1. Text:
Into the Wild (film)
Directed by Sean Penn; 2007 2. Explain how the text relates to the concept of belonging.
- Main crisis: the struggle to fit into a society that is materialistic and superficial, a family that lacks love and affection, and a world that values social reputations, ruled by social expectations. - When he discovers that his parents’ marriage is based on an affair and he is the “bastard’s child”, he feels his identity is false and destroyed.
- He feels his identity in his social world is not compatible with his inner spiritual self as he believes relationships or money are not essential in happiness.
- He yearns something more, thus, his decision to explore nature is a self-discovery as he finds deeper connections with nature
3. Compare and contrast with "This is My Letter to the World" by Dickinson:
| Contrasts | |
| Dickinson | Into the Wild |
| (Otherness) Not belonged because she feels the “world” (the society or public) does not accept her. - “that never wrote to me” Shows there’s a nature of longing to belong - “Judge tenderly of me”- the persona is figuratively asking for the world to accept her and not to judge her harshly for being different. Hence, there is the desire to feel connected with the social world. | (hermit) Not belonged because he doesn’t accept the world he lives in: - In the society he does not agree with its values: materialism, money, social image. He believes in spiritual connections and finds that the society fails to understand the significance of them. He disapproves the pressure from his family which is ruled by society’s expectations: the expectations of having a successful career, and the value of social reputation (such as when his parents offer him a new car to build his image). He chooses to explore nature and to find connections with it because of these social values that he disagrees with. - In the family he feels there’s a lack of intimacy and virtuality. Because of his parents’ constant quarrels and the tendency to divorce, he is frustrated with the lack of affections and affiliations that are supposed to be present in a family. No desire to belong; he rejects the idea of conformity. - When he cuts his credit cards and ID, he is not only breaking the connections and communications with civilised social life, he challenges/rejects the idea of living the identity that society assigns to him. - He changes his name from “Christopher” to “Alexander Supertramp”, creating his new identity. - The process of him adventuring in nature emphasises his ideal of freedom and individuality, subverting the conformity and expectations in urban life. |
| The idea of alienation and indifference is perceived as a negative aspect of belonging. The contrasts of the connotations in “never wrote to me” and “love” subtly shows depression as a result of isolation from the society. | It explores the aspect that involvement, engagement and understanding is essential in belonging. Belonging is a two way process which involves external and internal acceptance. Here, Alex is accepted in the society because he is wealthy, educated and loved by friends and family. However, he does not accept the society’s superficial values. |
| | Perception of belonging can change: In the ending, he finds that he does belong in the society and family as he finally forgives and accepts them— hence the external and internal process now balance. He writes “happiness is only real when shared”, realising his connection with nature is not enough. He understands the significance of family. He finally labels his name as “Christopher” once again. This contrasts with his burning of his ID, showing the shift in perception of belonging as he realises the importance of his role in contributing to the unity of family. |
| | Belonging in a family offers no choice. An individual will always find him/herself attached with his/her family. In the ending, he has a vision of him reuniting with his family (in a euphoric tone). This shows it is impossible to eliminate connections with his family. |
| | |
| Similarities: | |
| Both find a sense of belonging through Nature. | |
| Dickinson secludes herself to preserve her own belief that she is connected to all humans on a greater level—through nature. The bonding with nature offers self-understanding, freedom and individuality. | In his adventures in nature, he finds excitement, liveliness, and spiritual connections to his self and soul. He favours the ‘natural’ and ‘organic’ elements of the land. His animalistic behaviours show he is expressing the primitive instincts, the true human self. |
| Both demonstrate a positive aspect of seclusion as the closeness with nature can provide individuality, freedom, comfort, satisfaction and happiness. | |
5. Explain briefly how the related text has contributed to your growing understanding of the concept of belonging.
By comparing the two texts, a deeper understanding of the spectrum of belonging can be gained.
- Ostensibly, alienation may appear to be a negative aspect. However, seclusion can be rewarding as it offers freedom and individuality.
- Not belonging does not necessarily mean the larger group rejects an individual, but also, it can mean an individual rejects the larger group. This all comes down to the fact that the internal and external factors have opposing different values.
- Paradoxically, Otherness contributes to identity. By not belonging in a group, you always belong somewhere else.
- Moreover, perceptions of belonging can change. Belonging is dynamic, gradual and ongoing because experiences can influence one’s values.
6. Techniques relating to concept ideas of belonging:
Not belonged because he does not share the same values as the world he lives in and he rejects them:
Conformity and expectations:
- The graduation ceremony: the long shot of the linear formation of the students, the uniform (costume) and the diegetic sounds of almost silence—highlights the formality, and rigidity of conforming.
- The restaurant scene with his parents:
Quick editing and close up of his father, mother and sister’s eyes—emphasise judgement, criticism and family expectations.
