Politics of the Wilderness in Herzog’s “The Grizzly Man”
Does a wildlife documentary have to be about innocent animals living in their natural habitat? I’d like to discuss how political/environmental issues and even human drama can come into play in this harmless movie.
POLITICS IN THE WILDERNESS
By politics, I mean the art of using power and domination in any area of life. According to the definition of Merriam-Webster Dictionary, politics is a competition between competing interest groups or individuals for power or leadership.
“The Grizzly Man” is political as long as humans want to conquer and dominate nature. Look at the way Timothy Treadwell struggles to redirect the water in the brook to help bears catch more salmons. He manipulates nature despite his good intention.
Though Treadwell wants his act to be a heroic deed, the movie is about how he intervenes and interrupts the natural course however kind he treats the animals.
A WILDLIFE DOCUMENTARY WITH AN INSIGHT INTO HUMAN NATURE
Critics criticize Werner Herzog for his bias against Treadwell in his voice-over. However, I agree with the director when he says the movie gives ‘insight’ into our human nature rather than being just a harmless portrayal of wildlife in its natural habitat.
The documentary received critical acclaim when it came out in 2005. It is comprised of 100 hours of footage mostly during the last five years Treadwell spent ‘protecting’ the grizzly bears at Katmai Natural Park, Alaska.
It is also comprised of the interviews of Treadwell’s family and friends including two bear experts.
ENVIRONMENTALIST CRUSADER OR EGOCENTRIC PERSON
Questions may arise if Timothy Treadwell is a devoted environmentalist or he uses the ideology to cover up his insecurity and inadequacy.
According to the curator of the Kodiak Museum in Alaska, Treadwell does more harm than good to the bears and nature. He said people should respect the boundaries between humans and animals.
The natives of Alaska respect this sacred boundary between bears and humans. So, they have lived in harmony with bears for 7000 years until Treadwell came along.
In habituating himself to the bears under the pretext of protecting them, Treadwell has harmed the bears and their environment. Worst, he not only harmed the bear but put himself in danger. The curator said it didn’t surprise him to see Treadwell ended up a bear’s meal. What he did is a disrespect to the bears.
NATURE VS CIVILIZATION
One of the themes in this documentary is Nature VS Civilization. Another interviewee, a bear biologist, told Herzog he thought he understood why Treadwell did such a thing at the bear sanctuary. His interview gives insight into why Katmai National Park, Alaska, functions as a Garden of Eden for Treadwell.
He understood why Treadwell endangered himself to protect the bears. True, Treadwell risked his life for the environment. The simplicity of Nature in the habitat of the bears is like the siren song for him. Nature there appeals to him because it helps him escape from the complexity and unhappiness living in civilization.
ABNORMALITY IN NORMALITY
From Herzog’s interview with his family, an American city boy like Treadwell never had a family problem. He came from a comfortable middle-class background of a pretty well-to-do American family.
However, if an abundant civilization can make him happy, why he turned to drugs and why he always lived on the verge of an emotional breakdown? Is it possible that some abnormality lies hidden in the normality of an American middle-class?
THE CAMERA AS A MEANS OF SELF-REINVENTION
Treadwell said he had no identity before the bears. Being their caregiver gave him a purpose and direction in his life.
Herzog also said Treadwell first used his camera to record nature and the habitat of the bear surrounding. But, gradually, the camera became his means of self-reinvention and functioned as something ‘confessional’ for him.
A TROUBLED RELATIONSHIP WITH PEOPLE
Times and times again, Treadwell confessed to the camera he had relationship problems including perhaps ‘identity’ problems too.
He casually told us in front of the camera about his troubled relationship with girls and many insecurities of his. The ‘confession’ of insecurity and a sense of inadequacy contrasts with the image of the fearless warrior, a samurai , and Prince Valiant, the Guardian of the bears he reinvented for himself in the wilderness.
CONQUERING NATURE THROUGH ANTHROPOMORPHISM
Anthropomorphism, as the root of the word implies, means to apply human traits to the animal. Unfortunately, the animal couldn’t care less about those human traits.
If you look into their eyes, they stare back with indifference and blankness. Survival instinct is all they care about. Nature is harsh and violent; it’s not romantic and beautiful as Treadwell wants it to be.
Since the beginning of the movie, Treadwell’s footage shows him declaring himself a Prince Valiant, a samurai who will protect the bears with his life.
he makes an acquaintance of every single wild animal there. By giving each of them a cute human name, Rowdy, Chocolate, or Grinch, he tries to show through the camera he is their friends.
No doubt about it, Treadwell’s love for those animals are genuine. The audience can’t help admiring how he treats the animals with kindness. Plus,they have no problem believing he can dedicate his life to the bears.
And then, they invited him to appear on the David Letterman show. As a national celebrity and school children’s idol, he said he would never harm even one bear though it would eat him alive. He keeps his words.
I wonder if Treadwell were a woman, would he want to treat the bears like humans. This issue reminds me of Virginia Woolf’s rumination in her small essay, “A Room of One’s Own”. Virginia Woolf comments Colonialism would not take place if women can help it. A white woman can walk past a beautiful Negress without wanting to turn her into a white woman like herself. Women, selfless as they are, never wants to conquer and possess the world.
Politically, Timothy Treadwell’s anthropomorphism is unconsciously the covert means of conquering nature. To turn animals into something they are not is like imposing your values on them, knowing it or not.
God creates different kinds of creatures. The world can be beautiful with this variety and diversity. All creatures on this earth do not have to be the same.
After all is said and done, Timothy Treadwell, is not a total emotional basket case. He is not a bag of insecurity and inadequacy. He doesn’t mean to manipulate a good cause to cover up his problems. No one could waste 13 years of his young life in the wilderness if he doesn’t care.
Most important, Treadwell’s determination to follow his passion is unparalelled. At least, he lives life to the fullest while most people on this earth lead a kind of “death-in-life.”
His close friend said in the interview about Treadwell’s death, “Some of my friends are dead, but Treadwell is never dead.”
Someone who die doing what they believe in will never die. They rather live forever.
