Happiness is Found Through Shared Experiences

Every single person in the world will develop at least one human relationship in their lifetime. To some, these relationships are sacred and to be cherished, for others they are merely convenient affairs and affiliations. In the movie Into the Wild directed by Sean Penn, and the poem Warren Pryor by Alden Nowlan, there are two different cases involving human relationships, and more specifically, parent/child relationships. In both texts, the parents are trying to create good, successful lives for their child, which the child perceives as them trying to accomplish their dreams instead of letting the child follow his own. The relationships between child and parent in both texts are
Chris tells Tracy “if you want something in life-reach out and grab it”. By saying this to Tracy, Chris is helping and instilling in her, his own values and beliefs which give Tracy a sense of identity and self-worth. Chris’ short association with Tracy gives her new meaning and perspective, but also helps Chris find pleasure in being able to assist her in her confusing and frustrating teenage years. Chris’s connections with the people he meets on his way to Alaska make huge impressions on himself and the people he meets. These impressions lead to Chris’ realization of how true happiness is found. The person Chris makes the biggest influence on is Ron Franz, an eighty year old ex-military man working as a leather worker. Chris and Ron develop a very close relationship in the relatively short amount of time they spend with one another. Their connection is so intimate, Ron asks Chris if he could adopt him, since he has no surviving kin left. Even though Ron is fifty-some years Chris’ senior, their levels of wisdom match up almost completely. They both teach the other one vital life lessons. Chris encourages Ron to go out and live while he still can, he tells him to get out of his lonely house in the desert and travel. There is a moment in the movie when Chris climbs to the top of a small mountain and pushes Ron to climb up as well, and see the extraordinary beauty of the views from the top. He encourages Ron