Apotheosis

Before graduating high school I always felt that I was suited for the military.  My freshman year I already made the decision to join the military after high school.  My sophomore year was no different. My junior year however was very different.  Everyone knows what happened on September 11th, 2001, but this only strengthened my intent of joining the military.  I remember sitting in my social studies class when over the intercom they spoke about a plane crashing into the first tower, and everyone was told to turn their televisions on.  Watching the second plane hit, it occurred to me that these acts will continue to happen even if I chose not to enlist.  My thoughts were, if I did join I could have a part in protecting this country from more events like this.  I could help save lives.  I knew this was what I wanted to do.  This was me, I cared about everyone else in this country (world), and I felt I should be part of trying to repair the damage done.

Samsara

Samsara or “wondering-on”, is the interaction between you and those around you (including your environment).  It’s during this wondering-on that you go through experiencing life and eventually finding out who you really are as an individual.  Samsara’s worlds are like the constant thresholds in our lives today.  Always changing but sometimes not for the good.  It’s how we learn from these collapsing worlds and move pass them where will we know ones self.

Every threshold that I’ve crossed could be considered my worlds created and destroyed only to create again.  From my first steps as a child, to being toilet trained, to graduating high school, to entering the military, and to entering college.  Every day is a new threshold, a new time to shine if you will, but it’s if you utilize that time correctly will it benefit you in the future.

Into the Woods

Jack stuck out at first as the fool archetype.  He was the village idiot, but through his experiences with the giants, he became the knowledgeable one on how to save the town.  Also, his main goal was try and find a way to provide for him and his mother and try and find a friend (other then milky white). In the end he was able to in Little Red.

The Baker also stood out in the play as the caregiver / the lover archetype.  His drive was to remove the curse put on his family by the witch so he and his wife could have a child.  He thought his journey was just to be completely by him and his wife should stay at home, but over the course of time he come to realize that doing it together would increase their chances of completing the task.  Also, with them working together, it brought them closer to each other.

The music was an extremely important part in this play because it expresses how each character feels. One of the songs that really stood out in the musical was “Agony”, sung by the princes, it expresses how they feel about being married and not able to continue on their adventures and rescuing damsels.  Another song was “Into the Woods,” it spoke of the transition area for each of the stories to cross each other.  In the woods was where anything could happen, almost a magical, mystical, dreamland.  Without the woods, there would be no journey, it was the beginning and end, where they found out about the world and about each other.  Without the music the stories would not have as much feeling.  They helped “paint” the picture of the scenes, emotions, and story.

Into the Woods offers it’s readers/viewers the idea that even though you may get off your path there is still knowledge to be gained. When you return to your path the knowledge you have gained will help you along your way.

Midterm Paper Ideas

For my midterm paper I actually thought about creating a story that follows along with the monomyth.  The purpose for this type of paper is because I enjoy writing stories more then writing essays.  Also, I enjoy reading fantasy fiction books like, Forgotten Realms and Dragon Lance.

Another Idea I had, was to actually tell my story, my life up until now, and relate it back to the monomyth.  A lot of the information for this part would come from current writings I’ve done in this class, and just the experiences I’ve had over time.  Now the purpose for this idea, would probably seem a little easier to write then the story because I’ve lived this story.

Belly of the Whale

To be in the belly of the whale is to be in a situation where you feel there is no way out.  However, if you completely devote yourself to the situation there is always a way out.  In order to do that you have to completely leave your comfort zone.

Just like Odysseus in The Odyssey, when he had to become a common beggar in order to get back to his family.  He had to completely give himself to the situation, if he did not do this he would’ve been killed by the suitors and never made it back home.

Then there is Hazel from Watership Down, who if he did not completely give himself into being the leader of his band of vagabonds, they would not have survived the trip to their new warren.  They would not have been able to save Bigwig from the snare if it had been for Hazel giving orders.  It’s being able to give yourself to the situation that allows you to get out of a tight spot.  Therefore, being in the belly of the whale just requires more work to get passed the situation.

