Timothy Treadwell was eaten twice. Think about it. Once by the bear that killed him, then by the bears that cleaned up the corpse of said bear after it was shot and killed. Yeah yeah, I know they carried away like two garbage bags full of people parts, but there's no way they got every bit and piece! Just putting that out there. Eaten. Twice.
Anyway, the documentary Grizzly Man was definitely a unique experience. I cant say that I'm completely proud about laughing at the life's work of a dead man, but a lot of the documentary was quite whimsical. Treadwell was a man full of conflict. Battling mental illness, addiction, and mockery by his peers, Treadwell was still able to live alongside some of the most ferocious creatures on the planet for over a dozen summers. That's pretty commendable no matter who you are.
What was the reason he went to live with those bears? To protect them? Did he ever actually prevent anyone from doing harm to one of the bears? Or was there an emotional/psychological reason he felt so at home, and in love with the bears that drove him to stay with them every year up until the point of his very death? That truth can only be speculated about now. The only link we have into the mind of Timothy Treadwell is the over 100 hours of footage he recorded while with the bears. Some of the footage is beautiful and well spoken, and shows us a nature loving, person who has a clear goal and sense of direction. While other pieces of footage show a confused, angry, and conflicted person who hates the world. But in all the footage there's evidence of someone who cares for the animals and has a strong will to do what he believes is right even till the end.
Timothy Treadwell died the way he would have wanted to die. He said so himself that he'd die for the bears and that he wouldn't be surprised if one day he was killed by one. That's dedication. So while we laugh at this documentary ('We' as in me too, because it was definitely hysterical), we should just keep in the back of our heads the thought that, hey, here's a guy whose life could not be more perfect. He's exactly where he wants to be in the world, doing exactly what he wants to do, and someday I sure wish I could live like that too.
And if he was so extremely excited about just touching bear poop, think of how happy he would be knowing he himself would BE bear poop one day.
Just putting that out there.
I really liked reading this post! We share a lot of the same opinions on Treadwell, and I too felt conflicted after laughing at his hilariousness. I think the bears fulfilled his need for an obsession/addiction, previously taken up by alcohol and drugs. The part about being eaten twice was interesting-- I never thought of that. I also loved how you talked about how happy he is as the "Grizzly Man". It's so rare that someone can do exactly what they want in life, and he got to do it for quite a while. Aside from a few grammatical errors, this was an awesome post. Nice job!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the way you ended and began your post with some humor about Treadwell. Even though some could see it as potentially disrespect, I think Treadwell would have found it fitting because of his goofy nature and sense of humor. Also, I really like what you have to say about Treadwell's life; because of his humorous nature and mental disease, many did not take him seriously. That is a mistake! He lived the life he wanted and followed his own ethics and path (no matter how unorthodox it may see), and that in and of itself is an accomplishment. Happiness is elusive to many and you definitely highlighted how Treadwell carved out his own path and found joy in his life.
ReplyDeleteI agree with a lot of your opinion and liked that you defended Treadwell's choices. I completely agree that it takes unbelievable skill and strength to live among bears for thirteen summers. Most do not give him credit for this. Treadwell was definitely a complex person who no doubt clung to the bears for happiness. I also felt conflicted laughing at the film, but he was doing what made him happiest. Although I don't believe the bears really needed him and that he may have crossed a border, Treadwell was able to find comfort with the bears he never could in the human world. It's great that you gave a more positive viewpoint than most and you defended your opinions well.
ReplyDeleteGreat job with the post, I really enjoyed it. I concur that Treadwell's work should not go unnoticed and that it would be worng to mock him after all that he has been through. I especially liked it when you proved the signifigance of Treadwell's tape. It acts as a double edged sword almost, showing both his determined savior side and his mentally ill state. I respect that you bring up that Treadwell died doing what he loved, and I agree that we must understand that. Overall, nice job. Your thinking and humor made this a fantastic post.
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