“Pretty Little Liars”, aired on ABC Family, is a recent television series that I have followed continuously over the past 2 years. This edge of your seat mystery follows the lives of four young ladies searching to find the murderer of their recently deceased best friend, all the while being the prime suspects themselves, and facing threats from an anonymous figure. A myth, in my point of view, is a tale which is created by the adventures that shape a hero. In this series, all four ladies are heros through their journey.
From the beginning of the series, the four girls are introduced separately, but as the show continues their stories connect and we see their only means of connection pre-death was the common relationship with their deceased friend. The main tie to the four in present time is the constant threats they receive from an unknown, and their enthusiasm to crack the mystery of whom it may be. Before they become allies, tension is at its greatest around the ladies. After realizing that neither of them is more important than the other- but rather, they need each other- they know that having each other as accomplices is in their best interest and soon, the four become inseparable. This aspect of the television show is closely tied to the relationship created between Gilgamesh and Enkidu (Epic of Gilgamesh, 2500 BCE). Although, it did not take a great (erotic) battle to realize, the resemblance between the relations is familiar. The ladies equally agree to undertake the journey and help “tame” each other into becoming less defiant and more trusting in each other. The ladies, as well and Gilgamesh and Enkidu, soon create a bond that is impossible to break and find themselves needing the other more than expected. In relation ...
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...f the adventure that shapes a hero. The ladies in “Pretty Little Liars” are shaped into heroes through their hardships and trouble, and their ability to over come it all together. As compared to the texts read and viewed in class, the show may be set in modern time, but the idea of myth is carried on from centuries before. A myth doesn’t need a love story, or bloody battle scenes to comprise a reader’s interest. It needs a core built up of strength and perseverance which creates the hero of it’s journey. My modern television show choice is a prime example of an ongoing story with the heroes continuing to the best of their abilities to make it out alive. As I have learned, a myth can never die out, and in this story the legend of the strong ladies will never die out in their town. The dedication they have to each other and their own prosperity is not to be forgotten.
One well-known example of “The Hero’s Journey” from popular culture is the Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, by J.K. Rowling. In the novel, Harry Potter, the main character, is the chosen one and “The Hero’s Journey” applies to his life from the moment he is attacked by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named as a baby. Joseph Campbell calls the initial phase of a hero’s development the “Call to Adventure.” The call is the in... ...
This paper examines the argument and theory proposed by Richard H. Tyre of the six basic movements of a plot in a hero story. Although Tyre’s theory does seem too narrow focused, fixed and direct to fit with the plot structure of all hero stories, he makes a great point and provides adequate evidence to support his statement.
In “Creating the Myth,” Linda Seger outlines the essential aspects that make up the hero myth, and why movies that follow this outline are generally successful. In her analysis, she begins with the idea that every hero myth revolves around a hero who is called upon to accomplish a feat that nobody else in the story is able to do. The hero’s journey begins with an unlikely person being called upon to serve a purpose greater than themselves. Along their journey, the hero is influenced by several archetypical characters that either help the hero, or try to deter the hero from accomplishing their task. The hero’s journey ends when they have accomplished their task, and in doing so, become a greater person than what they were in the beginning. A film that found tremendous success by following this outline was “Kung Fu Panda.”
The human need to be relatable is unquenchable. We love to be able to see parts of ourselves in others, and to be able to feel like our idols are not untouchable. The Hero’s Journey format is one that can be found in almost any story, even in real life. Overall, it is the perfect recipe for keeping readers engrossed. Another place the journey has shown up is in Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand and Odyssey by Homer. These two stories—one a biography, the other, an epic poem—are so effective in their storytelling, it is easy to see how authors today continue to use the same method to make stories that grab the readers’ attention. What makes them most alike, however, is the emotions and thoughts they have the power to provoke.
The second concept of the Hero’s journey shows us that all stories are the same. They all follow the same pattern or algorithm of separation, initiation, and return. An example from the movie is the Wizard of Oz where Dorothy is removed from her natural environment by a tornado, initiated with a lion, scarecrow, and tin man, and the group embarks on a journey to see the wizard. In the end, she is able to return home by clicking her heels. She realizes she has had the ability the whole time, but she needed to test herself. We are just like the characters we see in our favoritie movies, books, and shows – they are a metaphor for us as normal human beings. The last concept I learned is “Follow your bliss”. This concept of bliss is defined in many ways. One definition is serenity. Another definition is the thing you cannot not do. It is what makes a person feel alive. In order to answer the question of what is your bliss, you must ask yourself difficult questions like: What am I passionate about? What makes hours seem like minutes? What made me different as a child? After answering these tough questions, a person can find their
Romance narrative is a type of writing that usually features a hero and his journey or quest. The hero reaches a transcendent goal through tests or trials. The narrative is often represented as a circle because the story begins with the hero’s goal. It then continues with the hero’s journey through the difficulties that he must overcome to achieve that goal and finishes with the initial goal accomplished. It’s a popular format because it externalizes the internal struggles that people face in their own lives in overcoming problems and especially in defining themselves as they transform from childhood to adulthood. The narrative follows a pattern of initial innocence, acceptance of duties and trials, then failure and despair. The failure is
The Hero’s Journey is an ancient archetype that we find throughout our modern life and also, in the world of literature.Whether metaphorical or real, the journey that a character goes on shows not only the incredible transformation of the hero but it also gives them their life meaning. It is the ultimate human experience and it reflects on every aspect of life. Take Logan, also known as Wolverine, from the X-Men movie as an example. His adventure starts with “The Call,” which is the first step of the Hero’s Journey. This step happens due to the realization of imbalance and injustice that the character has in their life. Logan steps into the first stage of the pattern but is hesitant to start his adventure because he does not know what and
It solidified the truth unacknowledged to them earlier--their friendships among each other were valued above their less than satisfactory marriages in their minds, something that if uncovered by their husbands would have surely placed them under detrimental suspicion. Throughout the story, after surviving the odds and preserving a dangerously unsteady life, the female characters proved that their devotion to each other could conquer the power struggle against the forced commitments they lived in. Society deemed their marriages to be untouchable and unable to be disputed in any way, but with the sturdy connections among them, wives found a way to tamper with the stereotypes and secure a better future for their fellow struggling
When reading a novel or watching a movie, the audience often looks for a guiding light; a character that steps up to take the lead when all hope is lost. It is not uncommon for that beacon of hope to be a complete stereotype, all too often, the hero of the day is a strong, virile, ruggedly handsome man, but what if he was not? What if he was just an average man, or not even a man at all, but a woman or a child? When reading fiction, the imagination is allowed to run wild, painting vivid pictures interwoven with personal life experiences, relatable to the characters in the novels and to one’s own life experiences. The most memorable content of both The Road, by Cormac McCarthy, and World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War, by Max Brooks, leaves a lasting impression due to strong lead characters, their resolve to survive, no matter what obstacles may wind up in their paths, and the simple truth that they are human and flawed, but still resilient and willing to push forward as an example to others, both in the novel and in the target audience.
