Katherine Jones and Hailey Lam

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Ordinary World
“...every Who down in Whoville liked Christmas a lot, but the Grinch, who lived just north
of Whoville- did not” (“How the Grinch Stole Christmas”, 00:00:43)

The movie How the Grinch Stole Christmas begins with a description of the merry town
of Whoville that exists inside a snowflake. The Whos of Whoville have a very special
relationship with Christmas but “the Grinch, who lived just north of Whoville- did not”.
Because of his hatred towards Christmas and the Whos, the Grinch lives in a cave at the
top of Mount Crumpit with only his dog, Max. This quotation is a perfect example of the
ordinary world because it shows the Grinch’s life before he receives the call to adventure
and begins his self-discovering journey. The quote uses imagery and rhyming to show
the love the Whos have for Christmas and the Grinch’s hate. The Grinch’s attitude
toward Christmas and isolated life can be used to show the effect that other’s actions
have on the lives of others.

Call to Adventure
“I nominate the Grinch!” (How the Grinch Stole Christmas”, 00:34:41)

While causing a mess at the post office in Whoville, the Grinch runs into Cindy Lou Who,
a kind young girl who had been questioning the purpose of Christmas. After her run-in
with the Grinch, Cindy Lou Who looks into the past of the Grinch and realizes that he
only acts evil because he was bullied as a child for being different. Wanting to bring
some Christmas cheer to the Grinch, Cindy Lou nominates the Grinch for Holiday
Cheermeister, an award given to the most festive and cheerful Who. It is at this moment
in the movie when the mission for the Grinch becomes clear. This moment also
strengthens the idea that people’s actions can greatly affect the lives and wellbeing of
others. The drama that resulted from the Grinch’s nomination makes the Who’s disgust
and hatred for the Grinch very apparent.
Katherine Jones and Hailey Lam

Refusal of the Call

“Mr. Grinch, I came to invite you to be holiday cheer-meister. … That's a good one. “
(“How the Grinch Stole Christmas”, 00:41:11)

After nominating the Grinch for Holiday Cheermeister, Cindy Lou goes to the Grinch’s
cave to inform him of his victory and invite him to the Whobilation. Before even hearing
about the award, he was not pleased to see Cindy Lou and was troubled by the fact that
she was not afraid of him. When Cindy Lou proceeded to tell him about his nomination to
be the Holiday Cheermeister, the Grinch took it as a joke and would not take her
seriously. The Grinch directly refuses the call in this scene as he refuses to go down to
Whoville and accept the award. The irony of the nomination is very evident in this scene
as even the Grinch was surprised by the kindness he was receiving. It also adds to the
idea of the Who’s cruelty affecting the Grinch as the Grinch did not believe anyone
would treat him with kindness.

Supernatural Aid
“I don't know if it's that adorable twinkle in your eye or that nonconformist streak that
reminds me of a younger, less hairy me. But you’ve convinced me.” (“How the Grinch
Stole Christmas”, 00:43:05)

Even after being shot down by the Grinch, Cindy Lou continued to try to convince the
Grinch to accept the award. After giving the Grinch some more details about the award
and urging him to be part of the Who’s Christmas celebration, Cindy Lou convinced the
Grinch to accept his position as Holiday Cheermeister. By not only nominating the
Grinch but also convincing him to attend the Whobilation, Cindy Lou proved her role as
the mentor and helper of the Grinch. Even after being convinced by Cindy Lou, the
Grinch continued to use sarcasm about his winning the position of Holiday
Cheermeister. This implies that he still has some suspicions about the kindness of Cindy
Lou.

Crossing the Threshold

“I believe I'm here to accept an award of some kind.” (“How the Grinch Stole Christmas”,
00:48:30)

Even though it was a struggle for him, the Grinch goes down to Whoville to accept his
award as Holiday Cheermeister. It was definitely not the first time the Grinch had gone to
Whoville, but it was one of the first times he had gone there without bad intentions. This
scene perfectly showcases how the Grinch was willing to become a better person by
entering Whoville without wanting to cause chaos as he did in the past. The silence and
gasps in the crowd made the fear of the Whos very apparent. This displays how the
Whos did not expect him to come and did not expect to have to treat him with kindness.

The Road of Trials

Katherine Jones and Hailey Lam

“Don't you worry, Mr. Holiday Cheer-meister, you'll get your award.” (“How the Grinch
Stole Christmas”, 00:48:47)

Before being able to accept the Holiday Cheermeister award, the Grinch had to go
through many obstacles. He was primarily reunited with the Whos who raised him, then
had to judge multiple food cook-off and participate in some competitions. These
challenges were put in place by the Mayor and meant to keep the Grinch from receiving
the award, showing how the Whos were still not willing to accept him. The Grinch
frequently used sarcasm but also showed enthusiasm, displaying how he was slowly
warming up to the Whos. The festive activities appeared to be difficult for the Grinch but
he eventually completed all of his tasks and received the Holiday Cheermeister award.

