Dating back to the beginning of the Greek empire, people have always believed in divine intervention by their gods or their deity. This intervention is usually characterized as beneficial if not essential in the hero's journey. What people tend to forget is that throughout mythology, the gods are also seen as spiteful and unstable towards the people that revere them. Homer depicted the gods as powerful beings, with definite negative attributes that harm people if they do not appease these higher beings. This has caused be to question whether people look up to their spiritual leaders for power and strength, or if they simply appease them to avoid harm and repercussions because of the instability of these leaders. A prime example of the instability of the gods and divine intervention would be the Legend of Prometheus in Edith Hamilton's book of mythology.
Described as one of the earliest hero's within Mythology, Prometheus is predominantly known for stealing fire from the gods and giving it to man. He is often revered as one of the greatest hero's for aiding the human race within Greek mythology. As the story goes, Zeus ultimately punished Prometheus for this, by imprisoning him on the high piercing cliff of Caucasus where eagles came every day to peck out his liver. Prometheus was immortal so the suffering was eternal. The attitude of Zeus towards someone he once considered an ally shows how the gods were thought to be revengeful towards those who displeased them. This is where humanity god the foundation for the idea of praising the gods to avoid repercussions in their own lives.
The reason why this unforeseen pressure of divine intervention is so effective is because the actions of the gods instilled fear within the hearts of many. These tales told of merciless acts by the gods on mortals because of something the other gods had done. An example of this would be how Hera, queen of the gods always took spite in the many mortal women Zeus came into contact with, and how these mortals were punished for meddling in these affairs. Although the idea of divine intervention is supposed to aid the hero in the hero's journey, it also plays the role as the archetype of the devil figure which interferes with and tries to destroy the actions of that hero depending on the situation. People were afraid of the immense power of the gods and more focussed on not ticking them off then on the path of their lives. They believed that if they appeased the gods, the gods would reward them by giving them a prosperous life.
This idea of proactively living to avoid repercussions has spread to the modern world in ways which we really don't consider. Take the idea of karma for example. The basic principle that the actions that you do influence the events that will occur. If a person does something good, then good things will happen, whereas if a person does something morally wrong, bad events will occur. Although this principle is widely used in society, people don't think where it originated from. It has been engrained in our minds, that in order to succeed, one must exhibit good and positive attributes in order to do so, partly because the gods or the spiritual being of your religion will aid you because of it. This archetype of divine intervention has been so effective, that we use it without recognizing it, because it seems like common sense.
I think that Homer and the poets who are credited with coming up with these myths thought that the gods were revengeful because of experiences that happened such as famine and drought occurring when no praise to the gods existed. Without knowing it, this simple concept of divine intervention negatively impacting the hero because of actions done by the hero, has helped society in unimaginable ways. Society has accepted this idea and people recognize that the path to success is easiest when a person does good actions, because divine intervention will willingly help that person along the way. What other examples of archetypes that have extended into society exist today? Also, what other examples of divine intervention in media show this concept of actively affecting peoples' moral decisions?
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Friday, March 18, 2011
Who's really in control?
During this past weekend, I watched a truly inspirational movie with my friends called the Adjustment Bureau. This movie not only capitvated the audience by produced many symbols and aspects that directly coincide with the mythological aspects of traditional fables. This dramatic story includes the protagonist and electoral candidate David Norris. Now upon first contact, Norris seems to be one of the sterotypical love struck heroes when he instantly falls in love with Ballerina Elise in a washroom stall after blowing his lead in the senate eleciton in NYC. However this encounter leads to a inspirational speech that instantly makes him the frontrunner in the subsequent election, making the reader wonder the true impact of this relationship. A new twist is added to this inition within the typical hero's journey is impacted by the Adjustment Bureau.
Now to understand what really sets this story apart from the traditional texts, you must understand what the Adjustment Bureau is all about. The Adjustment Bureau is an organization that ensures that everybody follows a certain "plan" or guideline of how their life is supposed to be lived. The caseworkers or "angels" of this organization alter the decisions made by individuals to ensure that this plan is followed and supposedley act in the best interests of these people. Little is revealed to the audience who the creator of these plans, save for the fact that he is referred to as "The Chairman" and has mulitple different names. It is assumed that the chairman is some sort of god, and relates back to the idea of divine intervention apparent in greek mytholoy. The gods always meddled in the lives of ordinary people, because they thought they knew best. This also brings into question the morale of interferring with others lives as well as the idea of fate. One of the central topics revealed in this movie is the question of how much power we really hold over our own lives, and how much fate impacts those decisions.
