Joseph Campbell

The Hero with a Thousand Faces

The Heros Journey Chart

Movie: The Color Purple

Separation
Call to Adventure: How It could be argued that Celies call to adventure is
does the character the motivation, inspiration and empowerment she
receive the call to receives from her sister Nettie and from Shug
adventure? Avery
Refusal of the Call: Celie denies the claims that Nettie and Shug say
Does the character to her about Celie deserving so much more than
accept the call she is receiving out of her life
immediately?
Answering the Call: This occurs when Shug explains Mrs dishonesty
What motivates the about the hidden letters from Celies sister
character to accept the
call?
Supernatural Aid
Guide/Mentor: Is there I feel that her mentor is Shug Avery. Celie admires
a specific character who her and how she shows her that women can how
helps the hero power of their lives. Shug also becomes her
understand the life advocate and helps to expose the truth about Mrs
situation or provides the actions
hero with special
training?
Talisman: Is there a The letters from her sister
particular item that has
special significance to
the hero?
Companions: Who is Shug Avery, as mentioned she works with Celie to
with the hero on his empower her and show her what she is worth and
journey? How do these deserves
companions help the
hero face the
challenges?
Crossing the When Celie has the courage to go against Mr and
Threshold: At what write her sister in Africa. She is suppressing the
point in the story does world she is accustomed to living in where men
the hero leave the constantly control her and she is taking a stand
familiar world and move for her freedom and autonomy.
into a new, unfamiliar Also physically she moves locations when she
circumstance? moves to Memphis with Shug Avery and leaves
the abuse
Threshold Guardians:
Are there characters that
try to prevent the hero
from crossing over into
the unfamiliar territory or
circumstance?
Initiation / Road of
Trials: What specific
challenges does the
hero face?
Brother Battle: Does
the hero battle physically
or mentally with
someone who is a
relative or close friend?
Meeting with the
Goddess: Does the
hero meet with a
character with special
beauty and power?
Abduction: Is the
character kidnapped, or
is someone close to the
hero kidnapped?
Night or Sea Journey:
Where do the heros to her husbands home and later to Memphis with
travels take him?
Dragon Battle: Does
the hero battle some
kind of monster? Does
the hero have to face
some inner demon?
Ritual Death or
Dismemberment: Is the
hero injured and thought
to be dead? Does the
hero mistakenly believe
someone close to him is
dead? Does the hero
suffer an injury in which
he loses a limb or use of
some other body part?
Sacred Marriage: Does
the hero have a special
I dont believe that this really applies to the film.
However it could be argued that Mr. tries to hold
Celie back from being her own person is always
tearing her down and abusing her in many
different ways.
Throughout Celies life she has faced many trials,
more specific the trial of always being a victim to
abuse starting with her father and then with her
husband. This abuse makes her look down on
herself and have little self-worth or self-
appreciation
It can be argued that Celie fights with her anger at
God. She believes that God neglected her
because she believes he is a white man. However
Shug helps her to release this anger towards God.
I do not believe this applies to the film. She does
not meet with a character with special beauty or
powers
Yes, Celies first two children are kidnapped from
her and given away directly after they are born
Celies life travels take her from her fathers home,
Shug
It could be argued that the monster she fights is
Mr, she has been the evil demon in her life for so
long and she gains the courage to take a stand
and leave him
Celie believes that Nettie wants nothing to do with
her for many years because Mr had hidden the
letters she was writing to her.
Celie gains a close and special bond with Shug
Avery, her advocate and best friend
emotional bond (it could
literally be a marriage)
with another character?
Atonement (at one No, due to the abusive relationship with her father
with) with or she doesnt want anything to do with him.
Recognition by the However after he dies, he and her sister inherit his
Father: Is the hero home
reunited with his father
in some way?
Entering the Belly of Yes, this occurs when Celie is leaving Mr. she is
the Whale: Is there leaving behind the only life she has ever known
some point in the story and has been taught to know which is a life of
where the hero must abuse
face his deepest fear or
the darkest evil in the
story?
Apotheosis No, Celie is never held up a hero to her society. In
(Deification): Is there a cultural times her race and gender put her in a
point in the story where position of oppression.
the hero is held up as an
ideal or where the hero
is worshipped as a god?
Ultimate Boon / Magic It could be argued that when she leaves Mr. that
Elixir: Does the hero she has found the special solution to her low self-
find some special worth which is freedom from abuse and self-
solution to the problem happiness
he is attempting to
resolve? This might be a
magic potion or a key to
something.
The Return
Refusal of the Return: Celie moves into the home of her abusive father
Does the hero initially as after he passes away so I would argue that she
refuse to return to the doesnt refuse to go back to that place.
homeland or the place
that he began the
journey?
Magic Flight / Pursuit: She is trying to escape her life of physical,
Is there some point emotional and sexual abuse caused by her father
(generally toward the and her husband
end) where the hero is
being chased or is
otherwise trying to
escape something?
Rescue from Without: The only way I would argue this is during the
Is there so point in the intense scenes of abuse with her and her
movie, when all seems husband where he almost beats her to death.
hopeless, when it looks
like the hero is going to
die, then suddenly he is
rescued unexpectedly?
Crossing the Return Yes, when Celie moves into the house of her
Threshold: Is there deceased abusive father
some point where the
hero clearly returns
home?
Master of Two Worlds: I would argue yes. Celie conquers the unhappy
Does it appear that the life she was living which was full of abuse and
hero has conquered life then conquers her own world following leaving
in both the familiar and the abuse where she is independent and happy
unfamiliar worlds? with her life
Freedom to Live: Since This happens at the end of the movie when Celies
the hero typically begins is reunited with Nettie, Olivia and Adam who are
the journey to resolve a her children when they return from Africa to live
problem, does it appear with her.
the problem is at last
resolved so that all can
live freely?