Ashlon’s Comments (group member since Sep 05, 2011)

Ashlon’s comments from the 2012 - Ms. Richardson L.A. group.

The Hero’s Journey has five simple steps. The first step of this journey is called the Mundane World. In the mundane world the hero is not pleased or at all amused with his/her living standers and situations and longs for something much more than they have. In book five of The Odyssey, Odysseus exemplifies the perfect example of living in the mundane world. Odysseus’ living situation is something that another would do anything for. Odysseus was living on an island with the love of a stunning goddess, Calypso, on a beautiful island, with his every wish granted, Odysseus still longed for the adventure every hero longs for, along with his previous normal life with his wife, children, and home. Odysseus has also begun to long for expanding his horizon into bigger and better things.
The second step to the hero’s journey is known by the Call to Adventure. There are two ways this step can be endured, either by the call to adventure approaching the hero or the hero longing for that adventure and approaching the adventure by his/herself. Although the call to adventure is not always approached by the hero, the hero has a choice to accept the adventure or to decline it. The call to adventure for Odysseus is also found in book number five of The Odyssey. In this case, the adventure approaches Odysseus when Hermes, approaches Odysseus with the message from Zeus decided to force Calypso to let go of Odysseus so he can return home to be with his family. By demand Calypso is forced to release Odysseus. Odysseus also had the choice to leave or to stay on Calypso’s island. By choice Odysseus endures the journey home. By this example, Odysseus is showing how one must take on a challenge or adventure even it may put a life or many lives at risk of death or serious injury.
The third step to the hero’s journey is Crossing the Threshold. Crossing the threshold is when an individual chooses to undergo the call to adventure without turning back. In book five of the Odyssey the hero archetype, Odysseus, portrays the third step of the hero’s journey by crossing the threshold when he decides to leave the island of Calypso after him and Calypso construct a raft for Odysseus to float out into the sea. When Odysseus gets on that raft and begins to float out into the sea there is no longer any turning back for him, which is where the third step of the hero’s journey comes into play for Odysseus now that he is on his own in the middle of the sea with no way of turning back. Odysseus had no idea of what could possibly happen to him on his journey home, the only think he knew is that it was the right choice to endure the journey home. The reader may need to notice that without taking on the challenges of the adventure and crossing the threshold of the hero’s path they may never become that hero archetype they are longing for.
The fourth step through the hero’s journey is the Path of Trials. There are many different parts to this step. The parts include, meeting new mentors, friends, and enemies, gaining new knowledge, and skills, and facing new challenges. Odysseus portrays the path of trials in book numbers one and nine. In book number one Odysseus meets the king and his court and they end up becoming friends; the king may also be viewed as a mentor towards Odysseus as being the one Odysseus can trust to recite his story of his journey along the hero’s path to.
In book nine while Odysseus is traveling home he encounters the challenges such as the Cyclops. The Cyclopes was a large challenge for Odysseus because it was one of his first challenges after his call to adventure and crossing the threshold. Many challenges came with defeating this large unbearable animal. At first Odysseus thought it was a good idea to lead his men onto the Cyclops’ island with great hubris. While on the island, Odysseus’ hubris attitude kept getting in his way of defeating the Cyclopes and two of his men ended up being killed my the Cyclops. By this, Odysseus is exemplifying to the reader that his hubris very much got in the way of his path of trials and seemed to veer him off track of his potential hopes.
Also in book nine Odysseus ended up meeting two enemies. One being the Lotus Eaters and two being the Cyclops. The Lotus Eaters became an enemy by not allowing Odysseus to return home when that was Odysseus entire goal through his hero’s path. The Cyclops became an enemy towards Odysseus and his men almost instantaneously. When Odysseus and his men walked onto the Cyclops’ island they noticed that the Cyclops was not what they thought her to be. She was an extraordinary large and angry giant. From this moment on Odysseus and his men noticed they did not want to associate with the Cyclops, but continued to do so anyway. Every hero is going to make an enemy whether that enemy is his/herself or another being, that enemy is going to exists in one way or another; either way to become that hero archetype the individual will need to find a way around or face the enemy and challenges to complete the thread of the hero’s path in full.
Along with the new friends, mentors, and enemies, Odysseus gains knowledge throughout his journey. One new skill Odysseus acquires through his journey is the ability to outsmart both the Cyclops and the Lotus Eaters. Odysseus discovers that if he lies to the Cyclops about his name the Cyclops will not be able to find him to gain revenge over Odysseus, after Odysseus defeats the Cyclops. For the Lotus Eaters, Odysseus came across the fact that if one of his men or himself were to consume a Lotus Eater his entire ship would no longer have any hope for returning home. The knowledge Odysseus acquires from his challenges reflect into new skills. Odysseus learned how to solve problems in a much more timely fashion than previous to him beginning his journey home. Every hero needs to be able to solve problems and reflect upon them quickly to defeat the obstacle placed before them to become successful.
The fifth and final step to the hero’s journey is when the hero becomes the master of two different worlds and can adapt to the real world again with being a new individual. Odysseus reflects the master of two worlds in the books sixteen through twenty-three. In book number sixteen Odysseus returns to his home on the island Ithaca where Athena welcomes him and assures he is home. To be safe, Athena had Odysseus disguise as an old man for his first arrival. In the end of the book, Odysseus is re-united with his wife and family and Athena brings peace to the rest of the people of Ithaca. Although Odysseus has returned back to his life on the island of Ithaca, he will never be the same as when he left the island because of the path of the hero’s journey. Odysseus has endured multiple different challenges, made new mentors, friends, and even enemies, he has gained new skills and knowledge, he has seen his men killed, and he has even done harm to his own challenges, but yet through the past few years Odysseus will never be able to return to how he was previously. Every hero needs to realize that going through these five simple steps of a hero’s path may and will change you forever; it may be for the better it may be the worse, but whatever it may be the individual will acquire the skills to manage the outcome of their new self.

