Tread a Fine Line

While contemplating our beloved Grizzly Man, I realized that his life was full of contradictions. Upon further reflection, I realized that Treadwell, who with his connection to the bears would generally be considered to be "one" with nature, was in fact balanced precariously. He teetered between the natural, right brain ways of old and the linear, material left brain thinking common in modern Western society. His situation is an intriguing example of what might happen if more from our culture were to attempt to return to the wild.

One of the stark contrasts that illustrates Treadwell's struggle with duality is evident in his filming (at this point I will refer to Treadwell in the present tense, both because his life was immortalized in film, and because my explanations then seem more relevant). Certain times, he seems content to wordlessly document the beauty around him, often catching wondrous moments that occur spontaneously. This is a right brain approach, meant to evoke emotions that need no words. Other times, he is fixated on creating the perfect scene. He will shoot and reshoot footage of himself explaining his purpose or surviving in the wilderness. At the start of many clips, he will state the exact date and give background information as to how long he has been in the wilderness. These scenes show that Treadwell is still concerned with the workings of modern society and its concepts of linear time and logical explanation. The documentation itself shows a separation from nature, a lens through which the Grizzly Man views the world. It is also a means of capturing events, recording them so that they are remembered as distinct. In The Spell of the Sensuous, David Abram explains that "once fixed on the written surface, mythic events are no longer able to shift their form to fit current situations" (188). In the same way, Treadwell's filming records the details of his escapades so that he is unable to remember them other than the way they happened, and unable to adapt stories of his adventures to fit his purpose (had he simply journeyed without a camera and returned to tell his tales, this would not have been an issue, although in this day and age many would then disbelieve him). As it is, with the filming of Treadwell's experiences, "historical, linear time becomes apparent" (Abram 188).

Aside from the filming itself, Treadwell's interactions with the animals reveal his switches between cognitive and affective processing. His left-brained focus on possessions and himself becomes clear when the man curses a fox repeatedly for stealing a hat. Treadwell follows after the fox through brush and bramble, spouting obscenities as he labors to regain his cap. Yet at the same time, it is abundantly clear that Treadwell's reason for being in the Alaskan wilderness is his love for the creatures that live there. He spends hours observing them, interacting with them, and mourning them when he finds those that have perished. And he will wade in the river and kneel in the mud in order to get closer to his "friends". Yet Timothy Treadwell once again distinguishes himself from the animals by presuming to give them names. This is a parallel to the Bible's Genesis, when God "brought [the animals] to the man to see what he would call them". The act of naming suggests that man is superior to the animals, as opposed to oral cultures' view of the beasts as their brothers. Perhaps Treadwell is not aware of the distance he creates by so naming his fellow creatures. But as Ryan said, "humans have the ability to think in such a way that separates them from [...] animals". Logical thinking, which desires everything to have its own name and place, creates such a separation.

Timothy Treadwell, the self-proclaimed kind warrior and protector of the animals, is clearly at war with himself. He strives to reconcile the halves of his personality, balancing his deep emotions with his learned logic and materialism. It is evident that the influences of Western culture often conflict with inborn instincts and feelings. From Treadwell's struggles we realize that it is difficult to reconcile the different aspects of ourselves. Should we ever attempt to connect to the world around us as our ancestors did, we would find it a difficult task indeed. But the duality inherent in humans beings allows for our unique experience here on earth and is well worth all the confusion.