Similarities Between The Help And Into The Wild

How would one fare in the Alaskan wilderness? How about living in 1960’s Jackson Mississippi? Even though the situations seem like polar opposites, they are more connected than one might think. Into The Wild by Jon Krakauer is the biography of young hiker Chris McCandless who, after disappearing for months was found dead in the Alaskan wilderness. In The Help By Kathryn Stockett is about three women living in Jackson, Mississippi in the early 1960’s and writing a very controversial book. The Help and Into The Wild share common themes of empathy, appearances not reflecting reality, and protection of the innocent.
In both The Help and Into The Wild the theme The best way to understand someone is to walk in his/her shoes is demonstrated. …show more content…
In The Help, Aibileen tries to protect Mae Mobley from her mother. To toilet train Mae Mobley Aibileen lets Mae Mobley use her toilet, but when her mother sees her trying to use the help’s bathroom she gets furious. In Mae Mobley’s defense Aibileen says “‘Miss Leefolt, she don’t know what she do-’ ‘Get back in the house Aibileen!’ … And I hear her pop her again and again on the bare legs” (Stockett 95). Aibileen tries to stop Miss Leefolt from hitting Mae Mobley, but Miss Leefolt does not listen to Aibileen and hits Mae Mobley. Along McCandless’ journey, many people offered him supplies, food, and a place to stay, but he refused. One particular person he met was Ronald Franz, whom he stayed with for a while and Franz even offered to adopt him, but he again refused. After finding out about McCandless’ death he recounted, “I prayed. I asked God to keep his finger on the shoulder of the one; I told him that boy was special. But he let Alex [McCandless] die (Krakauer 60). Franz tried to persuade McCandless not to go and to let him adopt him, to protect him from the dangers of the Alaskan wilderness, but he went anyway. After hearing of his death Franz felt like God had betrayed him. In The Help and Into The Wild attempts are made to protect the innocent, but sadly they …show more content…
Empathy is shown in Into The Wild by Jon Krakauer as he literally walks in McCandless shoes and in The Help when Skeeter reads the harsh Jim Crow Laws. McCandless’ perfect appearance, but troubled family life and Mimmy’s tough facade, but abusive husband demonstrate that appearances do not always reflect reality. Aibileen tries to protect innocent little Mae Mobley from her mother’s wrath and Ronald Franz tried to protect McCandless from the dangerous wilderness. Two vastly different settings have more in common than initially