So this weekend, I finished reading the original novel of “Into the Wild” by Jon Krakauer that was later adapted into a film made by the great Sean Penn. Like always, the books are always different from the adapted films. Let me tell you that the novel “Into The Wild” is very different from the film Sean Penn made. Pretty much the same story about Christopher McCandless, but Sean Penn left so much important stuff out of the book that wasn’t in the movie. I picked up the novel at the bookstore a few weeks ago, it only took me a week to read since the book is only around 200 pages long, very short novel.

The stuff that Sean Penn didn’t put in the film:

-The book was written by the author’s point of view, he was telling the story from friends and family of Chris McCandless by interviews. In the film the movie was narrated Jena Malone who played Chris’s sister, Carine. (the real Carine McCandless helped Sean Penn write the narration for the script by the way)

-Chris McCandless helped prostitutes/hookers and homeless people by giving them money and food, even making friends with them.

-Chris McCandless was busted and put in jail for a while after being caught on the train.

-Chris’s real parents visited the bus 142 shortily after they learned Chris died there, I was dissapointed that Sean Penn didn’t put that in the film, that would have been a perfect ending.

The book is definitely way different and a very good read. Sean Penn totally had his own vision of the film. Basically all the scenes in the movie were taken from the book, some the dailouge was taken from the book as well, but there are some scenes in the film that wasn’t in the book that Sean created himself.

Living out in the wild and living off the land to be away from society may sound fun and amazing, but the truth is, it’s dangerous. People just don’t realize how dangerous nature and the wild can be. Chris McCandless wasn’t the only person who dissapeared and lived off the land in the wild, there are plenty out there and most died from it too. Chris McCandless never wanted to die that soon, he put out an SOS note begging people to save him and rescue him from the bus 142 before he passed.

I’m sure there are plenty of people today in this world who just dissapear to live in the woods to be away from society. Think why there are so many missing people reported in the news, you never know if they’re dead or out in hiding away from everything. These people will be found when they want to be found. I think Chris McCandless’s story was made famous because his story is almost identical to Jack London’s book “The Call of the Wild” which is why people became fascinated.

If you enjoy the movie, “Into the Wild”, I’d reccomend the book too for you readers out there. Pick it up at the bookstore next time you go shopping for a new book to read.

Kev