The Hero's Journey (the Joseph Campbell version)

Today we were briefly introduced to the scope of the hero’s journey and how this encompasses a prevalent and common archetype in countless myths, even from the beginning of time (from the time when the Epic of Gilgamesh was engraved on stone tablets, as Mrs. Clinch says). I found John Campbell’s profound interpretation of this hero’s journey to be extremely enlightening and noteworthy, as I can now see this depiction of the archetypal hero in pop culture’s most epic stories such as Star Wars and Harry Potter in a way I never have before. Campbell’s theory regarding the explicit stages which a typical hero undergoes is referenced in The Hero with a Thousand Faces, the book that Campbell wrote in order to accentuate the connection between modern psychology and a more thorough understanding of ancient mythology. I think this depiction of a true hero is already so commonly accepted in society (like Christ) that we don’t even realize its significance until it is clearly presented to us in the form of a set structure or “sequence of events” if you will.

For instance, how many die-hard Harry Potter fans immediately recognize Dobby as a helper/amulet (one of the stages of the hero’s journey) in Harry’s heroic adventure? Or that Dumbledore is the wise old mentor who serves as the source of courage and wisdom for Harry? Or that Hagrid is technically the herald in the hero’s journey, as he is the one who brings the call to adventure by telling Harry he is a wizard, opening up the possibilities of a whole new realm of existence (wizarding world)? Perhaps initially we don’t identify Professor Lupin as a shapeshifter, Draco Malfoy as one of the threshold guardians, or Voldemort as the shadow, but once we are presented with these ideas, it is much easier to distinguish and associate the characters to the typical archetypes of a hero’s journey.

In the interview with Joseph Campbell that we watched in class, Campbell explains the duration of the hero’s journey as something of a cycle, in which the hero must ultimately make a massive sacrifice for the sake and of others, whether that be spiritually or physically, in order to undergo this heroic transformation to consciousness and understanding. In some aspects, the hero’s journey is comprised of many psychological references and concepts. The hero/heroine not only must face physical obstacles and impediments he/she is presented with such as a monster or a dark force, but he/she must also learn to overcome his/her inherent and mental  obstructions such as fear and a dramatic, unanticipated change. It is not until one discovers and overcomes one’s internal conflict of opposing feelings and thoughts that one can truly achieve some great deed that renders one a hero.

In addition to the psychological realization that a hero must endure, Campbell addresses other various aspects of the hero’s journey in the interview, such as the three stages usually contained within all myths: departure, fulfillment/initiation, and return, which together epitomize the entire span of the hero’s journey. Campbell emphasizes the importance of these three crucial points of the hero’s journey as they essentially structure the entire course of the hero’s journey.

Overall, I think Joseph Campbell’s depiction of the hero’s journey is extremely interesting and meaningful, and I look forward to applying these concepts in our analysis of literary works. J

Shutter Island vs. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

Despite the fact that I have been so incredibly busy and overwhelmed with homework this week, I still managed to take a little time for myself to watch a movie. So, instead of the usual comedy or typical cliché drama, I decided to with a mystery/psychological thriller: Shutter Island. Not only did this suspenseful and perplexing film immediately spark my interest in its ominous and eerie nature, but it also displayed some similar qualities as the novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey.

Appropriately titled, this movie is about a U.S. marshal, Teddy Daniels, and his partner Chuck Aule, who travel to Ashecliff Hospital on Shutter Island to investigate the disappearance of a criminally insane patient, Rachel Solando. Shortly after their arrival on this ghostly and foreboding island, Teddy finds himself questioning the strange doctors who are in charge of the hospital and its mentally-ill prisoners, including the psychiatrist Dr. John Cawley, who seems very suspicious from the start. In an effort to solve this mysterious case, Teddy finds himself trapped on the island by a violent storm, as he becomes conflicted with disturbing instances of his past as a former WWII veteran, while also suffering from delusions of his deceased wife Dolores, whom he believes was killed by a man named Andrew Laeddis. The tension mounts when Teddy finds himself discovering clues to the mystery of Rachel Solando and what he believes to be the secret conspiracies behind the hospital’s classified experiments. As the thrilling plot unravels, Teddy’s paranoia grows until he is ultimately faced with the truth behind his past as he begins to question everyone and everything on this island—including his own sanity.

