Freedom depends on your point of view.

Freedom is a very subjective concept that depends on an individual’s point of view. This point of view is created and reinforced by several factors in one’s life. Many of these factors present themselves in ideals such as cultural values and social expectations, but also within personal experiences and the manner with which they were dealt.

Cultural values and social expectations contribute greatly to the attainment of freedom. The environment in which one is brought up creates the basis of the values and expectations that one grows accustomed to. This fundamental experience forges the personal ideas that shape one’s thoughts and actions. The discontent that Chris McCandless (Into the Wild) experiences is inversely reflected upon his parents’ expectations of him, shown in the scene where Chris is standing outside a restaurant and peering at the man within. The expectations that his parents held of him pushed Chris into the direction of the man he sees within – wealthy, successful and socially respected. However, by stepping away from this, be his disregarding his upbringing, his fundamental values and the expectations held of him. This leads to the deep unhappiness and discomfort that restricts one’s attainment of freedom. Freedom cannot be achieved if one’s fundamental point of view, forged by cultural values and expectations, is disregarded.

One’s point of view is largely influenced by past experiences in life. These experiences and the manner with which they are dealt help create the psyche that shapes the individual’s thought processes. It is with these ingrained thought processes that an understanding of the world is created. This situation is presented in Into the Wild as the audience is introduced to the nature of Chris’ childhood and adolescence – in particular, the point at which his mother is explained to be