Understanding the Hero's Journey of The Matrix's Thomas Anderson - Essay Example

Understanding the hero’s journey of The Matrix’s Thomas Anderson Myths and legends are now discredited as amisconception or work of creative imagination. Joseph Campbell, a famous mythologist, discovered that myths, metaphors, and heroes are an indispensable part of any story irrespective of the era or culture it belongs to (Campbell and Moyers 4). A hero’s journey is actually like an alibi which is used to evoke the emotion of positivity and soul searching within a reader (Campbell and Moyers 4). We instantly feel connected to the ordinary man, who is destined to turn into an epitome of gallantry, because “what we’re seeking is an experience of being alive, so that our life experiences on the purely physical plane will have resonances within our own innermost being and reality” (Campbell and Moyers 4). This is why the pattern of a hero’s journey has always been the same. Christopher Vogler and Stuart Voytilla categorized Campbell’s theory into twelve stages. Amazingly, most of the present age literature and cinematic masterpieces fit perfectly on these stages. To prove this theory, we need to compare a modern example of heroic endeavor on the lines of their ideology. This paper is an attempt to evaluate the journey of Neo, hero of the most unusual sci-fi blockbuster of 1999 “The Matrix," on these stages. Evaluation of Neo’s journey: The first stage introduces us to the ordinary world, which Voytilla describes as “the Hero’s home, the safe haven upon which the Special World and the Journey’s outcome must be compared” (Voytilla 8). The Matrix’s hero Thomas Anderson is shown working as a programmer for a software company and leads a secret life as a hacker “Neo” who is trying to understand the mystery behind the Matrix. It is a deliberate effort by every story teller to make us realize that the hero is not satisfied with the life he is living, and is looking for self-discovery and the answers to the mysteries of life (Vogler 84). The second stage initiates the call to adventure which Campbell believed “signifies that destiny has summoned the hero, and transferred his spiritual center of gravity from within the pale of his society to a zone unknown” (Campbell 48). Neo receives the first call when his alarm clock wakes him, and two messages appear on his computer screen “Wake up Neo" and “Matrix has you...follow the white rabbit." This is followed by a knock on his door. It shows that the hero needs awakening at some point of his life, and drawn towards realizing the special task he needs to accomplish. The hero refuses to accept the call, which is termed as the third stage of this journey. This happens because of the” fears and insecurities that have surfaced from the Call to Adventure” (Voytilla 8). Neo’s refusal is shown in the movie when a person named Choi (choice) bearing the tattoo of white rabbit invites him out, and Neo hesitates. Then later, he receives an alarming phone call which scares him, and he tries to escape through a window. Hero’s reluctance is natural because fear of the unknown is human nature (Vogler 100). The uncertainty surrounding the task and the mysterious special world offered is what entices the hero, and restrain him from taking the step also (Vogler 107). Fourth stage involves meeting the mentor. Voytilla explains that “the Hero meets a Mentor to gain confidence, insight, advice, training, or magical gifts to overcome the initial fears” (Voytilla 9). In every tale, there is some guiding factor, most likely a man or woman, who compels, explains, and trains the hero (Vogler 39). In Matrix, Morpheus is Neo’s mentor. Morpheus tells him about Oracle’s prophecy, and that he is the One destined for protecting the human race. This leads to the Fifth stage that is of crossing the first threshold where “hero ventures forth from the world of a common day into a region of supernatural wonder” (Campbell 23). This is the point which separates the hero from the ordinary world. Morpheus asks Neo to make the choice of entering the special world by taking a red pill or leave by choosing the blue one. Since Neo wants to know the truth about Matrix, he accepts to enter the real world. When he opens his eyes, he finds himself into the virtual world, thus the first threshold is crossed. Voytilla writes that this stage “signifies that the Hero has finally committed to the Journey” (Voytilla 9). The sixth stage is where the hero “faces Tests, encounters Allies, confronts Enemies, and learns the rules of this Special World” (Voytilla 10). Neo has to face the fact that the world he knew so far was unreal, and the Matrix is, in fact, a prison controlled by robots through Artificial Intelligence. He learns that every human is actually a slave and being bred for providing energy. He experiences his first confrontation with the enemy, i.e.; the AI agents, and is aided by his allies, the team of Morpheus. He meets Trinity, who is his Divine Feminine. He receives the supernatural aid from Oracle when he visits her, and she encourages him. Hero’s road of trials or approach to the inmost cave begins in the seventh stage. Campbell explains it as “the beginning of the long and really perilous path of initiatory conquests and moments of illumination” (Campbell 90). Neo undergoes extensive combat training program and is challenged by Morpheus on several occasions. He does not perform well at first but eventually gains confidence and succeeds at every task. This stage helps the hero in overcoming his fears or doubts, and gain expertise on the skills required. In the eighth stage, the hero faces the ultimate challenge or ordeal which is “the central magical stage of any Journey” (Voytilla 10). In Matrix, this stage occurs when Morpheus gets captured by the agents of AI due to the