“Tell me a story…” the words of a broken mother to her child rang out as the boy lay underneath an old computer table gently tugging on his mother’s nylons. He began to share a tale of tall buildings who wandered the world and a tribe of vampires whose will seemed to be to live in peace with their tall friends. Yet as the narrative unfolds the listener is told of a boy vampire, who looking to prove himself, bites one of the tall buildings only to have is own teeth broken against its harsh skin of steal. The boy vampire’s hopes were soon dashed to the ground, now he would be perpetually made fun of as the vampire with no teeth; his life forever changed, he is now an outcast, all because of a simple bite.
The imagination of boys around the world has been highlighted in children’s books and stories for ages, though no book captures this better than Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak. Through the use of words and pictures, a boy named Max’s imagination comes to life in a far off land where he is king of a group of characters only known as “The Wild Things.” Yet, this weekend the long time beloved children’s book came to life in the movie adaptation of the book directed by Spike Jones.
In the movie Max is a boy about the age of eight who comes from a single parent household who is caught somewhere between reality and his imagination as he seeks to deal with the things that life has brought his way. One night while trapped in his imagination he requests his mom’s attention for what seems to Max as a routine trip to outer space in his combined fort and spaceship. Max’s hopes for his mom to join his journey are ruined when he finds her downstairs on a date with a strange man. What comes next might only seem like the antics of an eight-year-old boy, but are so much more. Not knowing quite how to deal with the emotions rushing to his mind, Max complains, yells, stands on a table, and hurts his mom by biting her. Somehow the boy’s story of the vampire comes to life, and in biting his mom he causes himself to be an outcast within the family. In reaction to the combination of him hurting his mom and her subsequent yelling at him, Max runs out of the house, down the street, into a forest, onto a boat, and off to a far away land.
On an island which seems the be the middle of the no where, Max stumbles upon “The Wild Things,” which can only be described as monsters who are character representations of aspects of Max’s emotional state. These monsters have been living in this distant land for many years as friends. Despite their friendship, it seems that they cannot get along. Carol, one of the Wild Things, persuaded his friends to crown Max as king, convinced that his presence would bring peace and harmony. It is this gesture that brings Max and Carol together as friends who will work collectively to bring to life Carol’s dreams.
Despite Max’s best attempts, things do not work out; the anger, resentment, and frustration live on. Carol, broken by the fact that his hopes for peace have failed goes on a rampage to rid the world of Max, whom escapes his bitter end with the help of K.W., who hides him from Carol. It is in the hiding place of K.W.’s stomach that Max experiences the power of imprudent anger.
Upon this realization Max recognizes he must return home to reconcile his relationship with his mother. Yet, first working to reconcile his own relationship with Coral, he returns to Coral’s place of hidden imagination, making a heart out of sticks with a “C” in the center, which is a sign of friendship and love between the two. As Max sets off for home he is celebrated, as well as missed, by all of the Wild Things expect Carol. Upon finding the heart, Carol runs with all of his might to see Max off. When he arrives at the beach Max is already cast off on his journey, but Carol cries out his love for Max with a yelp and Max turns around with a smile, communicating his love back to Carol in a reciprocated howl.
Max reaches the coast and begins running home as if in a race against no one to get to his mother. Max arrives findings him mom sitting, looking as if she had been crying for hours. Seeing each other, both Max and his mom embrace with needing no words, only physical comfort. During the hour and a half theatric experience a story of the hurt of today’s society, the self-realization of a young boy, and the collective redemption of all of the characters unfolds amongst the tale of a boy within his imagination.
There is something hidden within the adventure that unfolds on the screen that the Church needs to hear—a message of redemption. Max’s redemption, both within himself and with his mother, comes about through a type of inner searching. Yet, we as the Church know that the redemption of humanity comes about only by the movement of God, within his people, through the power of the Spirit. Sadly, many times people miss what God is doing because they are too preoccupied with other things. This is why it is vital to create time to spend with God, in order that he might search us and show us the places in our lives where we are in need of redemption. With all the noise and distractions that plague our culture daily, there is a necessity for intentionally taking time to let God take a hold of our imagination; to take our mind, heart, and soul on an adventure of self-awareness and redemption. Throughout the gospels Jesus goes off by himself and spends time with his father, allowing himself to be shaped by God. Take one minute and think about the adventures within himself the spirit of God must have taken Jesus on…through the pain of lost loved ones, through the excitement of friendship, and the disappointments of humanity. There is no place where this type of adventure becomes clearer than in the garden of Gethsemane. It is here that Jesus comes face to face with the reality of what will happen on the cross, the pain and beauty of what is about to take place. Can you imagine the adventure that occurred within Jesus during that time—the characters, friendship, problems, joy, pain, and realization of redemption that must have happened within our Lord?
When we allow ourselves to be in solitude, to let our imagination go, and get on the boat to a far off land; we allow the Lord take us on an adventure within our own hearts, minds, and souls. The movie does not address where he went or what truly happened to Max, if he really journeyed to a far off land or whether is was a figurative adventure, but that is not the point. The point is that wherever he goes, or does not go, Max finds redemption, both within himself and with those who are a part of his family and community. May you allow yourself to go on an adventure, to quiet yourself, empty your mind, and allow your Lord to take the reigns on a path to redemption.
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