Zemeckis’s Cast Away represents a modern epic in its establishment of the main character, Chuck Noland, as an Epic hero. Zemeckis portrays this by sending Chuck through a heroic cycle, supported by many allusions to other epics: The Odyssey, The Epic of Gilgamesh etc. Like an epic, Chuck’s heroic cycle takes place across a large setting, far from home. Along this journey, Chuck will overcome his flaws of obsession over controlling his life with beepers, digital clocks, phones; technology. With these events, and reference to other archetypal epics, Chuck is created into a modern epic hero. Cast away is centered on Noland’s separation from his old life of mechanical control, which in turn helps him to learn the error of his old ways. Like in other epics, the hero is taken …show more content…
In the film, Noland is sent through his heroic cycle that cuts his ties to his previous controlled life, all the while being presented with various allusions to other epics and great stories such as the bible. Important requirements of an epic hero are displayed in works such as the Odyssey and Gilgamesh: The hero must be capable of deeds of great strength and courage, he must be taken away from his homeland to reveal to him his flaws – the heroic cycle, and he must interact with supernatural forces. Odysseus, Gilgamesh, and Chuck Noland have these aspects. Noland is capable of surviving in the natural world without man’s technology, against the seemingly supernatural forces of nature that stand in his way, i.e. the waves pushing him back to the island on his first attempt to escape from the island. The whale that guides and wakes Chuck on multiple occasions during his final escape attempt is also an example of supernatural forces in Chuck’s journey, but this time as an aid to him. With regards to Noland’s heroic cycle, he was taken long ways from home to a desolate island where he must learn to detach from his previous life. With this, it is evident that Chuck stands as an epic