Into the Wild question

First, to Dr. Talbot: I apologize for pulling the movie into this in the smallest amount, for I know how much it kills you to hear of the movie over the greatness of the novel itself. However, I feel that the soundtrack and the work of Eddie Vedder parallel a major theme from the work of Jon Krakauer. Once I had read these chapters, I felt compelled to listen to some Vedder songs from the soundtrack. His song “Guaranteed” made me find the true essence of this section of the book, in which we are able to connect to Chris through greater understanding of his upbringing, his relationships, as well as others who once chose the same life that Chris resorted to as his ultimate escape. I felt that the following lyrics were Chris himself talking, trying to express his inexplicable continuum of thoughts.

“Don't come closer or I'll have to go
Holding me like gravity are places that pull
Everyone I come across, in cages they bought

They think of me and my wandering, but I'm never what they thought
I've got my indignation, but I'm pure in all my thoughts
I'm alive...
Leave it to me as I find a way to be
Consider me a satellite, forever orbiting
I knew all the rules, but the rules did not know me

Guaranteed…”

Throughout these chapters, Kerouac allows us to understand Chris’ view on relationships. We see ones that he built up, ones that broke him down, and others that he doesn’t want to leave, yet his mind is made and he must escape to the “places that pull” and there was no way to stop him as he was devoted to living out his beliefs. It seems that his goal of this adventure was to rid himself of relationships, for they were holding him to a life that he did not comply with. “Over time he (Chris) had worked himself into a choler of self-righteous indignation that was impossible to keep bottled up.” (122) His relationships, with his parents especially, had built up so much pressure and anger, leaving him with one desire: to destroy their connection, which had been destroying him. Yet as his adventure is in motion, he continues to build up new relationships, ones that are impacting the lives of all those involved, relationships that he promised to return to if the wild affords him that opportunity. As we learn of other exiles who similarly ventured to the wild, their feeling towards others, of becoming locked to something, someone, was unique. “We like companionship, see, but we cant stand to be around people for very long. So we go get ourselves lost, come back for a while, then get the hell out again.” (96) But did they really expect to come back at all? Who was worth their trip back to society’s misconception of reality? Had Chis’ upbringing been less of a dictatorship, would he have still walked into the wild without plans for the future? What is enough to push someone over the edge of breaking all connections, leaving behind everyone and everything?