Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Hero With 1000 Faces: Introduction
We are currently reading the Joseph Campbell book Hero With 1000 Faces. This book has inspired artist and writers for years and is one of the definitive books on mythology. Campbell explains his concept of the mono myth and the hero's journey in this book. We are currently all at different parts of this book, but I would like to discuss anything from the introduction, before part 1...in the comments area please write a note about anything that stood out to you in this section. I know I highlighted a ton of things mentioned here and will try to pick my favorite part :)
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The conversation here is so stimulating:)
ReplyDeleteMy book STILL hasn't come in yet. Boo!!
So, I finished the introduction. It was interesting when I could understand what he was talking about. I'll admit he lost me a few times. It'll be cool to read more about the steps of the hero since I studied that a bit in college. One thing, I don't know if I buy the whole Oedipus complex thing. You all?
ReplyDeleteOK...so I really enjoyed the introduction...it made me think a lot about religion and our human instinct to look for the greater energy in and around us. I did feel a little that it was male focused. I know that Campbell taught at Sarah Lawrence which is an all girls college so I assume he considers the female perspective...but I felt a lot of the conversation was about the male role in mythology...so far...
ReplyDeleteI wrote down some notes too...I thought a lot about the world tree and the tree of kowledge that eve took the apple from...I thought 2 things...one, there is no way "god" put this apple there assuming that humanity would not eat of the knowledge. I think this was more a way to show the danger of knowledge to us and that if we were willing to take the risks, there could be issues...but this had nothing to do with sin to me. I also saw that as a child leaving the comfort of home, or even adolesence. As Eve took the apple and began to learn on her own, she had to leave the garden and search out on her own...representational of a parent and child relationship...
PS...I started that other physics book last night. Not sure it's going to be my thing, but I'll give it a little longer.
ReplyDeleteOh yeah...and what's the next part we're reading since I'm a little past the intro now. New blog post with next assignment please.
ReplyDeleteAnd, actually I agree with a lot of what you said. The growing up thing really starts to get addressed in the next few chapters.
About the apple. It REALLY has always botheed m. Being smart is valued - especially by Jews - right? And I know that Moses was given tablets with writing - so God didn't want people to stop reading... so it must really be okay. Perhaps it is like cussing - you're told not to do it, but at some point you learn that you can, it just isn't appropriate "in front of them" and you use it correctly kind of from the start.
ReplyDeleteI think it is a crappy way to teach, though.
I mean - why increase a woman's labor pain and punish us if it is really okay. What a jerk!