Project 2: The hero’s journey

Exercise 1

I’ve Chosen to map the story line of one of my favorite childhood film productions ‘Labyrinth’:

Initial release: June 27, 1986 (USA)Director: Jim Henson Screenplay: Terry Jones Story by: Jim Henson, Dennis Lee.

Act I (Beginning = the hero’s decision to act): Teenager Sarah (Jennifer Connelly) is forced by her father (Christopher Malcolm) and her stepmother (Shelley Thompson) to babysit her baby brother Toby (Toby Froud) while they are outside home. Toby does not stop crying and Sarah wishes that her stepbrother be taken by the Goblin King Jareth (David Bowie).
Ordinary World: Sarah’s family home and ordinary teenage life.
Call to Adventure:  Sarah is given thirteen hours to solve a labyrinth and rescue her baby brother Toby when her wish for him to be taken away is granted by the Goblin King Jareth.
Refusal of the Call: Sarah deeply regrets making her wish and begs the goblin king to return her brother.
Meeting with the Mentor: Sarah meets an ancient looking dwarf with a feisty attitude who showed her how to enter the Labyrinth. His name was Hoggle
Crossing the First Threshold: Sarah enters the dangerous labyrinth, starts the journey to the goblin city.
Act II (Middle = the action)
Tests, Allies, Enemies: Sarah meets numerous challenges, riddles and strange creatures. She also makes friends and finds travel companions. We learn that Hoggle, is actually Jared’s spy, sent to make sure she fails. He is torn between liking his new human friend and appeasing his master (the goblin king).
Approach to the Inmost Cave: Sarah and her companions approach goblin city and Jared’s castle.
Ordeal: Final encounter, facing the goblin king. Sarah finally breaks the spell, quoting lines from her story book. this ends with the movie’s most famous quote line: ‘You have no power over me’.
Reward: Baby brother Toby is freed and the goblin king is banished to live as an owl.
Act III (End = the consequences of action)
The Road Back: Sarah returns home and runs upstairs to ensure that her brother had been returned. She finds Toby sleeping soundly.
Resurrection: Sarah has had a good lesson, she gains responsibility, confidence and empowerment.
Return with the Elixir: Sarah and her her baby brother are home safely.

Original story script using the stages of the Hero’s Journey

For this exercise, I am using a children’s book idea I have, called ‘Practical Magic For Children’. It’s an empowerment story that teaches kids to cope with negative emotions using their imagination and colors. The hero of the story is actually the reader, the mentor is that part of the mind : The voice of inner happiness / wisdom. The Antagonists are negative and belittling emotions.
Act I (Beginning = the hero’s decision to act):
The Ordinary World: Normal every day life, home and school routine.
Call to Adventure: When kids face conflict and tough emotions, This little book can help find secret places, deep inside your mind. Whenever we visit, we find our hidden powers that can lift our spirit and make us feel stronger.
Refusal of the Call: Kids do not always believe in their powers, they might believe their too small.
Meeting with the Mentor: The mentor is called Ananda, Sanskrit word meaning “happiness, bliss”. He is a part of ourselves and is the wise voice or intuition, the keeps our mind happy and strong.
Crossing the First Threshold: The threshold is facing or coping with tough, scary situations.
Act II (Middle = the action)
Tests, Allies, Enemies: Bullying, fear, insecurities etc.
Approach to the Inmost Cave: The inner cave is a special mental state, where we teach kids to face their fears, believe in themselves and summon positivity through imagining colors and protective elements.
Ordeal: Facing different challenging situations & emotional storms.
Reward: Finding strength and power through learning mental exercises & positive imagination skills.
Act III (End = the consequences of action)
The Road Back: Continuing every day life with the new powers.
Return with the Elixir: Growing faith in ourselves and our ability to control our mind and emotion.

Further Reading
If you’re interested in finding out more about postmodernism, feel free to do your own research. Oxford University Press do an excellent series of ‘very short introductions’, including one on postmodernism (Butler, 2002), which you might also find useful for other parts of this course.

Exercise 2 – character archetype list

For this exercise, I’m including equivalent example character name from popular HBO fantasy – Game of Thrones, which has an abundance of different types of characters.

• The Protagonist / Hero – Main character who may fulfil a task or bring justice: House Stark members, Arya, and John Snow
• Deuteragonist – A character next in importance to the Protogenist: Sansa or Bran Stark
• Antagonist – enemy or villain: House Lannister, mainly Cercei
• The Bully – Intimidates others: Joffrey Lannister ( Baratheon ), Ramsay Bolton
• The Creature of Nightmare – Threatens the hero’s life: The zombies behind the wall.
• The Damsel in Distress – The hero rescues her: Sansa Stark
• The Devil Figure – Tempts the hero: Lord Pyter Baelish
• Dreamer – Wants to be something else:
• The Evil Genius – Seeks revenge and hates all: Pyter Baelish
• Friendly Beast – Assists the hero: Hodor,
• The Initiates – Need training to become heroes: Arya Stark
• Martyr – Willing to die for a cause: The ‘Unsullied’
• Mentors – Train and counsel the initiates: Three-eyed Raven is Bran’s Mentor, Joqen H’hgar is Arya’s mentor.
• The Outcast – Exiled for a crime and becomes a wanderer: Bronn, The Hound
• The Star-Crossed Lovers – The pair usually meet tragedy: John Snow and Deanerys Targaryen
• Survivor – Never gives up and always pulls through: Tyrion Lannister, Jorah Mormont
• The Temptress – A beautiful woman who seduces the hero: Daenerys Targaryen
• Tyrant – Wants to be in charge: Joffrey Lannister ( Baratheon ), Ramsay Bolton
• Wizard – Has special powers: Brann Stark