The first, and probably the most recognisable, story type is The Quest. The Quest is characterized by having a “good guy” hero who goes on some sort of journey in order to find a “treasure”. The journey can be an actual trek through physical danger for riches or an artifact, or simply a chasing after something like a certain person, place, or type of life. In modern films, a prominent example of a Quest type is the film The Maze Runner. In The Maze Runner the hero, Thomas, goes out on several journeys into the maze in search of the exit that would free him and his friends from “the glade” where they are trapped. The others trapped in “the glade” have looked for this exit for years, but Thomas is the only one who can actually lead them out.
Aristotle, an ancient Greek philosopher and scientist, conveys, “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom”. In other words, Aristotle states that the gaining of self-knowledge provides an individual with the ability to know one’s personal gifts and accountabilities. To start one’s adult life a person must pursue the journey of self-discovery to learn in depth about their skills and weaknesses. Individuals must find themselves through the limitations and ordeals that they face during their voyage for self-awareness. For example, in Tim O’Brien’s short story, “On the Rainy River”, the narrator shares his story about self-discovery. O’Brien looks back into his past, to the time when he was called to serve in the Vietnam War. O’Brien’s initial
Joseph Campbell’s many stories are all different but have the same concept. They speak about journeys they go on and the hero of the story also has a problem they have to face before they can continue the journey. Ordinary World, Call to adventure, Supernatural aid, Crossing the first threshold, The belly of the whale, Road of trail’s,
The book that I have chosen to read and study for my Independent Reading Assignment is The Maze Runner, by James Dashner, which consists of about 369 pages. I have chosen to read this book mainly because I have watched the corresponding film and highly enjoyed it. Also, the blurb and colourful cover took my eye and I have also received many recommendations about it. This book is also a part of a series, which consequently made me more intrigued to read it.
Watching a film, one can easily recognize plot, theme, characterization, etc., but not many realize what basic principle lies behind nearly every story conceived: the hero’s journey. This concept allows for a comprehensive, logical flow throughout a movie. Once the hero’s journey is thoroughly understood, anyone can pick out the elements in nearly every piece. The hero’s journey follows a simple outline. First the hero in question must have a disadvantaged childhood. Next the hero will find a mentor who wisely lays out his/her prophecy. Third the hero will go on a journey, either literal or figurative, to find him/herself. On this journey the hero will be discouraged and nearly quit his/her quest. Finally, the hero will fulfill the prophecy and find his/herself, realizing his/her full potential. This rubric may be easy to spot in epic action films, but if upon close inspection is found in a wide array of genres, some of which are fully surprising.
Every hero goes through multiple stages accompanying many obstacles on his or her journey. Although the journeys may differ in detail, structurally, they resemble a sound format. Along the designed adventures, the heroes come into contact with characters that possess fixed personalities or “archetypes.” The stages and archetypes of stories are somewhat predictable, but may take shape in peculiar forms. Both exemplifying heroic characteristics, Sir Gawain from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight by J.R.R. Tolkien and Thomas Becket from Murder in the Cathedral by T.S. Eliot structurally go on the same archetypical journey, but diverge in the lessons they learn and where the characters start and end in their journeys.
People do not have to fly to be hero, it takes much more. Many heroes of today are shown to have supernatural powers that makes them acquire amazing abilities, flying, super strength, skills to manifest anything, the list goes on. Our heroes in the present time are perceived by the audiences' mindset to have special powers but there are times where being a hero does not need to have all the extra tricks. Thomas, a character in The Maze Runner is thrown unconsciously with no memory into a place of the unknown called the Glades, consisting of only teenagers inhabiting the area. He would soon find out the whole place is bordered by a big wall that closes by night and day to protect them from the maze that are filled with demonic machines that will kill on sight. This begins his adventure, eager to learn what is out there and willing to become a maze runner which is equivalent to being a tribute for the greater good in their little homemade society. Having powers might help to become a hero, but in the dystopian novel The Maze Runner, by James Dashner, his protagonist Thomas demonstrates the hero journey in a more natural way by crossing the threshold, meeting a mentor, and lastly having tests, allies and enemies.