The true power of the Adjustment Bureau is revealed when certain caseworkers change the opinion of Charlie; one of Norris' friends to better suit the interests and direction of his company. While all this is going on, the viewer is questioning whether the Adjustment Bureau has the authority or the right to do these actions. The ethics of meddling in peoples lives interferes with individual freedom of choice, without the people even knowing. This connects to the archetype of divine intervention, and how the gods or higher beings that make the decisions are not always in the interests of the common man or women. The godsThe Adjustment Bureau directly intervenes at this point and warns Mr. Norris that he is not meant to ever see his beloved Elise again, because the plan doesn't call for it. The protagonist is then warned to never reveal the existence of this secret organization, in fear of being "reset" a modern adaptation of lobotomy. People in Greece in earlier centuries also lived in fear of displeasing the gods, because of the power these gods had. Despite this precaution, Norris shows perseverance by scouring the city looking for Elise over the next couple years, showing both the determination and possibly the fatal flow of Norris' in ability to move on with his life.
This is the beginning of the road of trials for the protagonist as he eventually out maneuvers the adjustment bureau to find Elise. The viewer questions the luck that Norris has in his quest against the organization is all-powerful in teleporting instantly to any location through a series of doorways. The obvious archetype made by the director would be that the doors represent the opportunities in life, and with the caseworkers able to control this network, they also control the direction people go in life. The case eventually gets out of hand and is too difficult for the normal caseworkers to handle. A character of seemingly higher status enters, that goes by the name of Thompson, who is shown to have much more power over the fate of others. This higher official lists off a plethora of times when the organization stepped aside and let individual will happen in the world. The consequences of this action was shown to be tragedies such as Fascism and the two World wars, backing up his argument that humans are not yet mature enough to take control of their own destiny. The idea of being bound by fate is apparent here, in that Thompson indirectly states how impossible it is to fight the people who ensure the plan comes to fruition. He also states that the connection between the romantic relationship will not only affect the success of the politician but also the career of dancer Elise. To illustrate his point, he purposefully makes Elise fall and break her ankle. This represents the internal conflict often found in the protagonist as well as the fundamental decision that the hero must make that determines the end. This archetypal crosswords not only defines the character but all those around him as well.
The hero eventually decides to be with Elise and enacts the fundamental shift in the plot. A caseworker aids Norris in navigating their pathways that are used for instant travel. By using these pathways, it represents how the character is now in control of his own destiny and the decisions he makes are truly his. The story ends up with Elise and Norris being together and the Chairman altering the plan so that the fate is now dictated by his actions. The Innermost Cave reveals that building humanity up until it can support itself could be the true goal of the Chairman and the purpose of the adjustment bureau. A prominent and recurring symbol within this movie, would be the repetition of a picture of a bench. At the start of the film, the bench was always occupied by a member of the Adjustment Bureau, whereas towards the end it was vacated. This shows the progression of the power Norris had over his own life and his struggle against societal constrains. One of the fundamental themes involving fate can be determined as that people must take control over their decisions to truly control their lives and not fall into the typical category of people without free will. This film provides a modern adaptation of the typical archetype of fate in our everyday lives, by showing how Norris can change his destiny because of the actions he made.
Upon reflecting on this film, I began to wonder what ordinary people must do control their own destiny and own their fate. This really states that society is generally not ready for the responsibilities of the future, but are constantly growing towards that goal through the experiences and inter-personal contact. The typical archetype of fate is twisted in the sense that the main protagonist ends up controlling his own destiny by persevering and accomplishing his goal. In this quest for identity, he finds himself by finding what is important to him and acting proactively. How much power does fate really play in our lives and how much control do we have? The power lies in the individual and whether or not we have the will to succeed or the laziness of failure.
