Where the Wild Things Are

I remember when I was in grade school and I read Where the Wild Things Are for the first time. The book was a mystery to me. I was confused by and almost afraid of the drawings of these large beasts with huge claws and long teeth. Reading the book I thought, why would anyone include monsters in their happy place? And why wasn’t this boy afraid of them? And how brave was he to speak to his mother in such a disrespectful manner? I decided that the book would make much more sense to me if I were a boy. But I also remember thinking, there’s something about this book that I would only be able to understand when I was a little bit more grown up.

When I heard they were making a movie out of this 10-sentence story I remembered my childhood musings and intrigue about the book. I bought a copy, wanting to rediscover this world created by Max and see if years had indeed unlocked at least some of its mystery. Sure enough, it did. Now when I flip through the pages, I see Max for the boy he is: wild and brave, creating a world where he is totally unrestricted and fully in control. He has no reason to fear these beasts more than twice his size because he can and does make himself their king. But ultimately, he is a boy who wants the freedom to express the wildness within him and be loved unconditionally for it, not just in spite of it.

Being a fan of any story that involves escaping reality through sheer imagination (Peter Pan and the Chronicles of Narnia are still among my favorite books), I looked forward to seeing this story brought to life. Despite reading reviews of it being much darker than most expected, I still had high hopes. And I was not disappointed. Somehow they managed to turn 10-sentences into a full-length movie without destroying the integrity of the story Maurice Sendak created. Out of necessity, events were created and manipulated not according to the book, but it is still very much the same world Max escapes to.

One of the biggest plot changes was the naming of the wild things. Not only were they named but they were made into complete, rounded-out characters that the audience could completely embrace as creations of Max’s imagination. Though they all had distinct personalities, it was downright magical to see how they took turns representing different aspects of Max’s personality and, at times, his perceptions of the people in his life. Carol is like Max’s best friend or soulmate, the one he could relate to most. Just like Max, Carol hates change and desires that his family stay together, just as it is. He’s looking for that happiness that is so close but remains just out of reach, and he’s searching for that something or someone to bridge the gap. Judith takes turns being like his mother’s more authoritative side and the negative, pessimistic gloom that Max can’t seem to escape, nor does he really want to escape it. Ira is probably what Max wishes his dad could be like: completely and unconditionally devoted to Judith (his mom). Douglas is the epitome of the unconditionally loyal friend because, honestly, what better friend could their be than one who still stands by your side, even after ripping out your (favorite) arm. Alexander is the part of Max that feels lost in the chaos; how Max feels other people probably view him--an annoying mosquito that people swat away. And KW is like Max’s mom in the best way. Of all the wild things, she’s the one who knows exactly who he is--she’s the only one who calls him Max from the begining--and loves him whole-heartedly, no questions asked. She can see that Max is pretending to be someone bigger than he really is, but instead of questioning his authority like Judith does, or pushing to know his background, or lifting him on a pedestal that deep down he knows he doesn’t deserve, she just loves him with her whole being.

A major addition the movie brought to the story was the conflict among the wild things that Max tries to resolve. Like his own life, a family is changed for what appears to be the worse, but in this world, maybe there’s a chance he can repair it. Through the movie Max tries his best to unite the beasts and make the hurt and loneliness go away. But even in this world of make-believe, it is bigger than he is, and Max ends up feeling like he just made everything worse. So Max returns home, glad to be free of the responsibility of fixing the world’s problems. Where he isn’t expected to take care of everyone, but instead he is taken care of, which is exactly where all little boys belong.

What I think I love most about the movie is how it is filmed as though Max himself is telling the story. All perception is biased by his point of view, and yet, it’s not the watered-down light-hearted fantasy Disney has taught us to expect of children. Even at it’s most rambunctious and happiest moments, there is still a hint of the sadness and loneliness permeating throughout. It’s as though Max realizes that no matter how free and wild he may act or how far away he runs, he can’t escape the troubles and worries that plague him. In the end, the most comforting place turns out to be the very place he has been trying to escape. It is at home that he finds beautiful, imperfect, and unconditional love.