Joseph Campbells hero - The Matrix
The Matrix has been compared to religion since the moment it was released in theaters. Religious connotations are undoubtedly prevalent throughout the movie. Many deem it to be a modern day Star Wars which in itself was jam-packed with many different spiritual ideas. Both of these movies follow Joseph Campbell’s Hero flawlessly, which isn’t surprising considering that Joseph Campbell helped in writing Star Wars and that The Matrix was heavily influenced by Star Wars. Neo is referred to as a Savior even in the beginning of the movie where a friend buying programs from him calls him a Savior and a modern day Jesus Christ. It is made clear that Neo feels neglected and unfulfilled choosing to live two separate lives. One life is that of Thomas Anderson, a 9am to 5pm office employee while the other is Neo, a computer hacker searching for more to life than just the monotony of everyday society. Campbell describes this stage as Predeparture. The next stage is called Departure. Neo is faced with the choice to come to work everyday or be fired. Morpheus calls him from a cell phone sent in a package to warn him that agents are coming. This is Neo’s call to adventure and by refusing to trust Morpheus while walking across the scaffold
The next stage is entitled Magic Flight. Neo begins a process where he must free his mind from the limitations of the known world. Neo goes to see the Oracle and is attacked by Agents and Morpheus sacrifices his own life so that Neo wouldn’t get captured. From this point on begins the Road of Trails. The problem is now that with Morpheus captured, the agents can find access codes to Zion. If the Agents get these access codes, Zion will be destroyed. Trinity is asked whether or not she believes Neo is “The One”, and responds, “yes”. This is the first time she proclaims her love to him and in doing so, accepts her role as the goddess in his life. The belly of the whale experience is Neo having to go in and rescue Morpheus, a feat which no one has ever accomplished. Neo then realizes that he can move just as fast as the machines, he saves Morpheus and rescues Trinity from a crashing helicopter. Throughout this process, he is finding supernatural strength. Neo then meets with Agent Smith in the subway where he fights his adversary for the first time. He is the first to fight an agent and win. This is comparable to the “dark forest” in Campbell’s hero. Neo subsequently, gets chased into a hotel building where he is shot and killed. Trinity is the human force that helps him to escape. She tells him that she loves him and he, at that moment, rises from the
Some topics in this essay:
Agent Smith,
Zion Agents,
Star Wars,
Departure Neo,
Neo Matrix,
Thomas Anderson,
,
Oracle Neos’,
Crossing Threshold,
Wars Neo,
campbell’s hero,
star wars,
joseph campbell’s hero,
joseph campbell’s,
access codes zion,
“real world”,
access codes,
codes zion,
agents access,
begins process,
agents access codes,
morpheus father,
morpheus rescues,
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Approximate Word count = 926
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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