Alternate Realities

We all have certain perspectives on all aspects of life, whether the views are moral, political, religous, etc..  In this class I will ask you to keep an open mind and respect each other’s opinions.  We all come from varying backgrounds.  We will discuss many sensitive subjects in this class, such as religion, spirituality (yes, there is a difference ), morality, and politics.   Crittical thinking begins when we begin to open our minds and ask hard questions of ourselves and others.  The material presented in this class will come from a variety of resources. 

The reference text we will be using is Joseph Campbells, A Hero With a Thousand Faces.   Fantasy Literature and Science Fiction are two genres that are rife with the hero motif.  After this class you will see the hero’s  journey every where!

Joesph Campbell states:

” Man is that alien presence with whom the forces of egoism must come to terms, through whom the ego  is to be crucified and resurrected, and in whose image society is to be reformed. Man, understood however  not as “I” but as “thou”: for the ideals and temporal institutions of no tribe, race, continent, social class, or century, can be the measure of the inexhaustable and multifariously wonderful divine existence that is the life in all of us.

The modern hero, the modern inividual who dares to heed the call and seek the mansion of that presence with whom it is our whole destiny to be atoned, cannot, indeed must not, wait for his/her community to cast off its slough of pride, fear, rationalized avarice and sanctified misunderstanding. “Live,” Nietzsche says, “as though the day were here”. It is not society that is to guide and save the creative hero, but precisely the reverse. And so every one of us shares the supreme ordeal–carries the cross of the redeemer- not in the bright moments of his great tribe’s victories, but in the silences of personal despair” (391).

Who are you????

Rachel believes that Bruce has become the symbol he represents.  Do you believe that Bruce Wayne now identifies more with his “symbolic mask” of a bat , or do you think that the bat persona is his mask?

Obe Wan says to Luke: “Many of the truths [in life] depends richly on our own point of view”   Obe Wan feels he did not lie about Darth Vader.  Anakan Skywalker is dead…

Is truth realtive to certain situations?

Luke asks Yoda, “Is the dark side stronger?” Yoda answers, “No, it is more seductive.”

When Luke enters the cave,Yoda tells him he will not need anything when he enteres the cave, yet Luke brings his light saber.  He kills “Darth Vader” and sees himself.. What does this symbolize?  How is the Dark Side more seductive?

“The psychological rule says that when an inner situation is not made conscious, it happens outside as fate. That is to say, when the individual remains undivided and does not become conscious of his inner opposite, the world must perforce act out the conflict and be torn into opposing halves.”

— DR. CARL GUSTAV JUNG

“Jung identified the Shadow as one of the four principle archetypes of thecollectiveunconscious. It is composed of the dark elements of the personality, having anemotional and primitive nature which resists moral control” (CG Jung – Aion. Coll. Wks, 1951 – uky.edu)

I would hypothesize, that our fear lurks within shadow nature, and when we do not confront our fears they manifest themeselves in an unhealthy manner.  Do you agree or diagree?

We will be discussing at length the hero’s journey in relation to all aspects of life, not just fantasy/science fiction books.   We will explore the different characters that are the heroes in the novels we read or have read.  We need heroes; who are our modern day heroes?  Why is it important to have a hero in our lives/cultture?