Topic > Analysis of a hero's journey in Good Will Hunting

Good Will Hunting, a film where the brightest mind at MIT belongs to the janitor. As he faces obstacles and receives help from others, including a psychology professor, Will Hunting realizes that he is holding himself back from happiness. Throughout the film there are several characters and storylines that are recognizable to every viewer, an idea that dates back to Carl Jung. He believed that every human mind shares collective unconscious memory. This is the concept of the Archetype, which in Good Will Hunting is the hero's journey, a classic narrative structure that follows twelve steps. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The first step is the "ordinary world" which introduces the daily life of the hero. This is where we find our genius hero, Will Hunting, living as a janitor and spending many days in trouble with the law. The will represents two common archetypes that align together; the hero archetype (the main character who endures trials) and the orphan archetype (who establishes an emotional connection). Everyone knows about orphaned heroes; they litter the pages and screens of beloved stories like Harry Potter and Oliver Twist. Comparing these stories to Will, their common hero archetype is illustrated by the process of overcoming obstacles to achieve goals. This is seen as Will overcomes the obstacles of his violent past and a class system to achieve and become more than expected. The second step, "a call to adventure", occurs when Will meets the herald and stays out of prison. Will solves a complex math problem on a college blackboard while taking a break from mopping floors. This prompts Professor Lambeau to seek him out, and Professor Lambeau's archetypal role is established as herald. The herald archetype is a character who indicates that change is coming for the hero. This is indicated when Professor Lambeau finds Will being held for assaulting a police officer. He intervenes and Will avoids prison as long as he works with Lambeau and sees a therapist regularly. The next step is "call rejection". Will will be able to work on math with Professor Lambeau, but he won't go to therapy. It is evident that he is rejecting the guidelines as he uses his intelligence to discourage five therapists. It seems like no one will work with him, until Sean. Step four, 'meet the mentor figure', who is typically older and has a greater breadth of knowledge than others. Mentors help heroes on their journeys and tend to teach heroes how to help themselves. This role in Good Will Hunting is filled by Sean Maguire, a friendly therapist who helps Will overcome his psychological problems. Sean completely alters Will's outlook on life. The fifth step, "crossing the threshold", is the moment when the hero leaves his ordinary world and enters his adventure. This passage takes place in a bar at Harvard University when Will meets Skylar. After a great date with Skylar, Will never calls her back because he's terrified. This introduces Will's adventure as this causes him and Sean to have a significant discussion about Will being fully guarded. This is him walking in the door and discovering that there is something that needs to change in himself. Phase six, “trials, allies, enemies,” is when the hero explores his new world and faces trials. In Harry Potter, this is when Harry befriends Ron and Hermione and becomes Draco's enemy. However, in Good Will Hunting step six is ​​not as defined as in Harry Potter, as it is confused with step seven, "the approach to the innermost cave"..