The Temptress
“These gifts are quite dazzling. Of course they are. That's what it's all about, isn't it?
That's what it's always been about!” (“How the Grinch Stole Christmas”, 00:53:53)

Immediately after the Grinch received his Holiday Cheermeister award, the Mayor
proceeded to begin the gift exchange. The Mayor gave the Grinch a razor, bringing up
bad memories from the Grinch’s childhood when the Mayor bullied him. The Mayor also
proposed to Martha May, a past love interest of the Grinch. These acts of hate were
meant to provoke the Grinch and succeeded. The Grinch proceeded to lash out on the
Whos and criticized their wasteful and meaningful Christmas traditions. Immediately
after, the Grinch destroyed parts of the town and went back to his cave to began
planning his revenge, stealing all of the presents on Christmas eve. The cruel actions of
the Mayor and aggressive demeanor of the Grinch can be used to showcase how
negative actions can greatly affect the actions of others.

The Belly of the Whale

“Maybe Christmas he thought doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps,
means a little bit more.” (“How the Grinch Stole Christmas”, 01:24:11)

After stealing all of the Christmas presents and trees from the Whos, the Grinch went to
the top of Mount Crumpit to dump them. As he was pushing the sleigh full of presents off
the cliff, he heard a merry song echo through the air. It was the Whos singing a
Christmas song, even without the presents the Whos were able to enjoy Christmas. It
was at this point that the Grinch discovered that Christmas was not just about receiving
gifts, it meant “a little bit more”. The merry sound of the Whos song continued to ring as
the Grinch realized that the Whos only needed love and acts of kindness to have a good
Christmas.

Transformation
“And what happened then, well, in Whoville they say, that the Grinch's small heart grew
three sizes that day.” (“How the Grinch Stole Christmas”, 01:25:26)
Katherine Jones and Hailey Lam

As the Grinch realized the real purpose of Christmas his heart grew three sizes from his
two sizes too small heart. This left the Grinch with a heart larger than any other Who
capable of feeling more than any other Who. This scene is a perfect example of the
transformation step in the hero cycle as the mindset of the Grinch completely changed
when his heart grew. The scene also showcases how the kindness and cheeriness of
the Whos changed the Grinch and allowed him to let go of the hatred he had for the
Whos. The drama of the Grinch’s heart growing also showcases the importance of the
Grinch’s transformation and how emotions can affect people.

Meeting with the Goddess

“I came to see you. No one should be alone on Christmas.” (“How the Grinch Stole
Christmas”, 01:30:01)

After his transformation, the Grinch went back to his sleigh to return the gifts to the Whos
but soon realized that the sleigh was sliding off the cliff. The Grinch decided to not to
save the sleigh thinking that there was nothing of importance in it but noticed that Cindy
Lou was sitting on the top of it looking for the Grinch. Despite his actions, Cindy Lou
came to the top of Mount Crumpit to spend Christmas with the Grinch because “no one
should be alone on Christmas”. This scene excellently showcases Cindy Lou as the
goddess because she believed in the Grinch when no one else did and helped him along
his journey of self-discovery. The kindness of Cindy Lou showed how important kind
actions are as if she did not visit the Grinch he would have had to spend Christmas
alone.

The Return
“Even if we're horribly mangled there'll be no sad faces on Christmas.” (“How the Grinch
Stole Christmas”, 01:31:24)

When the sleigh continued to slide down the hill, the Grinch decided that the only option
was to jump on and ride it down the mountain. After a dangerous journey down the
mountain, the Grinch and Cindy Lou arrived in Whoville with the sleigh full of presents.
With his new attitude, this scene is a literal and figurative return to Whoville. There was a
great deal of drama in the scene but the Grinch would not let the sleigh crash. Cindy Lou
and the other Whos meant so much to the Grinch that he was willing to risk his wellbeing
to make sure that they had a good Christmas.

