History WMG / WhereTheWildThingsAre

While Max seems in a better headspace at the end, [[RealityEnsues it often takes more than once to learn a lesson]], leading to his mother taking him to a therapist and him getting diagnosed with conduct disorder.

* Ira: Ira is the Blue oni to Judith's Red Oni. He is the second half of Max's temper. He is calm, passive, nonchalant, and indifferent. Though he is calm and collected, he's also a push over and very passive. He is the recessive half of Max's temper.

** Alternately, Alexander could also further represent Max's feelings of being neglected and even apathy given the reaction to Carol harming Alexander, which could represent how Max is currently uanware or not understanding how his base desires cause him to get hurt.

* Carol is the closest to Max in terms of personality, representing him as he is and Max nearly being eaten by Carol could represent how Max's selfishness is beginning to consume him, despite not wanting to hurt anyone. Max leaving is trying to come to terms to the fact to take other peoples' feelings.

Had Max stayed with them, he too would have become a wild thing, probably a wolfish looking one.

Each one of the Things is either part of his personality, or someone in his life as represented in his little mind.

[[WMG: Carol's attempts at eating Max as well as the notes of other kids being eaten is an allegory for succumbing to one's hostile emotions]]

* Carol: The most impulsive and immature Thing is supposed to be Max. This is how Max feels all the time.
* K.W. is his mother and sister rolled into one. Her loving compassion towards Max is his mother, and her loner attitude and not wanting to be around the other Things is his sister. Both his mother and his sister love him dearly though, which is why they're one thing.
* Douglas: Douglas is Max's moral code. Douglas is always there to calm Carol when he starts to act up, but it doesn't always succeed.

* Alexander: Alexander is how Max feels around bigger people. Alex, like Max, is constantly being ignored, belittled, and looked over by the others.
** Alternately, Alexander could also further represent Max's sense of feeling neglected and left out, up until he is hurt.
* Bernard (the bull): Bernard is the suppressed sadness Max feels constantly. This is more than likely due to his father being no longer around, and his mother and sister being too busy for him anymore.

Had Max stayed with them, he too would have become a wild thing, probably a wolfish looing one.

She kept him in there and the rest of the movie was his dying hallucination.

[[WMG: Max's mom works for {{Pixar}}]]

Specifically, Carol, a male Wild Thing who's immature and selfish but speaks with the voice of an adult man, is Max's dad and KW, a female who speaks with the voice of a mature and motherly adult woman, is Max's mom. Notably, Carol is incredibly resentful of KW for meeting new friends, the same way Max's mom seems to be interested in another man. And at one point near the end, Carol becomes incredibly angry and Max, and he lashes out violently, the way a father with too big a temper would lash out at a son who disappointed him. A bit later, Carol calms down a bit and manages to have a tense-but-meaningful conversation with KW, asking very soberly, "Am I as bad as he says I am?" or in other words, "Am I really a bad dad?" KW says just enough to placate him, and when he leaves, Max (who is ''literally inside her belly'' at this point -- talk about your Freudian imagery) reminds her that Carol "really does love [her]," which only leads her to muse that "it's hard being a family sometimes." The language and the imagery are really overwhelming.

Specifically, Carol, a male Wild Thing who speaks with the voice of an adult man, is Max's dad and KW, a female who speaks with the voice of a motherly adult woman, is Max's mom. Notably, Carol is incredibly resentful of KW for meeting new friends, the same way Max's mom seems to be interested in another man. And at one point near the end, Carol becomes incredibly angry and Max, and he lashes out violently, the way a father with too big a temper would lash out at a son who disappointed him. A bit later, Carol calms down a bit and manages to have a tense-but-meaningful conversation with KW, asking very soberly, "Am I as bad as he says I am?" or in other words, "Am I really a bad dad?" KW says just enough to placate him, and when he leaves, Max (who is ''literally inside her belly'' at this point -- talk about your Freudian imagery) reminds her that Carol "really does love [her]," which only leads her to muse that "it's hard being a family sometimes." The language and the imagery are really overwhelming.

The Wild Things are just his image of them. They are a group of immature men and women who have nefarious plans, but they never got past the stage of giving Max everything he wants before Max escapes. If he would have stayed, he would have ended up "eaten" just like the other kids before him.

[[WMG: Max had been kidnapped by a group of pedophiles]]
The Wild Things are just his image of them. They are a group of immature men and women who have nefarious plans, but they never got past the stage of giving Max everything he wants before Max escapes. If he would have stayed, he would have ended up "eaten" just like the other kids before him.

We hear her talking on the phone in one scene to a Mr. Lasseter. Perhaps she's taking a break from work?

* Bernard (the bull): Bernard is the suppressed sadness Max feels constantly. This is more than likely due to his father being no longer around, and his mother and sister being too busy for him anymore.

The Wild Things are just his image of them. They are a group of immature men and women who have nefarious plans, but they never got past the stage of giving Max everything he wants before Max escapes. If he would have stayed, he would have ended up "eaten" just like the other kids before him.