Costumes of his parents- very formal and business-like- emphasises the materialistic society
- “do you think I want some fancy boat? Are you worried what the neighbours might think?
I don’t want anythings. These things, things, things, things.”
- Family video:
Ironic grey and blue colours—contrast with the euphoric laughing and playing, suggesting this family happiness is false, highlighting the disconnection, lack of affection, intimacy and love he feels in his family.
- In the city scene:
The dominant black and white colour scheme emphasises the lack of happiness, excitement and adventure in mundane everyday urban life.
The overlapping diegetic sounds of police siren and car horns and the use of faster panning camera contribute to a sense of chaos (with juxtaposes with the peace in previous scenes). The police siren and car horns connote pursuit, governmental and social ‘rules’, morals, and control. These sounds emphasises the lack of freedom and individuality, and the rigidity of living in conformity.
- Juxtaposition:
The green landscape juxtaposes with the following scene’s urban city that is saturated with workers and businessmen. The high angle panning of the landscape contrasts with the low angle of the city buildings, highlighting the sense of loss and vulnerability in the city as opposed to thesense of power and control he feels in nature. Therefore, Penn conveys his disconnection and discomfort with the social civilised life.
Positive aspect of belonging in nature:
- The camera revolving 360 degrees around Alex who is stretching his arm combines with the joyful music to emphasise freedom and satisfaction of living in the nature.
- The calm and peaceful music of him settling in the snow’s van and looking at deers and wild animals “ultimate freedom, an extremist, an aesthetic voyager whose home is the road”
“the climactic battle to kill the false being within and victoriously conclude the spiritual revolution”
Another scene: a long shot capture Alex in the centre with a small island in the background:
- It contrasts with the flock of birds, emphasises seclusion and solitude. The sunset connotes beauty and happiness. Yet the sunset symbolises the end of something. This may suggest his solitude will end and cannot last forever.
- “To find yourself at least once in the most ancient human condition”
- Alex’s decision to walk into the wild and his connection with nature is portrayed as a positive aspect of solitude and seclusion.
The negative aspect of belonging to nature and the necessity of relationship:
- His struggle to survive physically in nature vs. the freedom and happiness he find in nature
(shows the tension/spectrum of belonging, that nature offers freedom. Paradoxically, belonging in nature cannot be enough)
- Juggles between the value of belonging to nature alone
- The lack of colours – depletion, lack of nourishment, suggesting nature cannot satisfy you fully
- The low and blue lighting, bird’s eye view of his lonely figure walking across the land of snow, the dry and leafless trees—suggests deprivation and a sense of harshness. It creates the condition in Alaska unpleasant and undesirable, emphasising the harsh reality of the struggle to survive, the struggle to survive not just physically, but also spiritually as well. Penn is suggesting one may connect with nature, by family and relationships are also necessary.
- The story of his difficult survival in nature is constantly interrupted with flashbacks of people he has met in his journey. The warm lighting and blissful music are in almost all the scenes with the hippies and Mr Franz (a father-like figure), highlighting their developing relationships. This contrasts with the vulnerability in the harsh nature, reinforcing the significance of relationship.
Family offers no choice and the bond that can never be broken:
In the ending before his death, Alex has a vision of himself reuniting with his family.
His smiling facial expression and the positioning of his head facing the window shows he has finally found full happiness and a sense of belonging because he forgives and accepts his family.
Symbolism: The sky
The sky may symbolises two things: freedom or God
- Freedom: in several scenes the sky has a bypassing aircraft.
o It may mean his freedom is polluted with the social living;
o He is distancing himself from the urban, social civilisation;
o Or that the connection with nature and humanity is inevitable.
- God: He feels a greater connection with God through nature.
This compliments with the scene of him in a biblical posture (the Christian cross or Jesus), emphasising his connection with God.
Allusions/inter-textual linking:
- “Found company of the characters of the books he loved, from writers like Tolstoy, Jack London and Thoreau”
- Quotes and allusions to novels such as: the Call of the Wild, White Fangby Jack London, The spectator birdand Family Happiness by other authors.
- “Rather than love, than money, that faith, than fame, than fairness, give me truth”
- “I have lived through much, and now I think I have found what is needed for happiness, a quiet secluded life in the country, with the possibility of being useful to people to whom it is easy to do good, and who are not accustomed to have it done to them; and work which one hopes may be of some use; then rest, nature, books, music, love for one’s neighbour—such is my idea of happiness. And then, on top of all that, you for a mate, and children perhaps, what more can the heart of a man desire?”
Changing perception of belonging:
- “happiness is only real when shared”
- Belonging can change and is constantly changing depending on one’s experience. Through Alex’s journey, there’s a shift in perspective that he learns relationship and family is also important.
Belonging is choice:
- The quick editing of the close up of cutting his credit and ID cards— metaphorically shows his decision to break free from his connections with his family, and throwing away the identity society gives him.
- “I don’t need money, makes people cautious”
