I recently watched the movie Into the Wild. It’s a true story about a guy who gives up life from a well-to-do middle America family. He just graduated with a nice college degree and could have been on the fast track to a cushy job, and instead decides to thumb his way across the country for about 2 years. He does this with as few belongings as he could, no money, the writings of his fav authors such as Tolstoy, Thoreau and Jack London and a journal of his journey. He disappears on his family, gives himself the name of Alexander Supertramp and meets up with different people in his travels. His ultimate dream is to live in the wilds of Alaska. He does make it to Alaska with no compass or map, where he lives 112 days on his own, until he dies of starvation.
He died a stupid death. Going into the basic wilderness without any major survival knowledge and serious supplies was basic suicide but you kind of got to give him credit. He decided to see if he could make it almost solely on his own balls and I kind of admire him for it. He had a dream and he went for it, come hell or high water. Most people definitely don’t have that sort of guts.
As for me personally, I’m working on my dream. I want to be a writer. I’m writing my own story. I am my own Alexander Supertramp. I wonder how many people can say that?
I watched this movie and I liked it so much that I decided to read the book. I would have read the book first if I had known there was one. I strongly recommend the book. I found it to be fascinating! Good luck to you on your own writing.
ReplyDeleteChristine K.
Would he have been another Tolstoy or Thoreau if he had survived? Probably not, his self conception of the indoctrination into "manhood" of the literary society failed and he died. He died because he didn't use common sense, or street smarts, was unprepared , unguided, unaccompanied for the reality quest of the cruel world, probably inspired because of his normally monotonous but safe life, wanting to trust his mettle, his inner soul’s survival skills in a testosterone induced test of fate or divine intervention type of quest to allow him to pass the test and to tell the tale someday.
ReplyDeletePerhaps people who have low self esteem, , feel unrenowned, and have bitter resentment because they have a self image of being commonplace and want to become famous or are scheming to promote their work using this technique, or fake it and attract publicity and to sell books or movies by posting fictitious news blurbs, followed several years later by fake suicides to later on to rid themselves of unwanted public attention and the paparazzi.
Let this be a lesson to the commonplace everyday writer, it is better to be in a dark room with no sound, no windows and an empty inkwell than it is to be eaten by wolves in Alaska. Hear! Hear! Now go out and be famous the right way! Like yourself, work hard and give to the world!The wild!
Couch Potato Armchair Quarterback and Literary Critic, Philosopher of life, signing out.