I know that I’ve used this poem in another blog but I feel that this poem also fits this concept of completely applying yourself to the situation.  Going through the trials described below but in the end being able to look back and say that your “still here” is very empowering, and  the only way that I know how to make it through the trials of life is devoting yourself to those situations.

Still Here

Langston Hughes (1902 – 1967)

I’ve been scarred and battered.

My hopes the wind done scattered.

Snow has friz me, sun has baked me.

    Looks like between’em

    They done tried to make me

Stop laughin’, stop lovin’, stop livin’ –

    But I don’t care!

    I’m still here!

Limen?

According to Wikipedia, limen in physiology, psychology, or psychophysics is a threshold of a physiological or psychological response. So, to “dumb down” this definition, I would consider a limen to be a situation in someones life where they have to step away from their comfort zone and experience something new, only to return to the comfort zone, but with new knowledge.

In Watership Down, Hazel and Fiver cross their first threshold when they left the Sandleford warren.  Odysseus, in The Odyssey, crossed his first threshold when he departed his family and went to Troy.  In Homeland by R.A. Salvatore, Drizzt leaves his familiar home, and ventures into the Underdark (underground wilderness).  These are just some examples of a threshold, but are not the only examples.  A lifetime is comprised of multiple thresholds.  It’s the thresholds that make life worth living, giving those the experience to teach others.

Acquainted with the Night

Robert Frost (1874 – 1963)

I have been one acquainted with the night.

I have walked out in rain – and back in rain.

I have outwalked the furthest city light.

I have looked down the saddest city lane.

I have passed by the watchman on his beat

And dropped my eyes, unwilling to explain.

I have stood still and stopped the sound of feet

When far away an interrupted cry

Came over houses from another street,

But not to call me back or say good-by;

And further still at an unearthly height

One luminary clock against the sky

Proclaimed the time was neither wrong nor right.

I have been one acquainted with the night.

This poem speaks of different situations this person has experienced just by being out at night.  Each of this situations could be considered a different threshold.  All this new experiences were received by crossing that first threshold, being “…one acquainted with the night.”

Supernatural Aid

When someone is asked if they have ever experienced supernatural aid, the common thought is a God or Goddess  (depending on the religion) has helped them through a difficult situation so I could say that, “I prayed to God and he helped me through a rough time,” but I’ve done that so many times I wouldn’t be able to elaborate on a certain situation.

However, I do like the definition or explanation  given in, Myth Show 04: Monomyth – Separation Defined, “‘Suppernatural Aid,’ the unsuspected assistance that comes to one who has undertaken his proper adventure.”  With this definition, the supernatural aid takes on a whole new aspect.  So, with that new aspect in mind, I will explain my adventure.

After graduating high school I entered into the United States Air Force.  After injuring my knee while in, the opportunity came for me to get out, but still have the option to return if I so chose.  With this new opportunity, I decided that I was going to enter college, get my degree, and return as a commissioned officer.  Unfortunately, it didn’t go as well as I hoped at first.

Before leaving for my base, I purchased a fairly new truck, had a cell phone, bought a new computer, had a credit card, and why not, I have a guaranteed job for the next 6 years right?  Well I just left the military after a year and one month of service to go to college full time.  How am I going to pay for this?  It turned out I couldn’t, my truck got repossessed, I lost my cell phone, had to sell my computer, and couldn’t afford to pay the rest I owed on my truck.  No college for me.

After working for 3 years, trying to make ends meet, I made the decision to enter school and try and figure out what to do at that point.  It wasn’t until a friend of mine helped me onto the right track.  Helped me through rough times, and eventually back into the military (US Air Force Reserves), where I spent the last 2 years while attending school.

Without that help I don’t think I would be where I am at now.  Full time student, debt free, and able to enjoy and put in the time needed to graduate, and hopefully back into the military as a commissioned officer.  It was that unexpected assistance, that got me on the correct path, and I plan on seeing this path through.

Still Here

Langston Hughes (1902 – 1967)

I’ve been scarred and battered.

My hopes the wind done scattered.

Snow has friz me, sun has baked me.

    Looks like between’em

    They done tried to make me

Stop laughin’, stop lovin’, stop livin’ –

    But I don’t care!

