Intertextual Analysis

“And I also know how important it is in life not necessarily to be strong, but to feel strong. To measure yourself at least once. To find yourself at least once in the most ancient of human conditions, facing the blind deft stone alone with nothing to help you but your hands and your own head.” Independence and isolation are two concepts that almost never lead to great self accomplishment or success. When we choose to adopt a lifestyle governed by ourselves, or create something on our own, it never truly works out to be the way we had imagined, as one person can only do so much. Although a ridiculous idea, it is necessary in life to isolate one’s self, to separate one’s self from everyone and everything around them, to “find yourself at least once…facing the blind deft stone alone with nothing to help you but your hands and your own head.” But why is this so necessary? Why would one risk their safety, their ability to survive, in order to be alone? The answer is simple: to test the boundaries of our knowledge and understanding of the world around us, to figure out our breaking point, the point in our lives where our maximum capacity for knowledge is reached and would be merely destructive if pushed over or not at all. McCandless from Into the Wild was given everything, an education, supporting family and friends, money, everything that any normal person would dream for and he chose to leave it all behind and attempt to survive in Alaska on his own. He wanted to isolate himself, survive on the land and attempt to create a life for himself, with himself. His rather unrecognizable amount of knowledge of surviving in the wilderness eventually lead to his demise in the end of the film where it was evident that his lack of superior knowledge of the outdoors, and lack of determination eventually caught up to him and ended his life. Victor Frankenstein also chose to isolate himself for a couple of years while he worked on his creation. Technology and knowledge became second nature to him, just under breathing. He lived a life consumed by his studies, by knowledge, which eventually drove him nearly insane. This creation could be seen as the over indulgence in knowledge, something that can ultimately result in the destruction of its bearer. As seen in Frankenstein, Victor’s creation causes him to become physically ill as he had spent years alone designing it, trying to create life. In both genres of stories knowledge is the common denominator found between Frankenstein and Into the Wild in regards to the characters’ demise. It is something that slowly tears them limb from limb and consumes their every move. All in all, the message here is clear: just as McCandless wrote in his journal before he passes, “Happiness Only Real When Shared,” generalizing the idea that isolation and independence can only acquire happiness and success for so long.