ipl-logo

A Space Odyssey As A Hero's Journey

915 Words4 Pages

2001: A Space Odyssey as a Hero’s Journey
Chloe O’Connor Arthur C. Clarke’s 2001: A Space Odyssey can be considered something of a pseudo-hero’s journey story, with a greater focus on the ultimate reason the hero must make their journey. In this iteration of the hero’s journey, humankind is the hero. The quest they must depart on is evolution to a higher form through Dave Bowman’s individual journey, though he is certainly not the ultimate hero, merely the catalyst for the hero to truly be heroic. While 2001 certainly does not follow the traditional structure of a hero’s journey, it may still be considered to be so, as evolution of the hero is central to the idea of the hero’s journey and this is unmistakably a story of metamorphosis. For …show more content…

The ordinary world is introduced first in part two mainly through the actions of Dr. Heywood Floyd, a scientist on the verge of a discovery that may well alter humanity’s perception of life. The monolith, or TMA-1, proves itself to be the first sign of extraterrestrial intelligent life. When this is realized, humanity has officially crossed the threshold from the ordinary world, to a new one (another facet of the hero’s journey). Part two provides the reader insight into the ordinary world. Marked differenced can be observed between the ordinary world and the world that exists in the following sections. For example, family plays an integral part of Ordinary World Life. Close, loving families make their life on the moon, have children (such as Halvorsen’s daughter), grow food, and complete the tasks humans need to survive. The author presents these residents of the ordinary world as far more human than he does those residents of the world after. Even Dr. Floyd, who arguably is the one to harken in the new age with his research on the monolith takes time to make a call to earth from his spaceship about such mundane things as a tennis tournament and his video player. However the threshold is crossed from old to new world at the end of part two when, …show more content…

It is in this part of the story that Clarke strays farthest from the traditional hero’s journey structure. The hero does not get a return home, in the traditional sense. Rather, Bowman, and thus the entire human race, evolve into something greater than they could ever have been before. Going back home entails a regression; a return to the old way of life. Insteadhumanity moves on to something new and better. However, upon making contact with the alien species, Bowman gets a simulated return home in a fabricated room in space made to resemble earth and a rush of memories from his life. The author does this to both give Bowman a last look at what he has left behind and to show him how it pales in comparison to what is to

Show More
Related
624 Words | 3 Pages

Wreck it Ralph V.S Odyssey Hero Journey In almost all films and pieces of literature a hero’s journey is portrayed. A hero’s journey is an archetype present in all cultures and time periods. In a hero’s journey there are four main parts; however, there could be more. The four main parts are separation, initiation, discovery, and lastly return.

Read More
1061 Words | 5 Pages

David Perez Dr. Petri World History 7 June, 2023 The Hero's Journey in FTKMF In the book First they Killed My Father, you can find evidence of Character Archetypes and the Hero's journey. The Hero's journey is devised of multiple steps. The Ordinary World is usually the beginning of the Hero's journey.

Read More
588 Words | 3 Pages

In 2001 A Space Odyssey the characters undergo significant transformations, sometimes spectacularly, other times in deep and humbling decisions. Transcending space time, self-awareness of a machine, and willing self-isolation are all transformations observed in this text. I will examine Bowman’s descent into the Japetus monolith, HAL and the hibernation pods, and Bowman as he descends into isolation. The first fundamental transformation in 2001 is when David Bowman passes through the Star Gate on Japetus.

Read More
728 Words | 3 Pages

The film Stardust fits the classic Hero’s Journey mold, while also having elements of a post-modern Hero’s Journey as well. Many archetypes from The Hero’s Journey are seen and some characters possess more than one archetype or stray away from the classical versions of their archetype adding to the idea of a post-modern Hero’s Journey. As you will see this film has the characteristics of both types of The Hero’s Journey. The first way that Stardust relates to the classic Hero’s Journey is when the hero of the film Tristan goes through the Hero’s Journey cycle.

