Wild, By Jean Marc Vallee

The 2014 film Wild, directed by Jean-Marc Vallee, chronicles the journey and transformation of Cheryl Strayed as she hikes the Pacific Crest Trail. After the death of her mother, Cheryl begins to behave recklessly, engaging in sex with strangers and becoming a heroin addict. This takes her down a dark and destructive path that ruins her marriage. Following the divorce of her and her husband, Cheryl makes a rash decision to take a 3 month hike from the Mexico border to the Canada border, in search for a new life and healing. Completely inexperienced and naïve, Cheryl faces many challenges on this journey, but also encounters generous people who help her along the way. There are instances where Cheryl struggles greatly, such as suffering from dehydration, encountering a rattlesnake and even facing predatory men. However, there are also times of happiness and triumph, such as when Cheryl takes her short break in Ashland and her pleasant encounter with a young boy and his grandmother. As Cheryl tries to survive in the wilderness, she struggles internally as well, battling her inner demons and having flashbacks of her abusive childhood and the loss of her mother. Through all of this, nevertheless, Cheryl was undeniably transformed and was able to have a fresh start. Cheryl states at the end of the movie, “After I lost myself in the wilderness of my grief, I found my own way out of the woods.” And indeed she did. After completing the hike, Cheryl began to live a healthy and