Film Lecture Series #1 - Myth and Storytelling + Film Review.
Today we looked at myth and storytelling and how that then feeds into the films we watch.
The word Myth is derived from the Greek word mythos, which are metaphoric stories told through the ages to enlighten our social understanding and to teach generations lessons as well as morals through storytelling. Now a days this form of storytelling is still occurring; but instead of it being through books and handed down stories within a society, it is being done through more modern digital means, for example through films.
From this way of thought came Myth and Morphology, first with Josephs Campbell's monomyth* 'Hero With A Thousand Faces' - also known as The Hero's Journey - and Chris Vogler's 'The Writers Journey.' - which is a shorter, grouped version of Campbell's original idea. In addition to this Soviet folklorist and scholar Vladimir Propp analysed and studied the basic structural elements seen in Russian folklore tales; being then able to help define they way in which stories are told with the use of the terms: Morpheme*, Morphology* and Narrateme* where he describes there is no small part within a story and each 'block' contributes to the meaning of the story.
* Monomyth - is the common layout for stories that center around a hero that typically goes on an adventure, that ultimately then changes their way of life.
* Morpheme - There is no smaller meaningful part.
* Morphology - The morphing of a word through time.
* Narrateme - A block of meaning within a story.
Joseph Campbell's 'The Hero's Journey.' Structure:
Chris Vogler 'The Writers Journey.' Structure:
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| Fig 1. [Film Poster, Advertisement]. |
In the open scene of the film you are immediately met with
the lead protagonist Thomas, who is woken up in a panicked start in the elevator
– also know as the box – carrying supplies and of course a new ‘greenie’ for
the month ahead. (fig 2. see below) Within the first opening scene you miss the first clause/step
in the Hero’s Journey; which the ordinary world, this being what life is like
outside of the maze since the new ‘greenies’ remember nothing of their life
before except their name. Which adds a sense of mystery to how and why those in
the maze are there; this therefore brings the audience immediately into the
call to adventure since Thomas is faced with the confusion of the truth and the
unknown danger facing the Gladers in maze.
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| Fig .2 Maze Runner (2014) [Film Still]. |
After Thomas is out of the box his immediate reaction is to
run from the unknown (Fig 3. see below) after waking up not remembering anything from before. The Gladers
surrounding him even shout ‘we got a runner!’, this then foreshadowing of what
is to come of Thomas’ character later in the motion picture. Whilst Thomas is settling
into camp, he is naturally curious as to what lies beyond the glade wall and is
drawn to the entrance to the maze, only to be stopped by Chuck – his first friend
and supporting guide – who tells him that maze isn’t safe and those who aren’t runners
don’t ever enter the maze. It isn’t until the maze doors shut that reality of
his situation starts to finally set in for our lead protagonist.
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| Fig .3 Maze Runner (2014) [Film Still]. |
Within the first opening scenes of The Maze Runner (2014) you
are met with the ‘supernatural aid’ (the mentor(s)), this being the leader of
the glade; Alby (Fig 4. see below) then Newt who acts a second in command when Alby is not around and
finally Minho -keeper of the runners- and Chuck. All these characters helped to
inform and teach Thomas of the glade rules, the maze and the situation they are
in; without these characters to aid Thomas and spurring his natural curiosity
to the unknown he might not have got as far as he did without their knowledge
and experience.
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| Fig .4 Maze Runner (2014) [Film Still]. |
This directly links onto the crossing the threshold within the
storyline as Thomas is met with a decision of either leaving Minho and Alby to
survive a night in the maze ‘no one ever survives a night in the maze’ or to
stay within the safety of the glade. Whether it was his curiosity or his need
to help his mentors, Thomas immediately jumps into action just as the maze is closing
to help support Minho who was carrying Alby – of which was stung by one of the
grievers. This instantly drags the audience into the belly of the whale step in
the storyline as Thomas, Minho and Alby have to survive a night in the maze; which
has never been done before. At this point in the plot of the story you see Thomas
determined to help Alby by getting him up somewhere high so he is safe with the
aid of Minho, who quickly turns to run when a new section is opened up and a Griever
is set loose. This is also a key turning point within the story as Thomas and Minho
become the first runners to survive a night in the maze and not only that, Thomas
also becomes the first Glader to kill a Griever using his smarts to trap the
creature in between a closing sections of the maze.
With this comes the road of trials Thomas has to undertake,
these being other Gladers not happy with his actions; one mainly being Gally who
had something against Thomas as soon they met and not being open to new ideas
and to those who naturally don’t conform to their societal rules. With this
also comes with those that were ‘stung’ having visions of Thomas being against
them which further strengthens Gally distrust in Thomas.
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| Fig .5 Maze Runner (2014) [Film Still]. |
From there we are met with the meeting the goddess aspect of
the story, which occurs then the box is sent back up shortly after Thomas’
arrival in the glade - of which has never happened before – with a young woman
named Teresa who instantly calls out Thomas’ name when she wakes bearing the
note ‘she the last one ever’, (Fig 5. see above) thus making the Gladers start to panic, this also
then pushing Thomas to want to go back into the maze. Which brings us onto the temptation
phase of the Hero’s Journey as Thomas is naturally curious to see what has
become of the Griever, he killed the night before and wants to see if he can
learn more about the creature and whether it could lead to somewhere the runners
haven’t discovered yet and finds a metal pod with a number and some inscribed initials.
