The novel Into The Wild by John Krakauer depicts the true story of Christopher McCandless a young man who, being feed up with the ideals of society, decides to head into the Alaskan wilderness. He begins his journey by changing his name to Alexander SuperTramp and giving his life savings away to charity. Despite McCandless's story of hitchhiking across America and  surviving one hundred days in Alaska, he is found dead in a bus. The novel was later adapted into a motion picture directed by Sean Penn. The style of narrative in the film is different from the novel. Krakauer tells McCandless's story in a non-chronological fashion, starting with the "magic bus", then reverting back to his days on the road, and includes some of Krakauer's own personal adventure into the wild.  The film, while still using flashbacks, is told in a more linear progression and doesn't feature Krakauer's own adventure. The film uses vast camera shots of large empty landscapes to display McCandless's isolation and distance from any form of society. His clothing in the film changes by getting filthier and unhygienic as the film progresses. The costume changes are meant to express his disconnection from society physically, as well as mentally.  The use of different camera angles is important to the narrative of the film. Close up shots and lightning are used to expressed his inner emotions and connect McCandless to the audience. The soundtrack to the film, which is is composed by Pearl Jam's lead singer Eddie Vedder, consists of a mellow acoustic sound. The usage of this style of music is to set a depressing and bleak mood to show McCandless's loneliness in the wild. Krakauer and Sean Penn's different perspectives of McCandless's tale are told through McCandless's experiences with people. The difference between the film and the book is that the book focuses more on Alex's isolation and solidarity, which is expressed through Alex's ability to quickly leave others,  while the film focuses more on Alex's relationships and ability to influence others. 

Krakauer's novel tells the story of McCandless, mainly through his journal entries and stories that were told by word of mouth. The novel is told in reverse giving the reader the ending first, which is provided in the authors note. "In April 1992, a young man from a well-to-do East Coast family hitchhiked to Alaska and walked alone into the wilderness north of Mt. McKinley. Four months later his decomposed body was found by a party of moose hunters."( Krakauer 1)

Krakauer's displays that the novel isn't about McCandless's epic adventure, but about his isolation from society and his stubbornness. The words that pop at the readers head are "wilderness" and "alone". Since Krakauer includes that he came from a "well-to-do family", it changes the meaning of the text into that of a foolish act of a young boy that believes he can take on nature and win, rather than an individual who truly has a purpose. 

Sean Penn's version of the intro depicts several journal quotes appearing in bold onto screen, while in the background the camera follows McCandless traversing his way through a snow covered mountain. Eventually the line, in bold capital letters, "I now walk into the wild" appears on screen and the camera slowly starts to pan out revealing a vast empty desert of snow that lays before him. The song, "Long Nights" by Eddie Vedder begins to play on screen. As the sound of Eddie Vedder's acoustic and his dreary voice begin to play on screen, the audience see McCandless struggle with his load of supplies as he hikes the terrain before him. Several fast editing shots show a beautiful Alaskan wilderness and the nature that it contains. The camera pans close into McCandless face as he hikes up the snow covered hills, showing a man who looks determined enough to appear invincible to the audience. But as the camera continuously pans out, the audience slowly loses their faith in his determination as all that can be seen are the vast mountain ranges and snow that overwhelms them. The intro that Sean Penn depicts in the film is very bleak and melancholy. His inclusion of Eddie Vedder's music mixed with the long and close shots of McCandless adds a depressing mood. However, Penn keeps the audience with belief that McCandless will be fine, with the usage of bright lighting when there are close ups of his face. 

Krakauer continues the authors note, with the reader being introduced to Jim Gallien and McCandless. Jim aids McCandless and provides him with some clothing and rifle after noticing that the gear he has isn't sufficient enough for the wilderness. Jim warns McCandless regarding the governments regulations toward the land, to which McCandless simply brushes off. Jim, then takes a picture of McCandless and the two disperse. Krakauer is promoting the theme of McCandless's isolation and shows that McCandless is more dependent on others then he perceives himself to be. This is shown by McCandless refusing to head the warnings of Jim, but at the same time received his aid. The next chapter that immediately follows, fast forwards to a couple who come across a bus with a rotting smell coming from within. "Neither of them had been in the bus, but they'd been close enough to notice "a real bad smell from inside". Neither of them had been in the bus, but they'd been close enough to notice "a real bad smell from inside.( Krakauer 11). They also notice an S.O.S sign that reads, "I need your help. I am injured, near death, and too weak to hike out of here I am all alone, this is no joke. In the name of God, please remain to save me. I am out collecting berries close by and shall return this evening. Thank you, Chris McCandless. August?" ( Krakauer 11). Krakauer's non-linear narrative is evident in the beginning of he novel, this is made due to the first chapter being the beginning of McCandless's Alaskan journey and the second showing his demise. Krakauer also again displays McCandless's loneliness and isolation. This is clear in the S.O.S note he writes, describing he is "all alone". Krakauer writing the beginning of McCandless's journey in Alaska then immediately skipping to  his fate is a way to show the reader not to focus on McCandless survival journey, but his emotions an behavior.

