This project is all about finding what life means to you. We read different texts including " The meaning of life" by James Rachel, "Shades" by Boleslaw Prus, and "Into The wild" by Jon Krakaur. We also watched the films Harold & Maude, and Into the Wild. We studied these to make meaning of what life is/ or should be about. I decided to write a found poem proposed of song lyrics. To show the idea that finding happiness and meaning in life can only be found within yourself and not following society's ideal life. Your REAL life
Life moves slowly Parents always told me This life is what some people dream about Judging her past & shit She looks at her average life, And nothing has been alright There too many things for you to deal with Dreams of loneliness Well known sadness Dry your eyes Things'll get brighter
Living in a material world Where people say money is power And sadly It must mean it's true I wonder if ill ever discover a passion like you Working overtime Stuck in a box Looking for answers Living life on an everyday basis
Rooted from the bottom, bloomed into a tree Theres a whole lot waiting for me Ill finally discover Nothing lasts forever Its completely my future All for freedom and pleasure Everybody dies but not everybody lives So no more Living my life in the margin Its my own design Lets go travel through the unknown Never looking back, Always going with the flow Ive found that Experiences have made me rich Happy times we've been spending together I try to capture every minute I just feel so alive Drifting away Into a sweet escape What a lovely life I've made.
Poets Statement I wrote this found poem made up of song lyrics that express how to find happiness. I talk about struggles similar to my own. Where the world we live in tells us how we should be living, to be successful. But is that what brings us happiness? Surely having a stable job with stable income is what most of us strive for. Which does keep us happy because it's one less thing we have to worry about. But looking beyond that, doing things you genuinely enjoy, surrounding yourself with people who you care about. To me it is more important and meaningful than following what everyone else around us is doing. My poem is about breaking away from what you are told you should be doing with your life and living a life that is solely what you want. I would say this project actually got me thinking more deeply about life and what i want to value more in my life. For the longest time philosophy and the meaning of life was something that i didn't care to think deeply on because to me we are all just gonna die and there is no meaning to our existence other than to live. Even though I do still agree with that I have learned that you have to create your own meaning to life by doing things you find to be important. Especially after watching into the wild it taught me about how focusing on your happiness more rather than money and success will give yourself more meaning and and more valued life. Before watching that I would have agreed with the opposite answer that money and success would bring more meaning to your life and provide some happiness. So I would also agree that this project got me thinking more about how its important to be happy and live completely how you want rather than do all the things you think are necessary but dont necessary find meaning to.
Theres nothing I could think of that I still have questions about. But I really enjoyed doing this project and the content we watched and learned along the way .
Below is my into the wild intercultural analysis essay with compares the film to Walden by Thoreau.
Chris’s meaning analyzed
Into the Wild paints a picture of Cris Mccandless who after he graduates college sets out on a venture to go to Alaska to explore and live in the wild. To free himself of society and his family. In which the film depicts new people he meets and different places he travels. He spends 20 months in the Alaskan wilderness only when his life of seaking meaning and happiness comes to an end from eating a poisonous plant. The film Into the Wild expresses similar principles of transcendentalism as Thoreau; Chris seeks to live a life of simplicity, nonconformity, and independence to find meaning within himself.
Chris shows transcendental principles but the most important thing is he is a nonconformist. There are several instances where Chris goes against what he is told in the world around him. For example when Chris decides to kayak down the river and the sheriff told him he would have to get a license and be put on a waiting list that would take years to be able to achieve. Chris decides to not listen to the man and do what he feels is justified. Chris doesn't do it to be disrespectful. He does what he thinks in his mind is okay and most would agree that you don't have to follow rules all the time. “How worn and dusty , then, must be the highways of the world, how deep the ruts of tradition and conformity.” (“Walden”,Thoreau). Within thoreau's text he compares us to ants because we as a society follow everyone else around us. We constantly do what we are told how we should live. Thoreau pushes this idea that you won't achieve the meaning you seek in life by being a conformist. Chris embodies this same idea by living how he wants to and not always abiding by everyone else.
Chris seems to be a very independent person. He doesn't like to rely on other people, including his own parents. He expresses this principle by simply relying on himself while he is traveling alone.“I know how important it is in life to measure yourself at least once. To find yourself at least once in the most ancient of human conditions with nothing to help you but your hands and your own head.” (“Into The Wild”). This shows us that to Chris the only way to find your meaning and happiness has to be found within yourself. Thoreau states “ If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away.” This explains that we shouldn't live our lives to fit in with those around us. Or to follow a lifestyle that is suited to others and not yourself. Chris is a prime example of this because he doesn't feel the need to live a traditional life. He understands that what brings meaning to others won't satisfy himself. Which is why he separates himself from common themes in our society.
Chris lives a life of simplicity, he doesn't buy things just to have he only buys what he needs and oftentimes is the bare minimum. This is another principle of transcendentalism that he lives by because he does not deem it necessary to buy or receive nice things because he simply does not want it. Chris writes in his journal“No phone. No pool. No pets. No cigarettes. Ultimate freedom… No longer to be poisoned by civilization, he flees, and walks alone upon the land to become Lost in the Wild.” Even Though most would agree that having materialistic things are nice and contribute to our satisfaction, Chris makes a good point. Although these things seem to make us happier, we are just fine without them because at one point in time the things we have now didn't exist and our people seemed to be finding happiness in life. Thoreau even mentions “ In proportion as he simplifies his life, the laws of the universe will appear less complex.” He says this as a reminder that you can't miss what you don't have. Living a simple life allows you to not be held down by materialism that only causes us to continue wanting more.
Even though Chris’s life came to an end at such a young age, he lived to what could be his true potential. By not following society's standards and rules he was able to build a life only of what he wanted and allowed. Him following these principles gave him an open mind beyond having a “stable” lifestyle. To him he found the happiness and freedom he had wanted all along, and like Alex Supertramp says “The core of a man comes from new experiences.”