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| Fig .6 Maze Runner (2014) [Film Still]. |
Soon after Thomas returns to camp, he finds Teresa on the
lookout confused and panicked, after he calms her and they start talking and we
learn that Teresa carries vials containing a blue serum (Fig 7, see below) with the WCKD symbols
on them which is the same initials on their supplies from the box and the metal
pod (Fig 6. see above) Thomas found within the dead Griever. This then brings us onto the
atonement of the father - in this case the mentor – as Alby is dying from the
inflection of the Grievers sting. Thomas and Teresa surmise that the blue serum
could cure Alby’s sickness and reverse the wrong done to the main camp leader,
but through doing so Thomas beings to understand that those stung begin to remember
life before and what has been done to the other Gladers.
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| Fig .7 Maze Runner (2014) [Film Still]. |
With the objects collected – serum and Griever metal pod
possibly a tracker - comes the ultimate boon; as the serum as the power to
revive those that were stung and so that they remember their life before and
the metal pod (tracker) as it acts as a homing beacon to find where the Grievers
go in the day. In addition to this Alby had also mapped the entirety of the
maze, (Fig 8. see below) meaning there was a guide/sense of direction around the maze; which also
aided in Thomas figuring out the metal pod as the sections open in the same sequence
and the night he killed the Griever section 7 was open, which is the first clue
that Thomas and Minho decide to follow by going back to section 7.
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| Fig .8 Maze Runner (2014) [Film Still]. |
At this point we reach the refusal of return where Thomas is
set on helping those out of the maze and decide to follow the Grievers metal pod
to where the Grievers go in the day; which could lead to a possible way out. This
leading directly to the magic flight aspect of the story, where Thomas and
Minho are trying to escape the Blades in section 7 before their exit point
closes and they are trapped in the section. From this point onward the glade,
that was once a place of protection from the maze; becomes a hot spot as the Grievers
attack the glade due to the fall of the corporation (WCKD) in charge of the maze
trials. This brings us onto the rescue from without, where the Gladers are hiding
in the council hut and Alby saves Chuck from the Grievers, only to then be caught
in the Grievers grasp with the final statement said to Thomas ‘get them out Thomas’
as he tries to help to stop Alby from being taken but to no avail.
At this point in the Maze Runner (2014) you see Thomas accept
his fate and that he is to be the one to get everyone out and to do so he has
to be stung so he knows what he is really running from. With this I find that
the crossing the return threshold crosses over with the apotheosis in the storyline;
as by getting stung Thomas is able to the gain clarity and remembers life
before and is then able to grasp hold of the situation they are in and explains
that the Gladers are there because of him and Teresa and the company they
worked for (WCKD = Wicked). Which Is also where Thomas becomes set on getting
as many people out as possible through the door way found in section 7. (Fig 9. see below)
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| Fig .9 Maze Runner (2014) [Film Still]. |
Lastly the final steps in The Hero Journey are the master of
two worlds and freedom to live, which is met when Thomas does get out as many of
Gladers as possible and is met with what appears the fall of Wicked. Here you
also see that the leader of Wicked (Fig 10, see below) explains the situation to the Gladers about
the flare virus and that they were a part of an experiment to find a cure for
the virus. Thomas and the Gladers are finally rescued from the maze but are all
left traumatize and left somewhat feeling used as they fly away from the maze.
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| Fig .9 Maze Runner (2014) [Film Still]. |
However, the storyline then goes onto show the audience what
then awaits the Gladers now that they are ‘free’ which then leads onto another
trial, this use of dramatic irony then causes suspense to rise as the Gladers
will then be put to the test once more in the Scorch Trials (2015).
Illustration list:
Fig. 1 The
Maze Runner (2014) [Film Poster, Advertisement]. At: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1790864/mediaviewer/rm2373324800?context=default (Accessed 28/10/2020).
Fig .2 Maze
Runner (2014) [Film Still]. At: Original Film. (Accessed 28/10/2020)
Fig .3 Maze
Runner (2014) [Film Still]. At: Original Film. (Accessed 28/10/2020)
Fig .4 Maze
Runner (2014) [Film Still]. At: Original Film. (Accessed 28/10/2020)
Fig .5 Maze
Runner (2014) [Film Still]. At: Original Film. (Accessed 28/10/2020)
Fig .6 Maze
Runner (2014) [Film Still]. At: Original Film. (Accessed 28/10/2020)
Fig .7 Maze
Runner (2014) [Film Still]. At: Original Film. (Accessed 28/10/2020)
Fig .8 Maze Runner (2014) [Film Still]. At: Original Film. (Accessed 28/10/2020)
Fig .9 Maze Runner (2014) [Film Still]. At: Original Film. (Accessed 28/10/2020)
Fig .10 Maze Runner (2014) [Film Still]. At: Original Film. (Accessed 28/10/2020)
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