Hagiya 1

Trent Hagiya
Corbally
English 218
7 March 2014
The Minds Wild Rumpus
The mind of a child used to be perceived as simple and not fully developed. We
used to believe that children were incapable of comprehending complex thoughts and
therefore disregarded them as lesser beings. The assumption that adults needed to teach
kids how to feel, think, and respond certainly fills a void in the adults life, but does not
necessary do the same for children. Kids are influenced by many factors, and adults do
play a role in that, but children also develop their own feelings without any outside help.
Trying to truly understand the mind of a child is just as trying as understanding an adult.
Through various research form theorists and scientists, a collection of data shows the
complexities of a childs thought process and emotional stability ranges. When kids act
out sometimes parents do not fully understand what the child is going through and in
those times the child can show difficulty in expressing his or herself. These
misunderstandings can escalate and create scary situations for both parties. A prime
example of this exists within a simple story. Spike Jonzes film adaptation of the Maurice
Sendak book, Where the Wild Things Are, examines the psychological analysis of a boy
as it attempts to identify what he is going through. In both versions, young Max is
disciplined and decides to escape to a far away world where Wild Things roam. Though
both the movie and the book are considerably short, at one hour and forty minutes and

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338 words respectively, they both pack layers of subtext to show the audience how a
child thinks and feels.
To understand Max is to understand the book and the film. He is the heart of both
stories and serves as a catalyst for childhood concerns. Maxs introduction sets up the
premise of a problem child who craves attention. While both versions of Max
synchronize effectively, the movie Max carries more of an edge. The way he plays
suggests a reckless, almost dangerous abandon, a quality that the book treats more as
mischief. Another example is when Max is sent to his room and the book describes his
feelings internally, while in the movie he expresses his emotions physically. Instead of
dreaming up this island in his room, the movie Max actually runs away from home and
causes great turmoil for his family. Max is fragile and easily broken by the outside world
and therefore must create his own utopia to feel safe. When kids feel neglected, they feel
running away is a legitimate option. We can see this in kids who are reticent. Since they
show difficulty in expressing themselves to others they decide to hide their feelings, or in
Maxs case, create a world that gives him an escape. In this world, Max can truly express
himself in ways that others would not fully understand.
For many books and movies of the same ilk, the core of the story lies in the
journey of escaping more than the actual escape. Sendak and Jonze went the opposite
direction in their storytelling to set the majority of the narrative on Maxs Wild Thing
Island. In most cases the protagonist journeys to a destination and learns about himself
along the way, but for Max the destination plays the largest role in discovering his sense
of self. He becomes a different person on the island. He plays the role of conqueror and
makes certain that the Wild Things listen to him because he does not receive the same

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respect at home. Being neglected or misunderstood can lead to a desire to feel in control,
which is exactly what Max wants. He is more comfortable and allows the island to throw
away his inhibitions, freeing him from the restrains of his family.
The root of Maxs rebellion derives from his home life with his family. Given the
format of a childrens book verses a full-length feature, Spike Jonzes movie allows for
interpretation of the people surrounding Max in the real world. From the book all we
know is that Max has a mother and a dog. The movie shows that his mom is single and
dating, plus the factor of an older sister. These reveals help the audience process a deeper
acceptance of what Max is going though and creates empathy towards his character. The
mother tries to understand her son because she knows the situation must be difficult for
him. Whenever possible she gives him the attention he desires but cannot accommodate
his full needs and thus results in him acting out. Both single parents and couples struggle
with this reality and can be at a loss when a similar situation occurs. The book and the
movie rely on these themes to reach all audiences, however they go about executing them
in distinctive ways.
Since the story runs through two different mediums, both versions offer unique
platforms for storytelling. Aside from the obvious added plot details, the movie offers
subtle departures from the original that noticeably separate the two. From a technical
aspect, the film is shot in multiple arrangements and takes advantage of a widescreen lens
to capture the landscapes of the island. In the book, the Wild Things consume entire
pages to condense the focus on the characters and not the setting. The visuals play a
significant role in both versions. The art of the book immediately draws attention to the
reader with its playful nature. As the story progresses the pictures take up more of the

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page until the climax leaves no white space and the pages are pure illustrations, then the
resolution shrinks the images through the last page, where there is no art, but just the final
words. The movie operates under different circumstances. The costumes and make-up
attempt to portray a realistic setting where the audience believes these characters could
actually exist in our world. Whether this works depends on an individuals suspension of
disbelief, but the intentions are clear. Another unique element of the movie is the music.
Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs composed the soundtrack that also serves as a partial
narrative for the film. The songs set the mood throughout the film both lyrically and
tonally. While all of these components distinguish the film and the book, the most
significant difference is the way the Wild Things are interpreted.
Sendaks Wild Things are purely an escape for Max while Jonzes personify
pieces of Maxs personality. The fact that the Things are given names shows more
interest in these personalities. The movie Things are fully developed characters that force
Max to reevaluate his choices. For instance, Alexander represents Maxs neglection and
need for attention while Bull signifies his loneliness and isolation. Carol and KW bring a
unique dynamic to the forefront because their relationship can be interpreted in various
ways. From a certain angle they recall Maxs association with his sister. KW is more
focused on new friends while Carol wants to keep things the way they were. He even
goes so far as to explain to Max when crossing a desert that this particular area is bad and
the rock lands are good and safe. Carol suggests that the rocks are solid and stable, while
the desert sands drift and fade, which serves as a metaphor for the specific relationships
in his life. The Carol and KW relationship also reflects Maxs inner conflict. Carol
represents the Max we see on the surface: energetic, aggressive, and prone to emotional

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outbursts. KW on the other hand coincides with his fears and honesty. Throughout the
film their discourse plays out Max coming to terms with himself. From the moment these
characters are introduced, Max forms an immediate connection with Carol. Even though
the most intimate scenes are shared with KW, Max always falls back to Carol in the end.
Carol even has his own escape like Max, and when they try to turn their fantasy into
reality it ultimately fails because they know it cannot last forever. In both versions, Max
rules over the Things, but in the book Max realizes as a ruler he must parent them and not
just play with them, putting himself in his mothers position. The film relies on Max
learning how to cope with not just his family, but with the outside world in general.
The disparities are plentiful between each version but the heart of the story exists
in both. Sendaks book is so well received because he establishes a thought-provoking
analysis of children while maintaining an innocent nature. Jonze manages to keep that
innocence in his film while breaking down the original storys core. Through this
analysis it becomes clear that this is not a childrens story, but merely a story about
children.

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Works Cited
Sendak, Maurice. Where the Wild Things Are. New York: Harper and
Row, 1963.
Jonze, Spike, dir. Where the Wild Things Are. Warner Bros., 2009. Film