Lost Sole

Discovery is a process which allows a confrontational evaluation of an individual’s emotions, renewing their perceptions and understandings of themselves and others. The play ‘Away’ (1986) by Michael Gow explores challenging elements that allow the characters to confront their personal grievances and learn the importance of transformation and discovery. This parallel to Away, “Wild” by Jean-Marc Vallee draws upon the same inspirations of the play, whereby the natural world becomes a setting for healing and transformative epiphanies.

Concepts of discovery are embedded in the play’s reminiscent title which physically and emotionally draws the characters ‘Away’ from the current world and triggers understandings regarding their relationships with others. Due to the extensive mourning at the loss of her son and the inner turmoil this has created, Coral’s journey into self-realisation is one which will transform her.  During Act Three, Scene One, audience becomes conscious Coral remains trapped in a world of grief as she discovers Rick. Coral enjoys their relationship because she continues to retain the visual memory of her son, which is mirrored through the dialogue “You’re still alive. You’re alive and talking and laughing”.  Followed by, Coral’s imperative tone “Come into the dark” symbolising living in darkness and sustaining her fantasy. Her fantasy then becomes a reality when Roy “[sends] him away” thus, metsphorically breaking the bond between Coral and her son. This consequently enhances Coral’s self-perception of anguish that is further complemented by the stage directions of Coral “[having} a great cry” implying Roy being the catalyst of the separation of the mother and son.  It is not until Act four, Scene three; Tom’s impact on Coral becomes transformative and far- reaching. ”You don’t belong here. You must go back.” is highly critical and supportive as Tom encourages her to live her life. The use of imperative language emphasises the severity of Coral’s mental well-being and the need for her to 'let go' as she will eventually lose her grip on reality entirely. Corals’ journey of self- realisation is remarkably significant when she states “I’m walking, I’m walking….” The pulling off of the mermaid tail is used by Gow metaphorically to portray Corals’ renewed perception of self. The tail was symbol of her former ghostly entity and outlook, whereby she would flow through life “[behaving] like a ghost”. Now, she is once again controlling her own movement and the direction in which she travels. She too accepts her son’s death and regains her independence, whilst reigniting her relationship with Roy.

 “Wild” is a film which likewise explores the great potentials that lie within discoveries from “going away”. Corresponding to Coral, Cheryl Strayed has been emotionally and spiritually impacted by the death of her mother and her infidelity toward her husband. As such, her perception of herself and others has led to a downward spiral of self-destructiveness. It is her realisation that she has fallen so far from the person she wants to be that leads her to embarks her journey on more than a thousand miles of the Pacific Crest Trail alone to seek solace and a self-discovery. From the solitude on the trail, “Wild” intertwines stories of strayed’s life before and during the journey via flashbacks which force Cheryl to confront her past and allows the audience to gain a sense of what Cheryl is seeking simultaneously as she discovers the same. This is further complemented by her inner monologue, as she questions her decision to hike such a distance. We gain access to her weaknesses and strengths, which help the audience understand why she needs to make this journey. As the film progresses, Cheryl begins to develop cuts and bruises on her body, this is symbolic as her physical state begins to mirror her mental state, driving her to discover the damage she’s created. In addition, her enormous pack seemingly symbolises the amount of guilt Cheryl is carrying around with her on a daily basis due to her overall self-destruction. The healing properties of this journey she has undertaken become clear, as moments of realisation mark the progress of her transformation and keep her going. To conclude the movie, Cheryl’s journey is completed and through her voiceover, viewers gain insight of her future, as she remarries and has two children of her own. Cheryl ponders whether she regrets the mistakes she's made, as she discovers it has generated growth, resolution and a created a newfound of value of life.