O Lado Selvagem

First off, some of the reviews about this book clearly show some prejudice against it.

- Some address that the writer didn't need to talk about other adventurers besides McCandless. The book is called “Into the Wild” not “McCandless Adventures”. Narrating other histories allows the reader to broaden their horizons about every kind of people that exist, and perhaps to better understand McCandless reasoning. The other reports show that McCandless wasn't alone nor was the first one to want to experience nature in such raw manner and using contradicting thoughts/arguments as his motivation.

- Also, just because the main character has his own ways of doing things, (be they right or wrong), doesn't mean he is a bad character or that his story doesn't deserve to be shared. This is based on real people and events. I don't go read Mein Kampf and expect to really like and identify with Adolf Hitler.

But enough about the ranting. I actually think the movie portrayed Alex in a fairer light than the book. In the movie, what we get is a young man that is against a materialistic and hypocrite society. In the book we have that, but we also have a person that blindly follows life mottos that he takes from the words of deceased writers that at their core were hypocrites since not even themselves were able to practice the spartan and idealist words they preached.

What I take from Alex is the following:

So he hurt his parents, who've always given him everything for something he believed in. He was also an egotistical person and someone who just could not forgive his father. However, taking into account his ingenuity, stubbornness and strange character, McCandless was able to touch many people everywhere he passed. This is more than the majority of us we'll be able to do.

The better thing to do is just let people live their life and let them believe in what they want. If they go around and help others, are educated and make others happy, so be it. He hurt his parents because he died. Somewhere along the line, we'll also hurt someone when we die.

From the book:

When life presents you with an obstacle that doesn't allow you to cross to the other side of the margin, don't give up. Don't turn around and hope the obstacle disappears. Just try to find another way around.

Into the Wild is an interesting read. The book is somewhat short, so people should be able to read it in one sitting. Many people will not identify with the character and will be infuriated by his arguments/motivations, some will like him and will want to go in a similar adventure but knowing that they'll have to consider better preparation and equipment.

Just for this lesson, and even if only as a cautionary tale, the book is worth reading.