We've come to a point where television has become so loaded with “vampire-this” and “werewolf-that,” that each show has begun to look like the reruns of another. Luckily, this definitely isn't the case for creator Vince Gilligan's, Breaking Bad. Breaking Bad follows the life of Walter White (played by Bryan Cranston), an ordinary high school chemistry teacher. With a loving wife and teenage son at home, over time, Walter has formed an exceedingly mundane routine for his life. After soon discovering that he had been diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer, Walter decided to take extreme measures in order to secure his family financially. Eventually, he would descend into a world so dark and utterly twisted, that it would eventually consume him. Walter White became Heisenberg; the greatest drug lord the streets had ever seen. As he ascended in status within the drug cartel, the love and trust he had from his family and friends quickly descended. There are thousands of reasons that explain why millions of people tune into Breaking Bad. This series offers a much needed relief from the Dracula descendents, which frankly, are slowly diminishing any scope of variety existing on television. Because of the outstanding acting, seemingly distorted reality, and uniquely relatable storyline and characters, this hit show tops the charts as the best modern-day television series that cable has to offer.
While fulfilling their journey, a hero must undergo a psychological change that involves experiencing a transformation from immaturity into independence and sophistication. Campbell states that these events are what ultimately guides a hero into completing their journey by, “leaving one condition and finding the source of life to bring you forth into a richer more mature condition” (Moyers 1). She first enters her journey when she learns about invisible strength from her mother, “I was six when my mother taught me the art of invisible strength. It was strategy for winning arguments, respect from others, and eventually, though neither of us knew it at the time, chess games”(Tan 89).
What lies in the world of politics is a world of fear. Or so for the ones who cross Francis Underwood, the main character in the Netflix original series, House of Cards. As season one starts off, Francis Underwood captures the true essence of what the entire show is about, “There are two kinds of pain. The sort of pain that makes you strong, or useless pain. The sort of pain that's only suffering. I have no patience for useless things”(Script: reddit.com). As he finishes this line he brutally kills a dog lying on the street, who had just been injured after being hit by a car. He continues on, “Moments like this require someone like me. Someone who will act. Who will do what no one else has the courage to do. The unpleasant thing. The necessary thing” (Script: reddit.com). Through persuasion, manipulation and down right corrupt politics, House of Cards displays a unique spin on the world in Washington, one that some may believe not to be far from the truth.
Gossip Girl brings to life the world that Cecily Von Ziegesar created - the world of glitz and glamour becomes a newfound reality. The countless lavish parties, Debutante Balls, endless rumors and teenage romances escape the pages of the books that we hate to admit we love. This heightens the show’s ability to capture a young teenage girl’s fantasies creating the world that she would never want to leave yet she should as she notices a darkness prevails. The show ultimately focuses on five characters: Nate Archibald, Serena Van der Woodsen, Blair Waldorf, Chuck Bass and Dan Humphrey as they mature from teenagers to adults. As the five embark on this journey as they face many obstacles much of them dealing with rumors. These challenges test their moral values; their family values and tests the strength of relationships they share with another. Most viewers dismiss the purpose as it is heavily masked by its ability to entertain its viewers. However, Gossip Girl manages to teach us about the unintended consequences of rumors, presents us with stereotypes that we can identify with in our society and moral values that we should consider. Though this underlying purpose may not present itself immediately it is present throughout the journey this characters undergo in the six seasons.
Media today gives us gender stereotypes. From movies to television to even music videos, the entertainment industry gives people the image that males are more dominate over females by showing females as the foremost parental figure, homemakers, and sex objects. However, ABC’s new hit show Desperate Housewives quickly made a dent in American pop culture not for these gender stereotypes, but the truth behind the most dominant female stereotype of housewives.
The story of the Gadbury sisters is a documentary which the descendants of each sister shares their heritage, beliefs and where they originated from, giving insights on their convicted family history. Caroline, Sarah and Maryann were the three troublesome sisters, which were categorized to be very clever and organized with their convict offenses. Starting at age twelve these three sisters began their rebellious missions with robberies and shoplifting from Londoners. Through time the Gadbury sisters formed generations and generations of descendants although the concept of Gadbury family history changed over time as told by each descendant of the three sisters.