What other examples of the archetype of fate are there in modern day text that intertwine with the hero's journey?
Now to understand what really sets this story apart from the traditional texts, you must understand what the Adjustment Bureau is all about. The Adjustment Bureau is an organization that ensures that everybody follows a certain "plan" or guideline of how their life is supposed to be lived. The caseworkers or "angels" of this organization alter the decisions made by individuals to ensure that this plan is followed and supposedley act in the best interests of these people. Little is revealed to the audience who the creator of these plans, save for the fact that he is referred to as "The Chairman" and has mulitple different names. It is assumed that the chairman is some sort of god, and relates back to the idea of divine intervention apparent in greek mytholoy. The gods always meddled in the lives of ordinary people, because they thought they knew best. This also brings into question the morale of interferring with others lives as well as the idea of fate. One of the central topics revealed in this movie is the question of how much power we really hold over our own lives, and how much fate impacts those decisions.
The true power of the Adjustment Bureau is revealed when certain caseworkers change the opinion of Charlie; one of Norris' friends to better suit the interests and direction of his company. While all this is going on, the viewer is questioning whether the Adjustment Bureau has the authority or the right to do these actions. The ethics of meddling in peoples lives interferes with individual freedom of choice, without the people even knowing. This connects to the archetype of divine intervention, and how the gods or higher beings that make the decisions are not always in the interests of the common man or women. The godsThe Adjustment Bureau directly intervenes at this point and warns Mr. Norris that he is not meant to ever see his beloved Elise again, because the plan doesn't call for it. The protagonist is then warned to never reveal the existence of this secret organization, in fear of being "reset" a modern adaptation of lobotomy. People in Greece in earlier centuries also lived in fear of displeasing the gods, because of the power these gods had. Despite this precaution, Norris shows perseverance by scouring the city looking for Elise over the next couple years, showing both the determination and possibly the fatal flow of Norris' in ability to move on with his life.
This is the beginning of the road of trials for the protagonist as he eventually out maneuvers the adjustment bureau to find Elise. The viewer questions the luck that Norris has in his quest against the organization is all-powerful in teleporting instantly to any location through a series of doorways. The obvious archetype made by the director would be that the doors represent the opportunities in life, and with the caseworkers able to control this network, they also control the direction people go in life. The case eventually gets out of hand and is too difficult for the normal caseworkers to handle. A character of seemingly higher status enters, that goes by the name of Thompson, who is shown to have much more power over the fate of others. This higher official lists off a plethora of times when the organization stepped aside and let individual will happen in the world. The consequences of this action was shown to be tragedies such as Fascism and the two World wars, backing up his argument that humans are not yet mature enough to take control of their own destiny. The idea of being bound by fate is apparent here, in that Thompson indirectly states how impossible it is to fight the people who ensure the plan comes to fruition. He also states that the connection between the romantic relationship will not only affect the success of the politician but also the career of dancer Elise. To illustrate his point, he purposefully makes Elise fall and break her ankle. This represents the internal conflict often found in the protagonist as well as the fundamental decision that the hero must make that determines the end. This archetypal crosswords not only defines the character but all those around him as well.
The hero eventually decides to be with Elise and enacts the fundamental shift in the plot. A caseworker aids Norris in navigating their pathways that are used for instant travel. By using these pathways, it represents how the character is now in control of his own destiny and the decisions he makes are truly his. The story ends up with Elise and Norris being together and the Chairman altering the plan so that the fate is now dictated by his actions. The Innermost Cave reveals that building humanity up until it can support itself could be the true goal of the Chairman and the purpose of the adjustment bureau. A prominent and recurring symbol within this movie, would be the repetition of a picture of a bench. At the start of the film, the bench was always occupied by a member of the Adjustment Bureau, whereas towards the end it was vacated. This shows the progression of the power Norris had over his own life and his struggle against societal constrains. One of the fundamental themes involving fate can be determined as that people must take control over their decisions to truly control their lives and not fall into the typical category of people without free will. This film provides a modern adaptation of the typical archetype of fate in our everyday lives, by showing how Norris can change his destiny because of the actions he made.
