Why is this a story we should end the semester on?
"Haroun and the Sea of Stories" was a very interesting book which I believe incorporated very clearly the different steps of a Hero's Journey or heroic Monomyth as Joseph Campbell describes it. In the first stage, known as "DEPARTURE" in the Monomyth, Haroun's journey begins when he understands that his life will never be the same after his Mom left and his Dad Rashid had lost the ability to tell stories. Haroun becomes aware of his outside world and he accepts to embrace the call to adventure and to help his Dad. Haroun meets Butt, who shows him symbolically the light after the tunnel or the hope, the beauty after the fear and the obstacles. Haroun is "crossing the Threshold", when he has left the comfort of his home to pursue these new adventures. Harounalso meets Supernatural Aids like Iff, who gives him a chance to begin his "INITIATION" with strength (the second stage in the Monomyth). Haroun will have to face challenges to help his understanding of the world & himself: go to Kahani, and save a princess for example. The book also covers the final stage, "RETURN" of the Hero's Journey with Haroun's & Rashid's return back home. Overall I believe that this novel clearly explained the different steps in the Hero's Journey and this is what makes it interesting and a good way to end the semester.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Female heroes... ?
On p. 107, Blabbermouth gives Haroun a piece of feminist advice. She basically says that girls aren’t able to be strong (or heroic) characters because of the ways people stereotype them. Think about contemporary female heroes. Do we have any? Do we value the fact that they are female?
I think that what Blabbermouth tells Haroun on page 107 is in the end correct. Today we do have female's acting as heroes but they are ultimately viewed differently than a male hero. People do still currently stereotype those female heroes and this is why the movies that have male heroes make more money then the ones that have female heroes. I do also believe though that female heroes are needed to some extent. Maybe one day the female heroes could overpass the male heroes... At the moment when we see female heroes in movies we value what they are doing but we still have in the back of our minds that the male heroes are stronger and have a higher reputation. It depends on the scenario of the story of course but overall females are unfortunately stereotyped the way Blabbermouth presents it to Haroun. She is a female and she is telling this to Haroun which makes her advice perhaps more valid than if a man were to say this.
Lately it definitely seems as if there have been many more movies and stories with male heroes as the main characters than movies with female heroes. Directors out there know that if you have a well known male hero play in your movie, then you will make more money than if a female hero were to act out the role. They believe the stereotypes on female heroes that Blabbermouth tells Haroun to a certain level and this is why we see less female heroes out there than male heroes, and also why male heroes get more attention.
I think that what Blabbermouth tells Haroun on page 107 is in the end correct. Today we do have female's acting as heroes but they are ultimately viewed differently than a male hero. People do still currently stereotype those female heroes and this is why the movies that have male heroes make more money then the ones that have female heroes. I do also believe though that female heroes are needed to some extent. Maybe one day the female heroes could overpass the male heroes... At the moment when we see female heroes in movies we value what they are doing but we still have in the back of our minds that the male heroes are stronger and have a higher reputation. It depends on the scenario of the story of course but overall females are unfortunately stereotyped the way Blabbermouth presents it to Haroun. She is a female and she is telling this to Haroun which makes her advice perhaps more valid than if a man were to say this.
Lately it definitely seems as if there have been many more movies and stories with male heroes as the main characters than movies with female heroes. Directors out there know that if you have a well known male hero play in your movie, then you will make more money than if a female hero were to act out the role. They believe the stereotypes on female heroes that Blabbermouth tells Haroun to a certain level and this is why we see less female heroes out there than male heroes, and also why male heroes get more attention.
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