Compare and Show a Hero\'s Journey Joseph Campbell in a Movie Such as Hancock

Hero's Journeyv

A Hero's Journey: Rooster Cogburn in True Grit

The three central characters in the film True Grit are Rooster Cogburn, a rough U.S. marshal, Mattie Ross, a girl who plans to bring her father's killer, Tom Cheney, to justice, and LaBoeuf, a Texas Ranger who wants to capture Cheney for his own reasons. The story follows a pattern of narrative identified by Joseph Campbell. It is an adventure story that has the same structure as other classic adventure stories that we see in drama and myth.

At the beginning, we see Rooster Cogburn in his ordinary world. It is the first stage in the hero's journey. Rooster is asleep after a night of drinking. Mattie finds him and wakes him. In his ordinary world, Rooster Cogburn was drunk, dirty and mean. He liked to be by himself. He did not care about anyone. He did not care about anything but money and drinking. Mattie gives him the call to adventure, which is the second stage in the hero's journey. Rooster resists, which is the third stage in the journey He must be persuaded to take this challenge

In Joseph Campbell's fourth stage, the hero is encouraged by a mentor. Mattie and LaBoeuf are not mentors, but they do encourage Rooster to look for Tom Cheney. Rooster is persuaded by the promise of a cash reward. He is selfish and thinks only of the money.

In the fifth stage of the hero's journey, the adventure begins. Rooster and LaBoeuf set off, but they do not want Mattie to go with them. She will not take no for an answer, however. Maddie misses the ferry when the two men leave town but she rides her horse across the river to catch up with them. The men are impressed when they see that Mattie is tough and determined. Rooster starts to form a bond with Mattie because he admires her courage. He sees that the mission is very important to her. He has a new commitment to finding Tom Cheney.

Rooster learns that Cheney's gang is hiding in a cabin. The three plan to surprise Cheney. Rooster and Mattie go first. Rooster kills two men. LaBoeuf arrives later and, before Rooster can warn him, LaBoeuf is ambushed by Cheney and the rest of his gang. Rooster rescues LaBoeuf, and their bond becomes stronger. This scene is the sixth stage in the hero's journey, where Rooster's allies and enemies are clearly shown.

Days later, Rooster is in a gun battle with Cheney's gang. It is a dangerous place, as Campbell prescribes in the seventh stage of the hero's journey. Rooster is alone because Mattie and LaBoeuf are in the mountains, trying to deal with Cheney. They watch Rooster take the reins in his teeth and single-handedly ride into battle against the gang.

Cheney captured Mattie when she was alone for a few minutes at the river. Mattie manages to shoot him. She kills him, but the kickback from her gun makes her fall into a deep crevasse. She is rescued, but not before she is bitten by a rattlesnake.