This quote by Joseph Campbell has very many references to life. Every single line is filled with many hidden examples of how Campbell sees life. The very first line, for example, states that "we have not to even risk the adventure alone for the heroes of all time have gone before us". This line is showing that even when an individual is alone and trying to accomplish a task, they will still have that knowledge that there was once someone before them who had previously achieved the same task or a task very similar to the task the individual is attempting to endure. Nothing in this world is impossible if an individual is willing to motivate and push themselves to achieve the goal they have set for themselves. This quote is very meaningful to the young readers of our time by showing them examples of following a hero and not having to risk anything by themselves.

This quote relates very much to the study of Mythology. There are many hidden aspects of life within this quote in which the reader has to focus on finding; just like in Mythology the audience or the readers take time to focus on thoroughly studying the Mythological story to find hidden terms and lessons within the words. As the audience, I agree very much with the concept. From the day people appeared on this earth, there have been myths after myths being passed down from generation to generation and from culture to culture; although Myths are not always true and don't always cure the ill, I think the idea of them is very beneficial to many.

Miss Pross, a character in the book A Tale of Two Cities is a novel, written by Charles Dickens in 1859, portrayed the most typical motherly archetype. Miss Pross watched over Lucie Manette while her father, Dr. Manette, was in prison for eighteen consecutive years; Miss Pross devoted her life to protecting and taking care of Lucie. She would have done anything for her. Although Lucie didn’t have a maternal mother, Miss Pross was always there for her, as if someone in modern times would be if they knew of a child who needed the mother influence.
When Lucie discovered her father was out of prison she decided to retrieve him from Paris and bring him home. Miss Pross was very against leaving England, for her own personal reasons, so she decided to only traveled half way to England with Lucie, and turned around to go back home. Although Miss Pross did not go all the way with Lucie to retrieve her father she did at least travel with her and was still there to support Lucie as though a mother would have done. Miss Pross was very protective over Lucie and protected her with all her power. When Miss Pross killed Madame Defarge, she was doing it for Lucie’s life. Madame Defarge was originally looking to kill Lucie, but Miss Pross put her life at risk to save Lucie’s. Although many people would disagree with the fact that Miss Pross was the mother archetype towards Lucie, she most definitely was.
Also, in the novel The Tale of Two Cities, the first statement on page one stated that “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness.” This book again, was written in 1859 over ten decades ago. When Charles Dickens wrote this book he was most likely referring to the environment and the population around him, even though the book was plotted in 1775. Modern times are very much like the times in 1859. Right now, as we speak, all over the world, every single day, there are the best of times and the worst of times. There are people who are very foolish while there are people who are very wise. It doesn’t matter the time period, the world is the world. Even if we try to change it, it is going to remain. If the earth and people of the earth can relate to a book written over ten decades ago, think about what can happen in fifty decades. There are so many possibilities. With this, the novel The Tale of Two Cities written by Charles Dickens in 1859 can very much relate to the year two thousand twelve in many ways.

The Tale of Two Cities is a novel written by Charles Dickens in 1859. This book has many different situations involving many different people. Miss Pross, from my point, portrayed the most hero typical archetype. Miss Pross watched over Lucie Manette while her father, Dr. Manette, was in prison for eighteen consecutive years. Miss Pross devoted her life to protecting Lucie. She would have done anything for Lucie. When Lucie found out her father was out of prison she decided to retrieve him from Paris and bring him home. Miss Pross was very against leaving England so she traveled half way with Lucie to retrieve her father, and turned around to go back home. Miss Pross was very protective over Lucie. At the end of the book when Miss Pross kills Madame Defarge, it was for the safety of Lucie. Madame Defarge was originally going to kill Lucie, but Miss Pross got in the way and saved Lucie’s life. In many ways does this exemplify a hero archetype, from where we stand, saving a person’s life is the most valuable and heroic thing another can do.
Also, in the novel The Tale of Two Cities, the first statement on page one stated that “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness.” This book again, was written in 1859 over ten decades ago. When Charles Dickens wrote this book he was most likely referring to the environment and the population around him, even though the book was plotted in 1775. Modern times are very much like the times in 1859. Right now, as we speak, all over the world, every single day, there are the best of times and the worst of times. There are people who are very foolish while there are people who are very wise. It doesn’t matter the time period, the world is the world. Even if we try to change it, it is going to remain. If the earth and people of the earth can relate to a book written over ten decades ago, think about what can happen in fifty decades. There are so many possibilities. With this, the novel The Tale of Two Cities written by Charles Dickens in 1859 can very much relate to the year two thousand twelve in many ways.

