled!

Last night Andrew and I watched the movie "Into the Wild". This movie is based on a book which is based on the true life events of a man named Christopher McCandless. McCandless graduated from Emory University around 1990. He was a star athelete and graduated with top honors. He told his parents he intended to go to law school, but instead took his life savings and donated it to charity and then set out on the road. He wandered America for nearly 2 years before deciding he wanted to head up to Alaska and spend some time there living off the land. He lived for about 4 months before eventually starving to death.
For some reason, this movie deeply effected me. Seriously. I could not sleep last night. The very last scene of the movie shows the main character "dying" and I could not get that scene out of my head, the look on his face, the thought of him dying all alone in the wilderness. Plus, I was really mad at this guy because he didn't tell his friends or family ANYTHING. He just left. They didn't know whether he was alive or dead. And he just let them wonder for over 2 years until he was found dead my some hunters. While some people think this was some brave, noble quest, I was left with the feeling that it was more of a selfish, immature stunt.
Anyway, the whole thing put me in this weird funk. This happens on occasion. I will see a movie or read a book with a sad ending (usually involving someone's death) and it will put me into this little depression. It will stick around for a few days, I won't get much sleep and then I'll just kind of get over it. I hope that happens soon! The husband has psyco-analyzed me and he says it has to do with my fear of death and that I need existential therapy. I think this makes me sound like I should be in an independent film.

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