The concept of romanticism is everywhere in today's culture. Most examples of romanticism are in visual art such as films or paintings and drawings. One film that exemplifies the themes of romanticism is the film "Into the wild" directed by Sean Penn.
In this film Christopher McCandless gives away all his possessions and goes off into the woods in Alaska. Authors and poets during the period of Romanticism withdrew from society and went off to explore nature. They hoped to become one with the rest of creation and nature. Christopher like Henry David Thoreau who was a famous romanticist thinker went of into the woods to get away from society and feel more like a part of nature. Also he followed his heart like Thoreau did when he went off into the woods. McCandless believed that if he embraced nature that he would find freedom.
Christopher McCandless hoped to find freedom in nature and not be attached to society. He did not want to conform to societies values and that is why he went off into nature. This film was a true representation of a romanticist thinker and author, although the main character was not a romanticist.
I saw this movie and now that you bring it up, it does seem to project the importance and inspiration of nature well. I haven't seen it in a while but i do remember the general gist of it.
Posted by: Seth P. | 10/13/2011 at 07:43 PM
This was a good movie and it did have to do with romanticism and transcendentalism in that it is the story of a person who breaks off from society to become more in tune with nature. There also is a focus on the individual experience as it is centered on one person and their motives for their actions. But mainly the conflict between McCandless and society, and his desire to go into nature are reflective of romanticism.
Posted by: julian neylan | 10/13/2011 at 09:11 PM
This was a very good movie and I liked how you focused on the natural aspect of the movie because even though there is a focus on the individual experience, the biggest facter in the movie is the nature and how McCandless survives through his experience against nature
Posted by: Ben Miller | 10/14/2011 at 12:27 AM
This movie is actually one of my favorites and I agree with your argument. Romanticism kind of a theme through out the film. Surviving against nature was essential
Posted by: John Clay | 10/14/2011 at 12:35 AM
Excellent. Very well appreciated. The book was very detailed but the movie was ALMOST hitting all the details. Excellent movie and book.
Posted by: Jason | 08/31/2012 at 12:39 AM