    I’m still here!

This poem, to me, refers to the trials of life.  There is always that self-fulfillment when we make it over the first “hurdle,” but that self-satisfaction is always stronger when you have someone there with you.  That someone could be God, a friend or friends, family, it could be an object, or feeling, but whatever it is, it could be your supernatural aid.

The Call

In reference to the call in Watership Down, Hazel receives his call from Fiver.  This call, like in the definition, would require Hazel to leave his familiar surroundings and go outside of his comfort zone.  At first he tries to talk to Fiver about maybe hes just over reacting (Hazel’s refusal), and eventually after Fiver explains, the best he can, Hazel feels that going outside of his comfort zone would benefit not only him but possibly others as well.

I feel that the call refers, not only to an “adventure” as we know it, but to anything new that we experience in our lives.  Sometimes we might not understand the call, but we know that it’s a step in our life.  From learning how to walk as a baby, to our first day of school, graduating high school, going to college, or into the workforce.  All of these are situations that refer to the call, and all of them pertain to me.

A call of my own that I would like to share would be when I decided my junior year of high school that I would enlist into the military (specifically the US Air Force), and I entered the Delayed Entry Program or DEP.  The DEP was just a non-contracted promise to the military that you were going to enlisted. Going into my senior year I actually thought about not joining.  Listening to all of my friends and classmates talk about where they were going and planing on doing was very tempting.  I too wanted the ‘college’ experience that is depicted in movies today.  Animal House, Back to School, and Van Wilder are just some examples of the desired college experience.

My entire senior year I struggled with the question of going into the military or going to college.  Eventually I did make my decision, with the help of friends and family and entered the US Air Force on 09/09/2003.  I don’t regret my choice. I answered my call (one of many), and I feel that I have gained knowledge that will further my success in the future, whether in college or in the workforce.

The Arrow and the Song

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807 – 1882)

I shot an arrow into the air,

It fell to earth, I knew not where;

For, so swiftly it flew, the sight

Could not follow it in its flight.

I breathed a song into the air,

It fell to earth, I knew not where;

For who has sight so keen and strong,

That it can follow the flight of song?

Long, long afterward, in an oak

I found the arrow, still unbroke;

And the song, from beginning to end,

I found again in the heart of a friend.

In this poem the arrow symbolizes going into the military, and the song symbolizes me thinking about going to college.  In the end of the poem finding the arrow would symbolize me deciding to go into the military, and the song is the support of my friends and family.

Shitload of Concepts

In the stories explained in the poems and literature we read, are the heroes and the archetypal characters, following the monomyth (the heroes journey).  We also see the monomyth in the movies we watch.  In the movie Stand By Me, we see a group of friends out on a “quest,” but throughout the movie they all learn a lot about themselves and each other.  It’s the stories depicted in these poems, literature, and movies, that allows us to make connections with others, and  in turn we follow the monomyth on our own journey through life.

Monomyth and Archetypes

The monomyth and archetypes play a role in our lives today.  We see the monomyth protrayed in the movies we watch, the books we read, and in our own lives.  This is also the same with the archetypes.  Without the archetypes there would be no hero, or lover, or sage, and therefore no heroic journey.

In the book Watership Down by Richard Adams, is about rabbits, knowing there is danger, leave their home to find a safer place to start a warren. Hazel (the hero) is talking to his friend Fiver (the sage), and durning their conversation Fiver explains that there is an impending doom on the warren.  Affraid of change Hazel feels that Fiver is just rambling but then later belives his friend and decides to take the information to the Cheif Rabbit (the ruler).  After speaking with the Cheif Rabbit, Hazel and Fiver still feel that doom is coming and  they should gather a few rabbits (the hunting group of companions) who would like to leave (road of trials). As you can see, the characters in the book are following the steps of the monomyth and fullfilling certain archetypes.

When we read Watership Down, other books, or watch movies where there is a hero, we can relate to these characters. We have those companions willing to face danger with us, or that one person who always lets us know the truth weither we like to or not.  It’s this connection we make that makes the movies, books, and the experiences in our lives enjoyable.