ATTN JMS: Joseph Campbell and the Hero's Journey

[B5JMS Poster]

Subject: ATTN JMS: Joseph Campbell and the Hero's Journey
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 No. | DATE        |  FROM
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s  1: Mar  4, 1997: b1gator at camalott.com
*  2: Mar  4, 1997: jmsatb5 at aol.com (Jms at B5)

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From: b1gator at camalott.com
Lines: 18

Just got Joseph Campbell's "The Hero With A Thousand Masks", and as I was
reading through the chapters outlining and explaining the various stages of
the "Hero's Journey", I read the examples offered from classical mythology
and saw as well that several examples from B5 fit perfecly. Sheridan as "the
Hero", Kosh as his advisor/mentor preparing him for his quest, Sheridan's
"death" to prepare him to ascend to a higher level of being, Z'Ha'Dum as the
"axis mundi" or "World Navel" where the old hero is slain and then born anew
as a new man... I could go on forever. What I am wondering is if the
connections are accident/subconscious or if you read the book and drew upon
it for inspiration. Lord know there's a lot of good stuff in there. Thanks
for your valuable time, 

Dan Coffin
b1gator at camalott.com
sic transit gloria mundi




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From: jmsatb5 at aol.com (Jms at B5)
Lines: 18

I'm definitely familiar with Campbell's work.  In the case of B5, it was
sort of in the back of my head, but I didn't work to stick to the
progression point for point, because I was afraid then it becomes
mechanical.  "Hero" is good for analysis *after* the fact, not during...if
you try to apply it during the creative process, it becomes like the
centipede asked which foot goes first.  It's an analytical device, not a
creative device.  

That was the problem with "Beyond Thunderdome."  Prior to then the Mad Max
movies were written on their own terms; prior to BT, George Miller read
"Hero," and worked too hard to make it all fit.


 jms




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