Return To The Wild

The documentary Return to the Wild debates the two very different argued reasons of why Chris McCandless went into the wild. The writers choose to uncover the dark secrets of the McCandless family and to reveal the truth as to why Chris travelled into the Alaskan wilderness. The documentary adopts an intense tone in the beginning that shifts to a more light hearted attitude throughout the second half of the film using symbolism, cinematography, audio, and various interviews in order to explain to the viewers the grim childhood McCandless experienced and events that led him into the barren wilderness of Alaska. The film appeals to the viewer's sympathies by showing multiple shots displaying the dreary Alaskan tundra. Return to the Wild opens by showing the light coming through the shadows of trees which symbolizes truth being revealed similarly to how the truth is being revealed through this documentary. The snow that is covering the ground radiates a cold and bleak feeling throughout the audience. The
The three sisters, presumably at different locations and different times all similarly recall the violence that occurred in their different households with Walt. Furthermore, Carine McCandless recollects memories of Chris’ mother Billie telling Chris quite often as he was growing up that the abuse placed on her was a result of him being born (18:25). In director Sean Penn’s film based off of the book Into the Wild, an almost identical scene to what Carine describes unfolds with Walt throwing Billie onto the bed and Billie telling Chris that if he hadn’t been born she would not have stayed with Walt. Likewise, the documentary highlights a restraining order issued on St. Patrick’s day, which hints that alcohol may be a factor in the abuse. The restraining order was placed upon Walt McCandless by Chris’ stepmother. This information shows that there is truth presented through each of the sisters’