Upon reflecting on this film, I began to wonder what ordinary people must do control their own destiny and own their fate. This really states that society is generally not ready for the responsibilities of the future, but are constantly growing towards that goal through the experiences and inter-personal contact. The typical archetype of fate is twisted in the sense that the main protagonist ends up controlling his own destiny by persevering and accomplishing his goal. In this quest for identity, he finds himself by finding what is important to him and acting proactively. How much power does fate really play in our lives and how much control do we have? The power lies in the individual and whether or not we have the will to succeed or the laziness of failure.
What other examples of the archetype of fate are there in modern day text that intertwine with the hero's journey?
Friday, March 11, 2011
Ingenious marketing or Fundamental idea?
Everybody can relate to an influential advertisement they have seen; intended to sway the consumer into buying a product. These advertisements are one of the key forms or mass media that affect our daily lives, just because of their prominence and every day usage in society. But the power these corporations have in our lives, makes me question what makes this form of media so effective. The fact of the matter is, that what many people mistake as marketing genius, is actually just an integration of a classic concept. It is apparent in major companies such as Under Armour and Nike use aspects of the hero’s journey to persuade and convince the consumer why their product is superior to the rest of the field. This combination of marketing and an archetypal sequence has proven to be one of the more interesting adaptations of a classic idea.
The fact that these companies commercials are so closely aligned with the typical archetypes makes me wonder in what ways the classical examples inspired these modern concepts. It is apparent that these media transitional corporations not only included these aspects in their advertisements, but modernized them and adapted them to suit their needs. This was done in one such example, as the actual product replaced the role of the typical mentor, and was the source of inspiration for the athlete. The effectiveness of the use of this modern adaptation makes me wonder: What other modern applications of classic ideas exist in both the corporate and cultural aspects of the world? Why were their modified in these cases? The repetitive nature of archetypes also makes me wonder why we, as individuals, have the some reaction when it comes to the traditional hero’s journey. Why is it, that humans are attracted to this simple formula time and time again when they need to succeed? A further application could be “ What do the effectiveness of these modern applications reveal about the human condition.” It seems as though this borrowed formula from history is evolving with the people adapting it.
Nike is predominantly known for their outlandish and sometimes “off base” commercials that certainly get them attention. The commercials of Nike exemplify how their products enhance the life of the consumers by showing their effect on our daily lives, similar to the hero’s journey. There are many parts of their commercials that are very similar to that of the archetypal hero’s journey such as:
1. Nike uses a reference to the road of trials in a hero’s journey, by showing the reflection and growth necessary for success in athletes who use their products. They also do this by showing the training and effort that goes in to the completion of the objective as well as the obstacles they must overcome are showcased here.
2. These companies illustrate the final event that the athletes are training for (usually some type of major event i.e the Olympics). This can be directly compared to the Innermost Cave in which an individual must succeed to accomplish the goal.
3. The actual products of Nike are shown to have an immense affect on the athlete, by contributing to the overall determination and motivation in preparing them for obstacles to come. In this way, Nike effectively replaces the mentor archetype with their products to show the influence the product has.
4. The main obstacle and challenge that the athlete must overcome is shown to be themselves, shown in one such Nike commercial. This can be related to the fatal flaw the hero must fix in the typical hero’s journey.
5. The statement “I Will” is the slogan for Under Armour. In the hero’s journey, the fact that the characters grow through their experiences is captured by this slogan.
The fact that these companies commercials are so closely aligned with the typical archetypes makes me wonder in what ways the classical examples inspired these modern concepts. It is apparent that these media transitional corporations not only included these aspects in their advertisements, but modernized them and adapted them to suit their needs. This was done in one such example, as the actual product replaced the role of the typical mentor, and was the source of inspiration for the athlete. The effectiveness of the use of this modern adaptation makes me wonder: What other modern applications of classic ideas exist in both the corporate and cultural aspects of the world? Why were their modified in these cases? The repetitive nature of archetypes also makes me wonder why we, as individuals, have the some reaction when it comes to the traditional hero’s journey. Why is it, that humans are attracted to this simple formula time and time again when they need to succeed? A further application could be “ What do the effectiveness of these modern applications reveal about the human condition.” It seems as though this borrowed formula from history is evolving with the people adapting it.
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