Essays are worth 10 points and must be posted before class on Monday.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Withdraw and Quest in _The Matrix_
Once you have received the e-mail with your assignments from The Matrix, post responses here. Be sure to include all the necessary parts of the essay: a good example of your theme in the movie, a connection to another work we've read, and a conclusion that goes to the next level about why this theme is important in the myth of the hero.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
In The Matrix Neo faces the a major decision on wether he should stay in his "fake" life or live the "free"life within the matrix. He ultimately chooses the life of the matrix and has to give up his known life that he is comfortable with. He gives this up in order to find his meaning for being and find for life. This story can be connected to the story of Jesus and how he isolated himself by traveling through the wilderness in order to find himself and his relationship with God. Evidently they both found their reason for leaving the comfort zones and going into the world unknown. Being lead by an unknown source and not really knowing why they are but just going to find something.
ReplyDeleteFrom my memory of the matrix, Neo performs numerous tasks and undergoes various training exercises that enable him to finally achieve the status of "the One". Found throughout mythology, the theme of educative tasks that when completed demonstrate supreme manhood arise in the matrix primarily upon Neo's undergoing of computer simulated martial arts trials with morpheus as well as matrix training programs. As morpheus observes Neo train to learn martial arts and attempt to jump from building to building, he advises Neo of how to fully master the matrix. Moreover, this seems similar to the mythological stories of Kutoysis of the Blackfoot Indian culture as he struggles to obtain absolute knowledge, which seems similar to how Neo struggles to uncover knowledge of how to gain full freedom and control of the matrix. Also, Hercules achievement of divinity upon completion of his trials resembles Neo's attainment of godlike abilities as he becomes "the One". The theme of a achievement of a level of divinity shared by becomes apparent towards the end of the movie when Neo is able to stop the bullets from ripping through him and consequently defeat the agents. Truly an important characteristic of the story of a hero, the theme of trials toward reaching supreme manhood are extremely important due to the fact that they legitimize the powers and skills of the hero. The fact that the hero went through so much to achieve his supreme manhood increases the overall value of that achievement. The trials also make the story of the hero more realistic since one would think that a person would have to undergo numerous trials to reach a goal of true value and worth.
ReplyDeleteDenying comfort for the pursuit of a spiritual goal is a common theme in the journey of the hero. Neo's story coincides with this theme, as seen by how he refuses to help the agents when they tell him they're searching for Morpheus. They offer him protection in return for giving Morpheus to them, but he knows that Morpheus knows something significant and denies their offer of comfort. This theme is also seen in the Matrix when Morpheus offers Neo the two pills; Neo could take the blue pill and live life in ignorance (comfort), but he instead takes the red one and learns the truth about their existence (spiritual goal). One hero story that shares this theme is the story of Jesus. While fasting in the desert, the Devil comes to him and tells him to make stones into bread. As the son of God, Jesus does have the power to make himself food, but he refuses earthly comforts because he knows he must complete his spiritual withdrawal. This theme is important in the hero's journey because it is what makes the hero special; the hero is willing to sacrifice his own comfort for a greater purpose (usually to help others), and this sacrifice is what makes common people look upon the hero with reverence. Without their sacrifice, they would not be seen as greatly heroic or brave.
ReplyDeleteIn the Matrix the main character Neo is tempted by agents, or the antagonists, and is faced with a choice of whether or not he should become one of them or fight against them. The agents are the evil predecessors in the movie and are controlled by the machines in a parallel universe, in that other universe the machines are trying to kill all of the rest of the humans and the humans are struggling to regain control of their world. So choosing wisely Neo says that he will decline the offer and join the other humans in the parallel universe. Neo's journey thought this temptation of evil is very similar to the Christian myth of "Jesus". Jesus is the son of god and is born of a virgin and he has a quest to free mankind from sin, and he has to do so by sacrificing himself for the better good. And at one point in the story satan gives him a visit to try and distract him from his quest and he starts to offer him things of value and also tries to trick him since satan is also a trickster god. But Jesus stays faithful to god and god is forever thankful and forever pleased with his only son. His son died for the human race and even though he was tempted by evil, stayed faithful and humble to reach his goal. So in most all myths or stories the protagonist has to go through struggles and temptations so that he may learn from that struggle to grow stronger and to be able to teach others what not to do. So being tempted by evil in these stories is a way for the characters to learn and grow from less preferable situations.
ReplyDeleteThe heros refusal of the call is prevalent in most hero stories. "The Matrix" is no different. When Morpheus is on the phone with Neo and Neo is in his office building, Morpheus tells Neo to go out the window if he wants to get away. Neo doesnt, as he is frightened. This could be neo's refusal of the call. Another example of Neo's refusal of the call could be his refusal to believe when he first is freed from the matrix. When Morpheus shows him what the world looks like now, and how Neo has been living in a dream world his whole life, Neo refuses to believe it. After being unplugged from the matrix, Neo freaks out, vomits, and passes out. These are both examples of a heros refusal of the call, and this characteristic is vital to any hero story. One reason one may refuse the call is because they dont believe in themselves, as Neo shows in The Matrix. Neo repeatedly states that he is not "The One." The Refusal of the call is not only found in hero stories or hero myths, but in everyday life. The refusal of the call is most commonly followed by the hero accepting the call.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteNeo's quest to find the truth in "The Matrix" is similar to the hero in that he tries to prove or make a name for himself. Neo's quest to prove himself is seen throughout the movie. As seen when he is told to pick between the red pill or the blue one. When he accepts the red one he first proves to himself that he has made the first step in his quest. Neo must make the choice of moving forward to accept his quest. He, at that time, moves from the suffering of adolescence to the active pursuit of the prime of life. This is his first instance of the wanting to prove himself. Later on in the movie we see this again. When he stops the bullets and flies we see how he has proven himself, yet he carries his rewards of suffering in the "adult life". We see that he has proven himself, since he is the first to ever defeat the agents. This is vital to the quest of the hero; as we see most of the time when he proves himself it is a very significant moment in the hero's story. This motif of proving/making a name for oneself is a common motif throughout any hero's quest, as shown in "The Matrix".
ReplyDeleteIn the Matrix, Neo's search for self realization is present all throughout the movie. Neo finally comes to realize who is and why he's been unplugged from the matrix, when morpheus tells Neo that he has been living in a dream world. But in the beginning he searches to find out who he really is his purpose for being here. When one day he finally is confronted through his computer that he is the chosen one. From this he struggles to trust or believe anyone, even the Oracle who can see the future. Neo's self realization throughout the movie, The Matrix is similar to Quetzalcoatls journey fro self realization, when Quetzalcoatl came to a hill on which a great tree grew and under he rested and as he rested he looked into a mirror and he said "i am grown to be a man". Both Neo and Quetzalcoatl search for realization as they face many different trials and both hope to find their reason for being here.
ReplyDelete