Mary Knapton
1A English Class
Desire’s Preeminence in Literature
“Truly, would you not for less than that make the tour around the world?” (Verne 297). In Homer’s The Odyssey, Kenneth Branagh’s Thor, and Jules Verne’s Around the World in 80 Days, the protagonist goes on a journey that follows the elements of the hero cycle. There are many archetypal characters that support the hero in his journey, and every one of them is necessary. However, the desired one is the driving force behind the plot. They assist the protagonist the most throughout the expedition, both directly and indirectly. First, the desired one helps the hero get past the low point in their voyage. In Kenneth Branagh’s movie Thor, Thor is banished to Earth and cannot return to his homeland without proving his worth to his father. However, without his hammer, he is incapable of doing so. When he finally gets his hammer, Thor cannot use its power because he is mortal. This is the low point in his struggle. He then realizes that it is more important to help his loved
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“Nothing but a charming woman, who, strange as it may appear, made him the happiest of men” (Verne 297). In Around the World in 80 Days, Phileas Fogg marries Aouda at the end of the novel after returning to London. Although his monetary gain was small, he was able to be with the person he loved. Humans have a natural desire for a pleasant conclusion, but humans live in a world where happy endings do not always occur. When a reader reads about a happy ending, it gives him a sense of hope. The author knows this and, therefore, uses the desired one to arouse emotions deep within the reader. One of the writer’s main goals is to make a person become attached to the characters. Throughout the duration of reading a piece of literature, the reader becomes personally and emotionally connected with the protagonist. When the hero is content, the reader is