betrayal of Neo’s rival Cypher. Neo tries to escape with Trinity, which shows that the Hero has a chance to return. Ninth stage involves the hero’s understanding of his potential or the gift which distinguishes him from others. Neo realizes that he has the power to control the Matrix, and that his brain is his magic talisman because he can download and absorb information quickly. The tenth stage is about the Road Back which entails the Hero’s recommitment to the journey. Voytilla explains it as “a moment when the Hero must choose between the Journey of a Higher Cause versus the personal Journey of the Heart” (Voytilla 11). Neo decides to face the challenge by returning to the actual world, and fight with the AI Agents to save Morpheus. This ordeal serves as the turning point in a hero’s journey which Campbell explained as “the black moment is the moment when the real message of transformation is going to come, at the darkest moment comes the light” (Campbell and Moyers 44). This leads to the Resurrection or the last encounter with death, i.e.; the eleventh stage. Neo’s final affliction begins when he decides to save Morpheus and he gets involved in a dangerous fight with the agents. Then Trinity gets into a life-threatening trouble. She is in a helicopter that is about to crash. Neo by now has realized his extraordinary power to control the Matrix, and manages to rescue Morpheus and controls the machine to save Trinity. Now the hero has figured out his potential to manipulate and destroy the evil threat. In the twelfth stage, the triumphant hero returns to the ordinary world with a special reward or Elixir. Voytilla explains that “Elixir can be a great treasure or magic potion. It could be love, wisdom, or simply the experience of having survived the Special World” (Voytilla 12). In the Matrix, this stage occurs when Neo declares war over the machines. He decides that he will save the humanity and will reclaim their freedom on earth. Archetypes in Matrix: Christopher Vogler believes that “the archetypes are amazingly constant throughout all times and cultures” and that archetypes are, in fact “an indispensable tool for understanding the purpose or function of characters within a story” (Vogler 23). Hero is undoubtedly the main source of any story, but archetypes complete the cycle of his journey. Vogler provided seven archetypes which he believes are present in every heroic endeavor and an analysis of the modern age sci-fi saga The Matrix proves his point. In Matrix, the inevitable guide or mentor is Morpheus, agent Smith is the Threshold Guardian; Oracle is the Herald; Cypher is the trickster; Trinity is the Ally; the Machines and agents are Shape-shifters, and shadow of darkness is the agent Smith. This explains the presence of almost every element of Vogler’s archetypes in Matrix. The Matrix and Plato’s Allegory of the Cave: Matrix presented an unorthodox concept of a virtual world, yet there are a lot of common symbols and similitude in the plot that are evident when compared to Plato’s allegory of the Cave (Hudale 58). Though Matrix belongs to a completely different genre of storytelling, yet it comes across as heavily inspired by Plato’s Cave. The situation depicted in both is a place where humans are being kept the only difference is that Plato’s prison is a cave, where as in Matrix, it is a simulated world. In both stories, the world is being controlled, in Plato’s cave it is done by form holders, and in Matrix the AI robots and their agents perform this task. One prisoner in Plato’s cave manages to free himself of the chains he was tied to and follows the fire, in Matrix Neo leaves the ordinary world and follows his mentor. The central characters in both stories find the reality of the true world shocking and enlightening (Hudale 59). The difference between the hero’s journey of Plato’s prisoner and Matrix’s Neo is that the former did not receive any support or guidance from others, whereas Neo is constantly guided and aided by Morpheus. The basic theme behind both stories is amazingly the same, which is about searching for the inner-self and understanding the reality behind what we perceive as actuality. According to Martin Hudale “there is a specific relationship existing between the unseen world of ideas and their corresponding visible copies in the phenomenal world” (Hudale 58). This is undeniably true that we usually give priority to the outer-world, and forget about what may lie beneath (Hudale 60). That is why we need literatures like Allegory of the Cave and movies like The Matrix to waken us up from the state of delirium and self-denial. An evaluation of The Matrix on the theories presented by Campbell, Vogler, and Voytilla, it becomes clear that it is a modern age embodiment of all the major mythological elements and symbols. The message that every hero’s journey tries to convey is that there are possibilities beyond our imagination. What we experience is a mere reflection, of how we want our life to be. When one tries to escape the truth, he becomes a prisoner within his own world. However, when one opens his mind, and tries to understand his genuine self, then everything becomes clear, and he experiences his true personality and the strength he possesses. Works Cited Campbell, Joseph, and Moyers, Bill. The Power of Myth. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, 1991. Print. Campbell, Joseph. The Hero with a Thousand Faces. New World Library, 2008. eBook. Hudale, Martin. The Matrix of Mysticism: A Call For A New Reformation. Xulon Press, 2008. eBook. Vogler, Christopher. The Writers Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers. Michael Wiese Productions, 2007. Print. Voytilla, Stuart. Myth and the movies: discovering the mythic structure of 50 unforgettable films. Michael Wiese Productions, 1999. Print. Read More