Often times, the influence of society through the relentless contraints of social conformaty and the great responsibility imposed by civilization drives one towards the wilderness as an opportunity to escape. Davidson's Tracks" and Penn's Into The Wild illustrates significance the impact people has on one's decisions and desires, following parallel journeys of Robyn and Chris as they journey towards self discovery. Through Chris' rejection on society, Penn highlights the deep emotional scars left behind due to a troubled childhood, a catalyst for his journey into the great unknown, a place he idealizes as untouched purity. Likewise, Davidson masks Robyn's motivations through the endless possibilities of the natural environment, a place for self discovery and freedom, contrasting the "responsibilities of society. Conversly, thorugh their respective journeys, both protagonists gain key insights into the importatnce of the influence of people in their lives. eventually coming to understand the significance of companionship as an key element of survival.


Through the influence of people, both Davidson and Penn show the significance of social relationships, acting a driving force pushing Chris and Robyn towards the wilderness. Seen in Tracks" as whenever ther is a pressure to conform, there is a requestment to resisť, Robyn was deeply bothered due to heavy sexual and racial discriminantions at the time. a 'malaise of [herl generation. [herl sex and her class" highlighting a strong motive for journey, as an opprtunity to escape the limitations imposed upon [herl", and "unleashing opprtunities for learning, discovering, and becoming". More so, the mudanity of society led her to becoming vaguely bored with her life and its repititions" her journey was seen as a way of giving her life meaning, a way of discovering the endless possibilities that nature has to offer, as to her 'nothing is as important as freedom" subsequently "testing herself constantly", and completing a spitritual breakthrough, a way of sheding all the useless preoccupations and standards of society" Shown in a different context in "Into the wild", Penn highlights the influence of family through Chris' broken relationship with his parents, due to a troubled childhood filled with, constant fighting, abuse, and 'fradulent marrage, often times "crying his eyes out Chirs' soul darkens due to deep. irreversable emotional scars, "a murder of every day's truth", as he slowly turns away from the social world and the value of American materialism society upholds at the time, believing society is "sick' and even claiming he "[doesn't] have a family anymore', a way of escaping from the world of "abstraction, false security, parents, and material excess". Thus, both texts consequently illustrate the power of social and family influence, driving one towards rebelliation.


In contrast to modern society, the wildeness is often seen as a place of idyllic pleasures, where one can escape the the merciless constrants of social responsibility and truly enjoy the 'magnificnece, light" and "power" the nautral environment has to offer. Seen in Davidson's Tracks", contrasting the "architectural ugliness" of the society in lice Springs, the welcoming presence of nature was felt by Robyn throughout her journey through the vast Australian outback an "impossibly beautiful place" a place "bountiful and teeming with life". and the heart of the world. paradise". essentially generating a "magic for herself, a sense of spritual empowerment. Further. Robyn's encounter with Uluru was described as "Tmesmerizing]", a "indecipherable power, as nothing was as wildly beautiful as that [shel had ever seen" Subsesquently. allowing Davidson to illustrate the mundane, unexciting society, justifying the beauty of nature gravitating one towards it Lilkewise with "into the wild the spritual empowerment of the nautral environment was illustrated through a long shot of Chris drifing off into the sunset. not a cloud to be seen in the clear, beautiful sky, the camera is as stll as the waves themselves as warm,. vivid ighting illed the scene. combined with the soft piano playing in the background implimenting a sense of pure tranquillity, a feeling of invulerability. immotality. Thus. allowing Penn to illustrate a special connectionship between Chris and nature, justifying his desire for 'truth" empowering him spiritually, almost as a symbollic gesture of a second home. Therefore both texts contrasts the tainted. toxic society, to the untouched purity of nature, gravitating one towards it by comparasion.


Despite heavy social constrants imposed on by the burden of civilization, the influecne of human companionship throughout Robyn and Chris' respective journeys allow for both Davidson and Penn to compare the presence of companionship to complete isolation of people. Though initially wanting to "do the thing on [herl own without outside interference or help", Robyn eventually came to the realization that she needed people, wanted them", even becoimg "hopelessly dependend on [her friends] for encouragement and supportť' as '"they are the reason sanity still existed". Through her relationship with Eddie. Robyn gained unfathomable insights into aborigional reality and the land surrounding it learing about the low' and "enjoying the present, through learning how to "depend on the land", 'to be changed by the environment rather than combating it gaining " a perculiar power and strength in country" a "newfound calm, a lack of fear, a solid reliance on [herself", becoming Virtually immune to cold and pain it is this accumulative knowledege and keen sense of intution that allowed for her to survive the hardest part of her journey. the man's desert" the Gunbarrel highway. Contrasting Robyn's association with people, learing priceless knowledge on survival, it is Chris arrogance and lack of human connections that led to his ultimate demise, his limited knowledge of the surrounding environment led to him stranded in complete desolation, and becoming entirely self dependent. As starvation begins to take over Chris is reduced to animalistic needs, as the higher part of the self top functioning and the frantic version of himself slowly begins killing him like a parasite, leading to his intoxication. Upon death. Chris enters a state of trance. in which. he is running into this parent's open arms, hugging them tightly, crying tears of joy, as warm, vivid lighting fills the scene, a symbollic indication of remorse, and regret, finally coming to the realization that Happiness lis] only real when shard", as well as understanding that nature does not show companionship, that it's a 'force bound not kind to man, that it's indifferent, and that he needs people. As such, both Davidson and Penn preach the importance of human companionship, the connection with people, an essential element of survival.



Ultimately, both Davidson's "Tracks" and Pen 's "Into the wild" illustrate the pressures of social and family influence leads to one's desire for freedom, however, the importance of companship greatly affects one's chances of survival. It is due to broken family relationships that deeply influenced Chris perception on society and its norms, yet it is his arrogance strong deire to be completly isolate from the influence of people that led to his tragic end. In Contrast, despite the seemingly endless repititons of life in socitey, along with the racial and sexual discriminations at the time that led Robyn to her journey of isolation, it is through the influence of her friends, and her willingness to connect, and socialize with people that enables for her to learn from the wisdom of others, allowing for her to survive and thrive. While botth characters justifiably desire independence from social structures, the texts suggest that it is absurd to think one can forge a viable self and life entirely cut off from others, and it is only through companship with people that enables one to survive.