Mitchell’s Comments (group member since Sep 09, 2011)

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

Homer’s epic story of The Odyssey is an excellent specimen to examine Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey through. The compressed five steps thereof clearly occur multiple times across the collection of books.

The first step in the Hero’s Journey is the Mundane World. When the hero is on this step, he or she is either in a world of comfort or something similar, and may or may not be itching to get out. An example of this step in The Odyssey is Calypso’s island. It was exceedingly beautiful, even to a god (1106). The idea that this island represents is the lure of comfort. A modern example of this would be the appeal of putting of work to relax, and remain in a state of comfort, even though one would know that they are meant to be working.

The second step is the Call to Adventure. In this step, the hero will either seek out adventure or a call will come to him or her, forcing his or her hand and beginning an unwanted adventure. In the text, this step can be found when the witch Circe warns Odysseus of challenges ahead: the formidable monsters Scylla and Charybdis, as well as the tempting sirens (1130-1132). Odysseus then accepts the Call by deciding to brave the infested seas and take the risks. It could also be considered an acceptance when Odysseus decides to, instead of sealing his ears with wax, have his men tie him to the mast. He did this in order to hear the Sirens’ tempting song, which was dangerous in its own right. The song represents temptation, in this case to leave the path of the hero.

The third step, Crossing the Threshold, is identified by the hero passing a point of no return, where the only option is to keep pushing onward. An instance of this occurring in The Odyssey is Odysseus’ long journey over an ultimately stormy ocean by raft (1108-1109). Once he set out, there was no way he could return to the comfort of Calypso’s island again. The act of crossing a threshold usually symbolizes the hardening of a hero’s resolve, and the renewal of determination to strive for the completion of his or her quest.

The Path of Trials, which is the fourth step in the Hero’s Journey, contains a multitude of facets. The step entails the conquering of multiple challenges, gaining new friends, enemies, mentors, skills and/or knowledge. A new friend that Odysseus made on his journey is King Alcinous, who received an account of Odysseus’ triumph over the Cyclops Polyphemus (1113). Coincidentally, Polyphemus was among the new enemies Odysseus had made, as said Cyclops resented being fooled and having his eye skewered with a smoldering stake (1118-1121). Circe is an example of a new mentor Odysseus gained; she warned him of dangers and advised him on how he should circumvent them (1130-1133). Odysseus did not gain any new skills over his journey, and knowledge that he gained included how to traverse the Sea of Monsters, as well as the prophecy he received in the land of the dead (1129).

The fifth and final step in the Hero’s Journey is The Master of Two Worlds. Its significance is found in that, once a hero returns from his or her journey, he or she can never be quite the same. They have experienced what it is like to reside in the “underworld,” whatever it might be in the hero’s situation. In The Odyssey, this step is shown when Odysseus returns to his homeland and wife after many years. Although he has been reunited with his family, things can never again be quite the same. For example, he may trust his wife less now that he knows she had been entertaining many suitors while he was away, or he may not be able to connect with his now adult son.

To conclude, it is clear to the reader exactly how the archetypical Hero’s Journey, as defined by Joseph Campbell, is evident in Homer’s The Odyssey. It is also clear how the assorted challenges and monsters help one view the human psyche in more detail.

Joseph Campbell's statements in The Power of Myth has really quite an obvious meaning. The beginning and end both convey the same concept: that no matter what one endeavors to do, there is always someone who has already done the same thing. Or, at the very least, that someone has done something of similar nature and amplitude.

Another idea expressed in the passage is that oftentimes you'll be surprised by what you find. If one looks more deeply, however, one could conclude that another idea conveyed is that what one is truly trying to accomplish can be different from what they think they are.

This relates to the study of mythology in that most (if not all) collections of myths deal with the same set of things: creation from a void, explanation of natural phenomena, and the rewarding of good and the punishment of evil. These issues recur in today's "new mythologies," and therefore the quote connects the modern era to that of the mythologies of the past.

These concepts are legitimate, to an extent. Although it is true that there is little one could do that is radically uncommon, every person's live and all the actions contained within have some aspect of uniqueness. Even though one is able to obtain help and advice from others who have trodden a similar path, ultimately each person has their own singular path, and can ultimately be alone in their endeavors.

Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities does not hold a substantial modern relevance. This is because the theme of what is ideal has radically changed over one and a half centuries, leading away from the values of Christianity portrayed in the book. One example of this is the character Lucie Manette, who at the time was considered an ideal woman. She no longer represents this in the 21st century. She embraces the archetype of the damsel in distress to an extreme; she seems to be consistently waiting around for someone else to take action, thereby effectively rescuing her. This is no longer a desirable trait; women are more desirable when they are independent. Unlike in Dickens’ times, modern women are now viewed as equals to men, instead of being merely a prize to obtain, thus significantly lowering the novel's accessibility.

Another much less accessible idealism for the modern reader is the obvious allegory of resurrection. This can be seen, for one, in the character of Dr. Manette. He spends years in prison, and is reduced to a shadow of the man he once was. He subsequently overcomes this, being “resurrected” and surpassing his former self. The more obvious example, however, is how the character Sydney Carton is a representation of Jesus. Although the representation may be slightly inverted, the core is that he sacrificed himself so others could be saved. Through this, he becomes a new man, if only for the short time he has left. Since Christianity is less integrated into the culture of the present day, Dickens’ book is less accessible, and no longer relevant to a modern audience.

I believe Rainsford's experience changed him, in that it made him less humane and less empathetic. This is shown, as before he sets foot on the island, he has less empathy than one would need to have to feel pity while killing animals, such as a jaguar. However, after his ordeal, he seems to have no qualms about killing a man, as he threw General Zaroff out the window. Since killing a man in this fashion requires one to have even less empathy than killing a jaguar does, that suggests a decrease in Rainsford's empathy.

In the story, the ibis symbolizes Doodle in that they are both out of place, and die because of it. The bird was blown into their yard from a tropical storm, and the family was awed at its beauty before it overexerted itself trying to fly away. Doodle had some sort of medical condition, and the family was awed at his tenaciousness before he died because he overexerted himself trying to keep up with his brother. These parallels are enough to explain why this is symbolism.