Campbells Contemporary Heroes - Essay Example

9 October Zeitoun and The Man Who Quit Money: Campbell’s Contemporary Heroes Mythical heroes often have the same plots, beginning with their departure from their native communities to their transformation through trials to their return to their homelands. Joseph Campbell presents his thesis about the role of the hero-figure in mythologies from different countries. His thesis consists of the following basic stages: the hero is separated from his original group; he is initiated into another; and then finally reintegrated back into the original group with something new that benefits the whole community. Dave Eggers’ non-fiction Zeitoun and Mark Sundeen’s The Man Who Quit Money narrate two modern heroes and their tribulations. Zeitoun and Suelo fit Campbell’s thesis about the role of the hero-figure in mythologies as they left their original societies to answer calls to adventures, and to later engage with a road of trials, and the refusal to return, but they are also different from mythical heroes because they never returned to their original societies, but remained free and happy in their new lives, where their communities are better off because of their contributions to it. The first phase of Campbell’s thesis consists of the departure from the original communities, which Zeitoun and Suelo did. Zeitoun departed from Syria to find his luck in America. They lived a life of poverty in Syria, although their large family eventually became successful through the accomplishments of individual family and clan members. Zeitoun is proud that he has a family of doctors, generals, teachers, and many other professions (Eggers 12). The sea bonded all of them together as a family too. Suelo also left his community, but not in the real sense. What he leaves behind is the capitalist system that disgusted him because of its production of poverty and social inequality. This means that Suelo’s departure is more moral and spiritual than physical in nature when compared to Zeitoun’s departure. Zeitoun physically left Syria, while Suelo is still in America. These modern heroes responded to the call of adventure, though they refused the call for some time. Zeitoun did not immediately go to the U.S., while Suelo studied college and managed to live in a capitalist world for some time. Campbell talks about supernatural aid, which did not happen for Zeitoun and Suelo. Instead, environmental changes and personal motives inspired them to leave. When they crossed the first threshold, they proverbially passed the belly of the whale. For Zeitoun, the belly of the whale is his first few months in America, in a land where he knows little English and only has his character and faith to help him survive. Suelo transitioned from capitalism to non-capitalism, when he quitted money (Sundeen 1). By leaving his remaining $30 in a phone booth, he has begun his journey. Hence, using Campbell’s first phase, it seems that the journey of these modern heroes followed the first part of the first stage and the rest are more proverbial than physically experienced. Campbell’s second phase consisted of the initiation and the trials, which Zeitoun and Suelo experienced. When they first entered the belly of the whale, these heroes realized that they can do it. They can survive in their new worlds, however difficult it may be. Nonetheless, like mythological heroes, they had their share of trials. Zeitoun had to establish his business and met some obstacles because of his rainbow logo. The logo attracted homosexual customers, while upsetting conservative ones. He and Kathy decided to keep the rainbow because in Islam, rainbows mean hope and faith (Eggers 12). Their greatest hurdle is Hurricane Katrina. It destroyed their business and properties. Kathy and her kids already evacuated but Zeitoun insisted on being left behind. During this time, he used his canoe and helped neighbors and animals trapped in their houses. He could have been easily killed by the disaster, but his resolve to help others allowed him continue his heroic mission to save lives. Suelo experienced trials too, as he struggled with living without any money. He lived off edible food in the garbage bins and forest foliage. He harvested kelps and fished in the ocean and lakes. He lived in caves and sometimes, on top of trees. He took clothes from the trash. Some people called him crazy, but he persevered. He realized that he did not need money to be happy. He survived and became abundantly more peaceful and satisfied with his life. Like Zeitoun, Suelo also saved people through offering his services without being paid for it. Whenever volunteers were needed, he would be there. Without the burdens of making money to pay for mortgage, loans, taxes, and many other material things, he was free to give his life to others. For the second phase, these heroes did not meet a goddess, temptress, atoned with their fathers, or reached apotheosis in a divine sense, as well as attaining the ultimate boon with treasures or having magical powers, but they did attain their highest fulfillment as human beings. No goddesses, temptresses, and father-son reconciliations happened after their trials. They had good relationships with their families whom they left behind. These modern heroes are not glorified as divine beings, but if being divine can be compared to Maslow’s stage of self-actualization, and then these heroes have made it to that level on their own respective ways. Zeitoun reached self-actualization because of his public service. Even after being detained by the police who wrongly have accused him as a terrorist, he managed to go back to his community to re-establish his life. He continued to live and love others. Suelo attained apotheosis as he became a truly free man. He no longer has to work for or please anyone. If he does something, it is for public service or mere survival (Sundeen 11). He is free from material demands and entanglements. He might be a solitary individual; but at least, he is happy and serene, which cannot be said of other people with much wealth and social connections. The ultimate advantage for them is spiritual enlightenment. By going through his trials, Zeitoun becomes a public servant. Suelo serves the public too in the best way he can. These are heroes whose lives cannot be easily replicated, but are inspirations for self-actualization. The last phase of Campbell’s thesis is the return to the communities, which these modern heroes did not do, and instead, they lived and loved where they are at. Zeitoun did not return to Syria. He went back to his new community and stayed there. Despite a traumatic experience with the government, he remains faithful to the democratic institutions that can be found in his community. Maybe others would not have wanted to return to their communities, especially since America has become too paranoid because of 9/11. More than that, it showed a racist attitude against people of Middle-Eastern descent. Zeitoun suffered so much physically and emotionally during his incarceration. His family suffered too when he vanished. Nonetheless, Zeitoun chose to be a better man. He stayed with America and aimed to make it better in his own terms. Suelo did not go back to the fold of the capitalist society. Instead, he stayed as a kind of hermit with a spiritual mission of changing how people see and use money (Sundeen 12). For these heroes, there is no magic flight and rescue from without, as in Campbell’s thesis. They did not cross the return threshold. They did not master both old and new worlds in a physical sense. But like mythological heroes, they have freedom to live and to love. They are free people and freedom enables them do what makes them happy. For Suelo, there is happiness in living an ascetic life. By completely denying the claws of capitalism, he has attained his own sense of peace. It is not the kind of life for everyone, but his example shows that people do not need money in order to live and be happy. Zeitoun retains his freedoms. He remains dedicated to his family and community. He does not give up, even if the government gave up on him. These are heroes who did not return to their homelands, but became successful where they are at. They no longer desired to be reconnected with their former communities, because they are happy with their new lives. Campbell talks about transcendence as the happy ending and these modern heroes reached their own sense of transcendence (21). Zeitoun and Suelo are mythological heroes to some extent because they left their homelands, endured trials, and reached transcendence. Furthermore, they benefitted their communities through their public service and good examples. They are not divine beings. They are ordinary human beings, but they chose to live extraordinary lives. They did what many would not have done- to sacrifice their own safety to help others and to do what is good. In this sense, they are gods, the kind of gods who are kind, helpful, and happy by loving and living for others. Read More