Have you read the book or seen the movie? If you have not, I would suggest you stop reading this post and go read the book or watch the movie first so you and I are on the same page. If you research this film/book, you will find something like this:
“This true story is about Christopher McCandless, who grew up in a wealthy family from West Virginia. After graduating in the summer of 1990 from Emory University, with honors, McCandless ceased communicating with his family, gave away his life savings of $24,000 (the fund that was supposed to go toward his Harvard Law School) to OXFAM (an organization united for a more equitable world, searching to find solutions to poverty and injustice), abandoned his car and most of his possessions, burned all the cash in his wallet along with his ID, he changes his name and began his search for life’s meaning through a journey across the country. He died some time in August 1992, and moose hunters in Alaska found his decomposed body in early September. He was 24.”
Is that it? Of course not; otherwise, I won’t spend time to write about it.
I watched the movie last night and now I can’t sleep because of too many thoughts in my head. I loved this movie because it makes me think and feel, again.
I see both side of the criticism toward McCandless when I dig for more information online. One side thinks he is stupid, unprepared, over confidence which caused his death and it is not worth the attention; the other side thinks he is a brave, strong, and kind man that makes readers rethink what mankind has become with materialism, violence and injustice.
Yes, I think it was a risky thing to do, going to live alone in Alaska when his backpack has only ten pounds of rice, a .22 caliber rifle, a camera, several boxes of rifle rounds, some camping gear, and a small selection of books including a field guide to the region's edible plants. He took no maps or compass and didn’t study enough about the environment and survival knowledge.
However, life itself is unpredictable. I totally understand why he didn’t do all these things that WE expect a normal hiker would do. If he was well prepared with full gear and a lot of food, it wouldn’t be the challenge he is looking for nor would this book/movie have been made. He could just stay home, do a weekend camping somewhere near home just like you and I. He didn’t hurt anyone or bother anyone. He needed to find the true meaning of life, of happiness, of mankind. Yes, he made a few mistakes that cost his life (but we all make some mistakes everyday in life that could cost our life one day) but I am sure he didn’t regret what he has done even though the result was not what he had in mind.
Whose is to blame for his death? McCandless himself? His parents? Society?
I am not in the position to judge. I know I don’t have the guts to do what he did but his spirit has an impact on how I feel about life. How many people in their entire life have even once asked the important question – what is the meaningful life that I am going after – why am I working so hard?
Without the dedication of the book author Jon Krakauer and the movie director Sean Penn, we would not be able to know this story. Both of them see McCandless’s story as something that reflects what they believe in humanity. After introducing McCandless's tragic journey in an issue of the magazine Outside in January 1993, Jon Krakauer decided to extend on the story to make the novel ‘Into The Wild’ in 1996. However, it took Sean Penn over a decade of care and communication with the McCandless family to convince them to make a movie from this story. Out of all the filmmakers who showed interest in the McCandless story, from the very beginning Penn was the only one who sincerely wanted to present a true story more so than a story that was focused on selling movie tickets. (this was the last known photo of the real Chris McCandless, the undeveloped film from his camera. )
According to Penn’s interview with MoviesOnline, he said, “It’s about somebody who had a will that is so uncommon today, a lack of addiction to comfort, that is so uncommon and is so necessary to become common, or mankind won’t survive the next century.” The belief that consumerist human beings, not profit-driven class society, are responsible for the destruction of the environment is the film’s underlying subtext. The qualities he genuinely and legitimately admires, self-sacrifice and integrity, are relatively rare in America today not because the population has degenerated, but for definite historical and political reasons, including a stagnant and reactionary social climate, which deliberately encourages the opposite: selfishness and callousness.
Before he dies, he realized “happiness only true when shared,” and the last words he wrote down were "I have had a happy life and thank the Lord. Goodbye and may God bless all!" How many of us can say that?
Christopher J. McCandless (February 12, 1968 – August 1992).
It was a great story. I am ready to watch it again and I hope you go pick up the book or go watch the movie.
#1: The author Jon Krakauer another book called Into Thin Air is also a good read.
#2: Behind the scene - read about the whole process of making this movie.
#3: Hear what this person has to say.
Finally, there is a Food Styling book for Photographers. I took 2 food styling classes in LA before - the purpose was to understand how food was prepared for the camera and also to see how food photographers setup their lights. I love food photography and read many popular food blogs with their work. So when I know this Food Styling for Photographers by Linda Bellingham and Jean Ann Bybee came out, I can’t wait to order a copy and I was very happy after flipping through the book.
This book gives you many tricks of the trade and notes from photographers with lots of setup photos, both food setup and camera/lighting setup. The printing quality and the page layout are very good - the font size is easy to read, the color pictures are clear, clean and colorful. They gives you details on how to buy the food, how to prepare the food, how to assemble the food, how to plate the food, how to decorate the food, etc. They gives you before, during and final photos. 
I also own Digital Food Photography by Lou Manna and Working with Plate by Christopher Styler and David Lazarus. In my opinion, if you are interested in food photography, buy Food Styling for Photographyers and Digital Food Photography and you are good to go. Highly recommend these two books. 
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