Freedom to Live
“He said he was sorry.” (“How the Grinch Stole Christmas”, 01:33:36)
Katherine Jones and Hailey Lam

When Cindy Lou and the Grinch got the sleigh to a stop with the help of some Whos, the
Grinch admitted to his actions and apologized to the Whos. He expected to be severely
punished but was immediately forgiven. Martha May then proceeded to tell the Mayor
that she could not marry him because she was in love with the Grinch. The Grinch
expected to be punished because of his traumatic past with the Whos but was surprised
with kindness as the Whos realized the effect that their actions had on him. This scene is
a perfect example of the freedom to live step of the hero cycle because the Grinch and
the Whos were able to move on from the past and the Grinch was given the ability to
build a happy life with the Whos.
Katherine Jones and Hailey Lam

Things Fall Apart

Ordinary World
“Okonkwo was well known throughout the nine villages and even beyond. His fame
rested on solid achievements.” (Achebe 3)

The book begins by introducing Okonkwo, a great wrestler and leader living in Umuofia.
He became of his fame and brought honor to his village by throwing Amalinze the Cat.
Amalinze was the great wrestler who for seven years was unbeaten, from Umuofia to
Mbaino. By doing this, Okonkwo showed his worth and proved to himself and the
townspeople that he was a greater man than his father, a sad man who was always
seen as a disappointment.

Call to Adventure
“Unoka, for that was his father’s name, had died ten years ago. Unoka, the grown-up,
was a failure. He was poor and his wife and children had barely enough to eat. People
laughed at him because he was a loafer, and they swore never to lend him any more
money because he never paid back.” (Achebe 4-5)

Okonkwo is completely unlike his now deceased father, Unoka, who feared the sight of
blood and was always borrowing and losing money. Because of his father’s actions,
Okonkwo had a bad childhood and began to despise his father. Okonkwo grew up to his
father being a failure and a disappointment which left him in a constant state of
embarrassment having to be associated with him. He had to live with his father’s bad
judgement and knew he wanted to be more than his father ever was. This urged him to
always reach to be the best man in Umuofia to prove that his is nothing like his father.

Refusal of the Call

“But Okonkwo was not the man to stop beating somebody half-way through, not even for
fear of a goddess. It was unheard to beat somebody during sacred week.” (Achebe 30)

Although even if he was constantly trying to improve himself, bad things continued to
happen to Okonkwo. Okonkwo built his fortune alone as a sharecropper because Unoka,
Okonkwo’s father, was never able to have a successful harvest. Okonkwo could not
count on Unoka’s help in building his own wealth and his new life so Okonkwo had to
create his life and his image on his own. What’s more, he had to work hard to make up
for his father’s negative strikes against him. All of which made Okonkwo’s mission to
become the most respected and powerful man in Umuofia much harder. Okonkwo’s
troubles with his father and self image acted as a refusal of the call and his attitude
towards his father showcases how important power and respect is to him.

Supernatural Aid
Katherine Jones and Hailey Lam

“He made him feel grown-up; and they no longer spent the evenings in mother’s hut
while she cooked, but now sat with Okonkwo in his obi…” (Achebe 52)

Okonkwo only had one son, Nwoye, to continue his legacy but after being ordered to, he
began to care for an orphaned boy from another town, Ikemefuna, until the elders found
a place for him. Okonkwo took him under his wing and began to think of him as a son.
Okonkwo would frequently invite the two into his obi to listen to violent, masculine stories
to teach them to be strong men like himself. Nwoye and Ikemefuna were extremely
important to Okonkwo as in the future they would be the young men to continue his
legacy. Nwoye and Ikemefuna’s want to receive Okonkwo’s approval shows Okonkwo’s
importance to others and how others see him as a strong hero.

Crossing the Threshold

“Okonkwo did not taste any food for two days after the death of Ikemefuna. He drank
palm wine from morning till night, and his eyes were red and fierce like the eyes of a rat
when it was caught by the tail and dashed against the floor.” (Achebe 63)

After giving Okonkwo time to bond with Ikemefuna, the elders of Umuofia ordered for
Ikemefuna to be killed. Wanting to show his strength, Okonkwo went with the other men
and killed Ikemefuna. After Ikemefuna’s death, Okonkwo fell into a great depression. He
started feeling so weak, that he could not eat. Okonkwo had trouble sleeping at night as
well, he would keep waking up in the night to mourn Ikemefuna. This part of the book
can be considered the point where Okonkwo crosses the threshold because Okonkwo
was able to feel vulnerable for the first time.

The Belly of the Whale

“He did not sleep at night. He tried not to think about Ikemefuna, but the more he tried,
the more he thought about him.” (Achebe 64)

After killing Ikemefuna, Okonkwo can’t stop thinking of the horrible incident and he
spends most days mourning him. Once he got up from bed and walked about his
compound, but he was too weak that his legs could hardly carry him. Thinking about
Ikemefuna’s death chilled him down to the bone, and it became the only thing occupying
his mind. Okonkwo would eat his food absentmindedly, and could barely sleep
throughout the entire night. Killing Ikemefuna completely changed Okonkwo as a person
and left him without the strength and aggression that had become a part of him.