Sean Penn's film doesn't show the scene between Jim and McCandless until towards the ending of the movie. McCandless ends up hitchhiking a ride with Jim to the outskirts of the Alaskan territory, where he is dropped off. The scene features more dialogue and personality. The camera follows the truck, which symbolizes the passing of time. Jim, after dropping McCandless off, is sympathetic to his journey and only gives him some waterproof boots. Jim warns McCandless of the dangers of the wild and McCandless unfazed, goes into the wilderness as Jim drives away. During the car ride there is a lot of fast editing focusing on McCandless's face and Jim's. Jim appears to be an experienced outdoorsman, who knows the wilderness very well, while McCandless is like a young child who is going on his first camping trip. Penn uses this to show an eager and young happy McCandless who believes that he is on top of the world, but a worried old man who knows that McCandless is in over his head. This scene shows the difference between the novel and film as the film shows more personal relationships, where the novel focuses more on McCandless desire to be alone. 

Krakauer in the novel attempts to figure out what happened to McCandless and find the source of his death. The ending of the novel starts to depict Krakauer, himself venturing out to the Alaskan wilderness and finding McCandless's bus. Krakauer eventually portrays that it was a type of mold that killed McCandless. Krakauer analyzes what possible situation McCandless could have been in and even points out McCandless's flaws. Krakauer writes that if McCandless had a map he would have been fine. "If McCandless had possessed a U.S. Geological Survey topographic map, it would have alerted him to the existence of a Park Service cabin on the upper Sushana River, six miles due south of the bus, a distance he might have been able to cover even in his severely weakened state."( Krakauer 133) The text shows Krakauer's frustration with McCandless's arrogance and stupidity. He points out a small item that could've easily saved his life. Krakauer theorizes McCandless's death in a bleak and uneventful manner. "Then he crawled into the sleeping bag his mother had sewn for him and slipped into unconsciousness. He probably died on August 18, 112 days after he'd walked into the wild, 19 days before six Alaskans would happen across the bus and discover his body inside."( Krakauer 136) Krakauer displays a realistic and gritty look at the way McCandless dies. Krakauer, again emphasizes McCandless's solidarity and that since he made the journey alone, it's fair that he died alone. 

The ending that Sean Penn directed for the movie, shows a struggling and weak McCandless in his bed staring up at the sky. The scene is incredibly intense as his heartbeat is synced with the fast paced editing. This is done to promote intensity and suspense. The camera quickly shows the sky then McCandless face and over and over. McCandless dies with a smile on his face as tears emerge from his eyes and sunlight shines upon, as he thinks about his family. Sean Penn's ending to the movie is most certainly a spiritual one. As the light shining on McCandless face as he dies is a representation of God's forgiveness and McCandless feeling accepted, seeing the faces of all the people who he had helped find their own way.

The novel and movie Into the Wild each possess their own perspectives on McCandless's experiences in nature. The film leans toward a more optimistic and spiritual approach, showing McCandless not as pioneer or voyager, but a regular young man who longs for acceptance from his family. Sean Penn does this by depicting McCandless as a savior for others and focusing on his relationships with random strangers her encounters like Jim or Franz.The novel, by Krakauer, is more of a detailed account of his travels and tells a more real and gritty tale. Krakauer does this by including McCandless's story while he was alive and after his death, by showing the effect that his death had on the people he met. Krakauer isn't trying to glamorize McCandless's life, but instead shows the downside of trying to isolate yourself from others. Krakauer's novel focuses more on McCandless personal isolation from society and himself. McCandless determination to live out in the wild isn't a tale of a pioneer, but more on the lines of a stubborn young man who underestimated the people around him and the natural environment. 

