188 Stage Hero's Journey - Screenwriting - Gran Torino (2008)

Author: IlonBene

Some of the stages of the Hero's Journey within this story follow:

a) There is an initial death (Walt's wife dies). This represents the death of the Another World, the one where the Hero remains in isolation between the Peripheral World and the Ordinary World.

b) There is the Innocent Archetype (Thao); this is one of the major transformations in this story (Thao's journey from boy to man), another being Walt's (his gradual acceptance of his neighbours).

c) There is the push to cross physical borders and then the actual crossing of them (breaking the garden gnome; "get off my lawn").

d) There is the Old World attachment and detachment process (Walt is attached to his Korean war memories).

e) There is the Supernatural Aid archteype (Walt plays this when he rescues Sue; Sue plays it when she guides Walt into her World).

f) There is the Road of Trials (Thao's working for Walt) and the associated dissolution of the Modified Self (Walt's despising of Thao decreases).

g) There is the Sword and Bride Theft (Thao is initially unprepared for the Seizing of the Sword; it is his journey with Walt that gives him the capacity to do so; he finally asks the girl out).

h) There is the Rebirth through Death Experience (a result of Sue's rape). Both Walt and Thao are ready to take on the gangbangers after that.

i) There is the Elixir (the Gran Torino is finally given to Thao).

j) There is the becoming of the Master of the Two Worlds (Walt calls Thao his friend in the end of the story).

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Kal Bishop, MBA