Read More
635 Words | 3 Pages

The journey often consists of many different stages involving the ordinary world is the background of the heroes and describes the personal history of the character or the Life, Light, Conscious world symbolizing the stability of each character. The next step of the cycle is the call to Adventure which may begin when outside forces cause increased pressures it may rise up from deep within the character and the hero must begin facing the new changes to himself both mentally and spiritually. Next, the hero’s may refuse the call to be the hero feels the fear of the unknown and tries to turn away from the journey but for only a small amount of time, which may express the unexpected dangers and uncertainty lying ahead of him. Then, the meeting with the mentor/guide is someone with previous

Read More
654 Words | 3 Pages

The Heroes Journey, identified by American scholar Joseph Campbell, is a pattern of narrative that describes the typical adventure of the main hero, whether that be a fiction or nonfiction hero. The first step is the call to adventure, where something shakes up the hero’s current situation and the hero starts experiencing change. Consequently, this theory is also applied to the fictional hero Odysseus in The Odyssey and the real-life hero Martin Luther King Jr., a civil rights activist. In The Odyssey, Odysseus embarks on a 10-year voyage from Troy to Ithaca and encounters many monsters along the way including a gigantic Cyclops described as “…a brute so huge, he seemed no man at all…” (9 89-90).

Read More
322 Words | 2 Pages

Ordinary World: Hero’s life before the adventure which shows him as normal like you and I in his everyday life. It also allows the audience to emphasize with his plight and easier to identify with him as the story progresses. Call to Adventure: A threat to his safety, families or community in which he lies, that ultimately disrupts his everyday life and he needs to solve it. Refusal of the Call: This is the part where the hero refuses to accept the quest, has deep thoughts or second doubts about it. This usually is accompanied by the hero suffering in some way changing his decision in refusing to accept the quest making the audience bond further with the hero.

Read More
1564 Words | 7 Pages

Have you ever been so down in the dumps you ever thought about taking your own life? JJ, Jess, Martin, and Maureen unexpectedly found each other in a moment of on a rooftop, ready to jump to their deaths. Due to their shared feelings of depression, they were able to support each other through their struggles. Maureen, specifically, had major, life-changing benefits from her experiences with the group. As Nick Hornby's novel, A Long Way Down progresses, Maureen undergoes a major development in identity, embarking on a deep, personal journey alongside the three strangers she unexpectedly befriends on a night of desperation.

Read More
853 Words | 4 Pages

He leaves his world of comfort behind to journey into the unknown, accepts a call of adventure, undergoes several tasks and trials that test his character, and ultimately ends his journey to return home. His dedication to his allies and diligence to his morality exemplify a true mythological

Read More
968 Words | 4 Pages

This book, along with being a utopian fiction, follows the Hero’s Journey archetype. Even though this book may not have purposely been made as an example of the Hero’s Journey the book and many others follow the paradigm. It may not be a perfect example, however, it definitely has it’s moments. The first three steps of the Hero’s

Read More
602 Words | 3 Pages

The first stage of the Hero’s Journey is, the three stepped Departure. One of the three steps of the Departure is The Call to Adventure, in this stage the hero

Read More
2037 Words | 9 Pages

The first stage of the Hero’s Journey is the Ordinary World. In the Ordinary World, the hero has a normal life where the character is either not satisfied with his or her life or has a vivid contrast to the journey that the hero is going to take. This is similar to how the main character in the novel The Sword in the Stone by T.H.White

Read More
1013 Words | 5 Pages

In literature, a common process for the protagonist to go through is to go on a journey in order for them to develop as a character and to further the story as a whole. This idea of a character’s journey is notably seen in Homer’s The Odyssey, Dante’s Inferno, and Voltaire’s Candide. All three of these texts depict not only the protagonist going through a journey, but they also depict in very different ways these characters use their abilities to overcome obstacles in their path and learn from their mistakes to show their individual character development. In The Odyssey, Inferno, and Candide, Odysseus, Dante and Candide show three different ways how ????????

Read More
860 Words | 4 Pages

The narrator begins to change as Robert taught him to see beyond the surface of looking. The narrator feels enlightened and opens up to a new world of vision and imagination. This brief experience has a long lasting effect on the narrator. Being able to shut out everything around us allows an individual the ability to become focused on their relationships, intrapersonal well-being, and

Read More
659 Words | 3 Pages

A hero starts their journey naïve and inexperienced and on the way learns more about the world they live in. “I arrived here yesterday; and my first task is to assure my dear sister of my welfare, and increasing confidence in the success of my undertaking” (Shelley 1). On this

Read More

More about A Space Odyssey As A Hero's Journey

Related Topics

Open Document