Like this creepy and riveting movie, Cuckoo’s Nest possesses a similar mental hospital setting that seems to drive the characters more insane and psychotic than they were to begin with. Although Shutter Island and Cuckoo’s Nest encompass very different plots and themes, there are still some prevalent parallels between the two works.

First of all, the main characters, Teddy in Shutter Island and Randle McMurphy in Cuckoo’s Nest, both seem to be rather sane and rational initially, until they are somehow forced into confinement at a mental hospital, as they are surrounded with patients who are mentally-ill (and prisoners in Teddy’s case). In this respect, I think many aspects of Cuckoo’s Nest resemble those of the film as well, except that the movie is much darker and more peculiar than the novel. In any case, the chief of the hospital in Shutter Island, Dr. Cawley, is much like Nurse Ratched, the oppressive and heartless woman who demands authority and runs the mental hospital in Cuckoo’s Nest. Both of these characters come off as though they are trying to help the patients recover, when in reality, they are both secretly tormenting the patients through their domineering and manipulative ways.

Additionally, in both the book and the movie, the two main characters undergo some form of self-realization and personality change that both mount to completely unexpected plot twists, thus altering the endings. In the movie, Teddy is essentially on the path of self-discovery, as he is forced to accept that he is Andrew Laeddis, his wife’s murderer, and that he is actually one of the disturbed and psychotic patients of Ashecliff Hospital. This surprising and completely unexpected plot twist led me to reconsider and question the whole movie, as I did for Cuckoo’s Nest, when McMurphy is forcibly lobotomized under Nurse Ratched’s orders, for his rebellion and aggressive behavior, in a final effort to exert her tyrannical powers and authority over McMurphy. In both cases, the movie and the novel, the main characters undergo a prefrontal lobotomy in the end, which ultimately symbolizes the demise and the defeat of both Teddy Daniels and Randle McMurphy.

Short Story Analysis: Reflection on My Paper

Overall, I am pretty pleased with my short story analysis paper on “Teenage Wasteland” by Anne Tyler. I do think, however, that there are some weaknesses throughout my paper that could have been avoided altogether. Throughout my paper, I tend to resort to the emphasis on Cal’s corrupt character rather than effectively demonstrating the “loss of innocence in vulnerable youths” through Donny's character. I could have incorporated more analysis on Tyler's characterization of Donny in addition to Cal, in order to capture the meaning of the work as a whole, in terms of Tyler’s “so what.”

Also, I agree that I need more support to substantiate my claim about Cal’s destructive influence on Donny in the story, and how that ultimately manifests in Donny’s escape/downfall. I also need support for proving the “cracked foundation” of the Coble family because I neglected to provide evidence of the tension between Donny and his parents. In my argument about Donny’s compliance to evil and Cal’s “teenage wasteland,” I was very vague about how Donny’s corruption came to be. For example, in my third paragraph (second body paragraph), I discuss Donny’s “submission to sin and corruption,” but I don’t go into detail about how this is done or when this takes place. I could’ve used the example when Daisy is notified of Donny’s progressing unsatisfactory performance in school which occurs under Cal’s supervision and “mentoring.”There are many instances throughout the text that can corroborate this negative influence that Cal has on Donny throughout the story.

Additionally, most of the comments I received on my paper addressed the insufficient and lack of support/evidence that I need in order to fully develop my idea and to prove my thesis. I was unable to effectively demonstrate Cal’s motives in the grand scheme of things, and how that exactly leads to Donny’s corruption. I agree with Mrs. Clinch, there are many gaps, or loose ends that need to be tied, in my story, which I could have probably easily done just simply by using more TEXT SUPPORT! I think I could’ve done such a better job in tying my claims back to my thesis and Tyler’s “so what.” I don’t know why I was reluctant to include more evidence throughout my paper because it does seem like I am making assumptions about Cal’s rapacious nature just by notciting more text.

For the most part, I wrote more about “what” and failed to acknowledge the “how” in the story. I needed to address HOW Cal is manipulative and HOW Donny losses his innocence, not just that he did. I make a lot of unconvincing and inadequate statements regarding Cal’s character throughout my paper without actually proving HOW he is like a vampire. I merely accused Cal of being one without actually proving it, or his motives in that case. In effect, I agree that I had a great argument and interesting assertions, but I should have put more focus on how my claims can be seen in Tyler’s story.