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
One of the literary archetypes I could find was, of course, adventure. I think the adventure really starts during
The Maze Runner, a Novel By James Dashner, verbalizes about a boy that arouses in a metal box with no recollection of who he genuinely really is, when he soon realizes that he is in an elevator being taken to a place called “The Glade”. Lay there a community with males only, every week come supplies and every month a new person comes. A place circumvented by 4 equilateral walls, and hundreds of feet in height. Each of the sides have an opening precisely in the middle, but only one of the sides open daily. Outside those inscrutable walls lies a dismaying maze. 2 people called “The Runner's” study the maze and perpetually attempting to find a way to get out while challenged by mysterious alien-like creatures are called Grievers, they are dark,
Hey you, Yeah… YOU! Would you want to live in a society where you live in a box for your entire life, and mean absolutely nothing to the just about anyone? For science right? NOPE! Obviously, Societies fall as a result of a corrupt government, Failing Social Structure, and Sickness. It is due to these factors that many great societies such as Greece, Rome, and the society depicted in the book Maze Runner fall.
The hero’s journey or the monomyth describes that in every hero movie or tale, there is going to be a hero who will go through the similar or the same stages despite of the difference of their adventures. The concept of hero’s journey or the monomyth was first brought by Joseph Campbell in the The Hero with a Thousand Faces. Joseph Campbell came up with 17 stages in the monomyth. Not every single hero movies or tales will fit in all 17 stages, but at least most of the stages will be shown in them. Some of Joseph Campbell’s stages are the call to adventure, refusal of the call, supernatural aid and etc.
In the novel, The Maze Runner by James Dashner, Thomas the Protagonist is stuck in a giant labyrinth set in the beginning of the book and faces many obstacles throughout the book. During the Exposition, Thomas awakes in a dark metal box, which he thinks is an elevator, but has no memory of why he is in there, and how he got in there. After hours in the elevator it finally open up and Thomas see’s boys laughing and taunting at him.
What exactly is a “quest”? In Christopher Booker’s novel, The Seven Basic Plots, the Quest is one of the oldest plots known to man. It follows a hero, searching for a “distant, all-important goal.” The hero embarks on "side-trips" that, throughout the quest, are resolved. The quest does not end, however, until the hero "achieves the overarching goal" (Smith). The quest has seen a variety of different approaches, ranging in style and format. The Epic of Gilgamesh, the world's first form of epic poetry, follows the quests of Gilgamesh and Enkidu throughout Gilgamesh's kingdom.
The Maze Runner by James Dashner is a science fiction novel that includes action and thriller. The novel is about a sixteen year old boy named Thomas who wakes up with no memory from where he came from or who he is or what he was doing there and in a metal cage box surrounded by many teenage boys looking at him weirdly. Throughout the novel there is many science-fiction themes and characteristics displayed such as futuristic technology, alien, robot like creatures environmental and social changes also unrealistic and fictional events.
The main character of a classic epic is the epic hero. This hero is usually male, and he performs courageous, even superhuman feats which “determine the fate of a nation” (Stephens). He “must undertake a long and perilous journey, often involving a descent into the underworld,” during which his “endurance, courage, and cunning” are tested (Characteristics of an Epic Hero). A trip to the Underworld is usually accompanied, at some point, by “epic games” and one or more “vision[s] of the future” (Stephens). Though the hero’s friends might be great warriors, “he undertakes a task that no one else dare attempt” (Characteristics of the Epic Hero). In the course of his development, the hero passes through three stages, each consisting of several steps: first, the hero departs the known world; then embarks upon the quest, is transformed, and achieves maturity; and finally, the hero must return to the known (The Hero's Journey). The storyline ultimately ...