The Road of Trials

“He could return to the clan after seven years.” (Achebe 124)
Katherine Jones and Hailey Lam

During a funeral for an elder, Okonkwo accidentally fired his gun. By doing this he killed
a young man who had to come to the funeral for no reason other than to mourn the elder
who was once a warrior. As a result of this crime, Okonkwo and his family was ordered
to leave Umuofia immediately and to not return for seven years. By doing this,
Okonkwo’s dream of being a respected and feared leader became much more difficult to
obtain. It was also at this time where Okonkwo began to think about what he had done
by killing the young, innocent man and began to rethink some of the violent actions he
had committed in the past.

Meeting with the Goddess

“Uchendu pulled gently at his gray beard and gnashed his teeth. Then he began to
speak, quietly and deliberately, picking his words with great care.” (Achebe 133)

After his exile, the family of his mother took Okonkwo and his family into their care. One
relative that gave more than a land and a home was Uncle Uchendu who shared his
great wisdom with Okonkwo. With the help of Uncle Uchendu, Okonkwo learned of the
importance of helping others in life as his mother’s family helped him. As Okonkwo was
forced to grow up independently he never really understood why he needed to help
others. But through the kindness of his mother’s family and the wisdom of Uncle
Uchendu, Okonkwo was able to realize that strength and independence may not always
be the best option as kindness and care are also very important.

The Temptress
“Answer me… before I kill you!” (Achebe 151)

Okonkwo had a new attitude and was committing less acts of violence but would
sometimes allow himself to be angered until he could not control himself anymore. After
discovering that his son had left home to become a Christian, Okonkwo was sent into a
rage. Okonkwo began to assault and threaten Nwoye until Uncle Uchendu stopped him.
This is an excellent example of the temptress stage of the hero cycle as it was anger
that would tempt Okonkwo into committing harmful and violent actions. The drama and
fear in this part of the book showcases how much Okonkwo had changed up until that
point and the progress we was making as his wives and Uncle Uchendu were extremely
surprised to see him act so violently.

Transformation
“... It was going to be Okonkwo’s last harvest in Mbanta. The seven wasted and weary
years were at last dragging to a close...” (Achebe 162-163)
Katherine Jones and Hailey Lam

After years of learning about himself and life, Okonkwo’s seven years of exile in Mbanta
began to draw to an end. Before he returned to Umuofia, he provided a large feast for
his mother’s kinsmen. He was grateful for them but secretly regretted the missed
opportunity to had further increase his status and influence among his own clan. He also
regretted having spent all this time with such un-masculine people. At the feast, one man
and another praised Okonkwo’s devotion to the kinship bond. He also expressed his
concern for the younger generation, as Christianity was winning people away from their
families and traditions. Okonkwo’s ungratefulness can be used to show his failure to
change, even with the help of his kinsmen.

The Return
“Umuofia had indeed changed during the seven years Okonkwo had been in exile.”
(Achebe 174)

After completing his seven years in exile, Okonkwo returned to Umuofia to find that it
was being overrun by white Christians. The church had taken in the outcasts and began
to control Umuofia like it was their own. As it was hard for Okonkwo to see his hometown
be ruled by outsiders he allowed himself to be angered and planned to take revenge on
the Christians. With the help of some of some other men, Okonkwo proceeded to burn
down the church which left him and the men to be detained by the white men. After days
of pain and suffering, Okonkwo realized that they have lost and his dream of become the
strong and powerful leader had been crushed. Consequently, Okonkwo had failed at his
mission and failed his people, which left him in the same position as his father.

Freedom to Live
“That man was one of the greatest men in Umuofia. You drove him to kill himself, and
now he will be buried like a dog” (Achebe 208)

As Okonkwo is not willing to accept the white men taking over his hometown, he kills
one of the white messengers with his machete. Knowing the severe consequences that
would come with this action, Okonkwo decided to take his own life. This action may not
be a traditional example of the freedom to live step in the hero cycle but Okonkwo killing
himself kept him from being either killed or captured by the white men. That effect of
Okonkwo’s death on his friend, Obierika, showcased his importance and the strength he
held. On the contrary the reaction of the white men was much different, they did not
show any emotion when they saw Okonkwo’s body as Okonkwo killing himself helped
them by eliminating himself as a threat.
Katherine Jones and Hailey Lam

Works Cited

Achebe, Chinua. “Things Fall Apart” Penguin Books, 2018.

Howard, Ron. “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” Netflix, November 8, 2000.

Kelley, Kat. “Hero Cycle Notes” English Notebook, 2018.