[l_t]

IMO (having only watched the film), preparation was meaningless because McCandless had a mentality that led him _toward_ risk -- a kind of death wish. He escalated his personal risk more and more, and eventually suffered the inevitable consequences.

But, I get the impression that in his own head, he didn't feel a choice in the matter, or rather the alternative was worse.

Therein lies the true "moral" of the film, as I personally interpreted it: McCandless was trapped in his own head, no matter how far he traveled he couldn't escape his own mentality. The tragedy is that it seems he himself realized this too late. But, who knows -- personally, I imagine him being at peace with his decision and the ultimate result.

[kerkeslager]

It's been over a decade since I read the book and saw the film, so what I am about to say may be a product of my imperfect memory rather than the reality of the book and movie, but here goes anyway:

I see how you got the impression that McCandless was trapped in his own risk-addicted thinking from the movie, but I think that impression is editorializing on the part of the filmmakers.

I'm a rock climber and it's my experience that the risk taking in rock climbing isn't a death wish. On the contrary, it's a life-wish, a desire to experience life to its fullest even if that means risking your life. You will die--risking death is not a risk. The greatest risk you take is dying without achieving your deepest desires and dreams.

This is a pretty common view in the rock climbing community, and I think that Jon Krakauer, a mountaineer the author of the In To the Wild book, probably held a view of risk similar to my own, which is why the book presents a much more sympathetic view of McCandless' risk-taking.

[andyjohnson0]

I climb too, and I agree with your perspective.

When I read the book I felt McCandless was a romantic. Naive perhaps, and his death was unnecessary, but he lived his life on his own terms to a degree which is relatively rare today.

[l_t]

Interesting, it sounds like I should read the book.

For what it's worth, the "death wish" thing wasn't meant to be pejorative -- maybe I should have used a different term. I like your "life-wish" phrasing better, thank you for that perspective.

[selimthegrim]

Krakauer's other book on mountaineering would seem to lend credence to your view