As part of my ongoing Dave Eggers kick, I picked up The Wild Things
. The book had a lot going for it before I even ordered it: the novel is based on the screenplay for the Spike Jonze movie (also co-written by Eggers), I already dig Eggers' writing, and the damn thing is covered in fur!Synopsis
Novels are often adapted into some of the best feature films. The reverse is less common. In fact, The Wild Things is the only worthwhile novel I can recall that was adapted from a film (which, in this case, was adapted from a children's book). The unusual origins of the novel certainly complement the story within it.The first one-third of the story focuses on Max and his broken family. He struggles with confusion about choices his mother and sister make and why his relationship with each of them is changing. The novel provides much more backstory than the film did, which I really enjoyed.
The remainder of the story takes place on an island, which is where the Wild Things are. There, Max encounters a variety of characters and situations unfamiliar to him, much like Alice in Wonderland. Almost instantly, he declares himself the king of the Wild Things, but throughout his time on the island he struggles with the frustration of never being able to please everyone.
My Thoughts
The Writing
I really love the way this story is told. Even though it's written in third person, the whole story is definitely told from Max's perspective. I knew Max's logic was often flawed, but it wasn't discussed in a condescending tone. I could understand where he was coming from. Instead of thinking, "What a dumb idea, that won't work," I would root for Max to succeed despite his own poor judgment. The Wild Things are equally naive, which somehow makes the ridiculous scenarios they get into seem more plausible.The novel definitely had a quality that couldn't be found in the film (and vice versa). It provides a much more clear understanding of what Max and the Wild Things are thinking and what motivates them. Though it doesn't convey the visual beauty and wonder of the island in the same way the film does, I really enjoyed the novel's much greater depth in terms of the characters and plot. Neither is better than the other; I think they complement each other very well.
As Eggers said in the acknowledgements in the back of the book:
"Spike and I tried to flesh out the story... starting with the question of not where but who the Wild Things are, and what they want from life and from Max."
Allegory
It's impossible to discuss this story without talking about the presence of allegory on the island of the Wild Things. In fact, the last two-thirds of the book seems to be one giant allegory in the style of the Wizard of Oz. I'm not a huge fan of dissecting this type of story element, but it's worth mentioning.One of the more obvious connections is the dynamic between Carol and Katherine, which seems to represent the awkward interaction and troubled past of his own divorced parents.
Another example is the war that Max starts to try and unite everyone, which seems to mirror the uncertainty in modern warfare. Max is confused when the Wild Things don't abide by the conventional rules of war and he has no way to determine which side has won the battle. Sound familiar?