Katniss Everdeen is a young 16 year old girl, in the book "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins, who has been through things that are unimaginable. Katniss Everdeen was put directly into the place of her father the day he died and ever since that day Katniss had not stoped protraying the general male archetype, wich is mostly known as the provider of his/her family. Katniss does many outstanding and remarkable things during her young adult life, but one of the most important would have to be the fact that she is the provider of her family.

Katniss Everdeen does everything she can to provide for her family. She Does everything she can. She constantly works her hands to the bone to provide food and money for her younger sister and her extremely depressed mother. Katniss hunts daily, with her friend Gale, to provide the food and nutrition for her family. When Katniss collects her kill she takes the skins and extra meats into the town of District 12 and sells them to markets. The money that Katniss collects she uses to buy other nesissary things for her sister and mother.

Suzzane Collins does an excelent job at explaining the way that Katniss embraces the general male archetype of being the number one provider for her very depressed mother and her younger sister Prim.

There are many ways to describe what an archetype is. Some people may call it a prototype. It is a pattern in which a certain characteristic is repeated and can be catorgized as an archetype. A few of the most common archetypes would have to be the villian archetype, the hero archetype, or the general male and female archetype. There are also a few archetypes besides these four, but right now they're not important.

There are many different characteristics for the gerneral female archetype. Usually they are generous, loving, understanding, nurturing, emotional, and more. In this case Katniss, a young 16 year old girl in the book "The Hunger Games", was more of a male character by the fact that she was the main provider for her family after her father passed, she was very into the whole hunting scene, and she rarely had ever shown the female side of her. Mind the fact that she was the main provider and had more male characteristics she was also very femanine in different ways.

Through Katniss' journey in the games and at the arena she was definetly starting to show a lot more of her femanine side. In the book when Peeta said "From the day we met" and he was refuring to the day he fell in love with her, Katniss was fluttered and started to realize that at that moment she too had started to feel for Peeta.

Right then Katniss started to show the female side of herself.

Suzanne Collins, the author, tried to show the way a young girl with very male like characteristics could change dirastically with one statment from a young boy of her age. Collins did an excilent job at explicitly showing how Katniss can make such a difference in such a short time.

The Hunger Games,a book written by Suzanne Collins mainly written for teenagers, has a very explicit, but yet hidden way of showing all types of archetypes. I have chosen to argue the female archetype.

Usually the typical female archetype is that the woman cooks and cleans. In modern days the female archetype is to do all of the above plus also obtain a job and be a supporting factor in the family. The typical male archetype is usually to be the number one supporting factor in a family and provide the food supplies for the family while also having a little help from the female figure in the family.

I saw throughout the book that Katniss, the eldest daughter of the family of three, was a major female factor in her family. Her mother was seriously depressed because of the death of Katniss' father. Then their was Primrose, Katniss' younger sister.

Katniss was suddenly struck, at the age of eleven, with death of her father and had no idea that sooner than she had probably wanted she would be the number one supporting factor in her family or better known as the male archetype. Katniss still had many of the same characteristics of a female, but she was expected to act more as a male figure now that her father was no longer there to help out.

As the book progressed and Katniss went through the Hunger Games she started to bring out her true colors of being a female with all of the makeovers and learning the proper ways of doing things.

I thought that Collins wrote Katniss' character in the views of more of a male character, but yet tried to include the fact that Katniss was actually a female and although most parts were filled with Katniss portraying the male figure Collins did an excellent job at describing to the reader that Katniss did have her soft spots and was most definitely a female.

The short story "The Most Dangerous Game" Rainsford, the protagonist, was very different in the beginning of the story when he was on the boat with Whitney compared to the end of the story where he was held captive on the island. When he started out in the boat he had no feelings for anything or anyone. Whitney had brought up something about a jaguar and Rainsford said "Who cares how a jaguar feels". I think Rainsford was thinking just of himself and his hunting when he said this. After he had reached the island and had figured out what the General was up to i saw a totally different side of him. I saw that after he was on the island and had gotten to know the General a bit better he started to think about what the jaguar really felt like and how it was to be hunted. I think this experience while he was on the island had changed Rainsford for the better. He had actually realized that the world isn't only about him and how he felt about life. From my view it seemed like he started thinking about others. This experience definitely changed him for the better.

The Scarlet Ibis is a symbol for doodle in the way that Doodle and the scarlet ibis were both very different and in some way not supposed to be in the environment. The bird looked like it was supposed to belong somewhere else like South America and it was very rare to be in the climate Doodle and his family lived in. Doodle was born with a call on his head and the doctors had told his parents that Doodle would not live long the cause being because of the call on his head. It was very rare to see a bird of such species and to see Doodle who was born with a birth defect still living and with such passion. The scarlet ibis and Doodle were very much alike when it came to how things were and how things were supposed to be.