Five key questions (by Jimmy Vera)

 

1. Who created this message?

    The message was created by Eddie Vedder, vocalist of the well-known grunge band "Pearl Jam".


2. What creative techniques are used to attract my attention?

   
     The images of this video are very moving even if you have not seen the movie to which they belong to, "Into the wild". Sean Penn, the director of the movie, asked Eddie Vedder personally to compose the whole original soundtrack for the movie and so he did. The sequence of images showing landscapes, animals and nature in general are the most attractive features of the video, along with the fact that the movie is based on a true story. (For further information, read the description of the video).


3. How might different people understand this message differently?

    As John Lennon clearly explained in his song "Imagine, there are different types of people, and among them, we can find those who are dreamers and those who are not. Cristopher McCandless (the main character of the movie) was a dreamer, someone who questioned why people is so bad to each other so often, and someone brave enough to give up to his money (and give most of it to charity), material possessions in general and to his whole thus far well constructed life. Some people who are slaves of possessions and material goods and money might think that this guy was crazy and that he didn't know anything about life, but I prefer to think that we can all live from the simple things that life gives us just as he did until his last day on earth.


4. What values, lifestyles and points of view are represented in, or omitted from this message?

     The main value I can distinguish is consistency, to be able to act according to your values and ideals.


5. Why is this message being sent?

     This message is being sent to criticise our sick and materialistic society. Most people in the world are slaves of money and tend to act in order to achieve big amounts of it, often harming other people. The sense of "common good" has been lost and I believe that this song was created so we can somehow restore it.

PS: Those of you who haven't watched the movie, I strongly recommend you to do it.