Chapter one of Eragon book
Eragon: Archetypal Hero? (first draft)[ *]
The Hero's Journey is, according to Joseph Campbell one of the seven basic plots[ 1]. It has shown up in numerous movies, books, television shows and any other sort of media. It is comprised of steps that must be taken to complete a quest and allow for character growth from a child to an adult. It is a maturation story. Christoper Paolini has declared that his Inheritance series is, "is an archetypal hero story, filled with exciting action, dangerous villains, and fantastic locations. There are dragons and elves, sword fights and unexpected revelations, and of course, a beautiful maiden who's more than capable of taking care of herself."[ 2] His archetypal hero is Eragon, a young farm boy who becomes one of the legendary Dragon Riders.
Eragon goes through the steps of becoming an archetypal hero, but this not so. His journey maybe the Hero's Journey, but he doesn't show any of the character growth needed, his actions are contrary to that of a traditional hero and in many ways he acts more like a villain that that of a hero. It is as if Paolini understood the steps of becoming a hero but didn't understand that the actions of the character had to also be heroic for them to truly be an archetypal hero. It's more than the journey, but the thoughts and deeds.
Throughout both Eragon and Eldest Eragon proves himself to be a self centered, sociopath who believes that the world should be handed to him on a plater. He also displays a distinct lack of connection to reality and empathy for the people around him.
The first hint of this is in the beginning of Eragon when he learns that his cousin Roran is going away. Instead of thinking about how it must before Roran to be leaving his family, he takes it as a personal insult to him. He intentional distances himself from Roran and then wonders why they have drifted apart, clearly not aware of the repercussions of his actions or the fact that the problem might be his. (quote here)
[ *]
It's funny how many first drafts I do on LJ. Eeeeh.
[ 1]
Citation here.
[ 2]
http://www.alagaesia.com/christopherpaolini.htm
Edit Chapter on the Homosexual undercurrents in the book.
The Hero's Journey is, according to Joseph Campbell one of the seven basic plots[ 1]. It has shown up in numerous movies, books, television shows and any other sort of media. It is comprised of steps that must be taken to complete a quest and allow for character growth from a child to an adult. It is a maturation story. Christoper Paolini has declared that his Inheritance series is, "is an archetypal hero story, filled with exciting action, dangerous villains, and fantastic locations. There are dragons and elves, sword fights and unexpected revelations, and of course, a beautiful maiden who's more than capable of taking care of herself."[ 2] His archetypal hero is Eragon, a young farm boy who becomes one of the legendary Dragon Riders.
Eragon goes through the steps of becoming an archetypal hero, but this not so. His journey maybe the Hero's Journey, but he doesn't show any of the character growth needed, his actions are contrary to that of a traditional hero and in many ways he acts more like a villain that that of a hero. It is as if Paolini understood the steps of becoming a hero but didn't understand that the actions of the character had to also be heroic for them to truly be an archetypal hero. It's more than the journey, but the thoughts and deeds.
Throughout both Eragon and Eldest Eragon proves himself to be a self centered, sociopath who believes that the world should be handed to him on a plater. He also displays a distinct lack of connection to reality and empathy for the people around him.
The first hint of this is in the beginning of Eragon when he learns that his cousin Roran is going away. Instead of thinking about how it must before Roran to be leaving his family, he takes it as a personal insult to him. He intentional distances himself from Roran and then wonders why they have drifted apart, clearly not aware of the repercussions of his actions or the fact that the problem might be his. (quote here)
[ *]
It's funny how many first drafts I do on LJ. Eeeeh.
[ 1]
Citation here.
[ 2]
http://www.alagaesia.com/christopherpaolini.htm
Edit Chapter on the Homosexual undercurrents in the book.