Originally posted by: corellian77
Hey jaberdoo,
I don't mean to delve into an entire literature lesson here, but the similarities you're describing have occurred time and again throughout literary history. As Wesyeed pointed out, Star Wars is just as guily of 'ripping off' these elements, so to speak.
The characters in Star Wars, for example, are just a rehashing of classic archetypes, such as:
- the Reluctant Hero (Luke)
- the Mentor (Obi-Wan)
- the Anti-hero (Han Solo)
- the Damsel in Distress (Leia)
- the Sidekick (Chewbacca)
- the Comic Relief (C-3PO, R2-D2)
- the Villain (Darth Vader)
- the Evil Genius (Tarkin)
Moreover, the entire story structure of A New Hope is once again just a retelling of the classic Hero’s Journey. For example, it contains such elements as:
- The call to adventure (Leia’s holographic message)
- Refusal of the call (Luke saying “It’s such a long way from here” regarding the Empire)
- Supernatural aid (Luke receives the lightsaber, the “magical weapon”)
- Crossing the first threshold (Luke leaving Tatooine)
- The belly of the whale (Being caught in the trash compactor)
- The road of trials (Luke practising his lightsaber skills on the Falcon)
- The ultimate boon (Luke destroying the Death Star)
- Refusal of the return (Luke not wanting to leave the Death Star without Obi-Wan)
- The magic flight (the Falcon fleeing from the Death Star)
- Rescue from without (Han saving Luke at the last minute in the Death Star's trench)
- The crossing of the return threshold (Luke returning to Yavin's moon)
- Master of two worlds (Luke is now a hero in the 'real' world and has begun mastering the Force)
You'll also see the exact same structure in movies such as Willow and the Matrix, which themselves were preceded by such Greek tales as those regarding Perseus and Odysseus.
And, as Sluggo suggested, perhaps this thread should be moved here or here.
Hey jaberdoo,
I don't mean to delve into an entire literature lesson here, but the similarities you're describing have occurred time and again throughout literary history. As Wesyeed pointed out, Star Wars is just as guily of 'ripping off' these elements, so to speak.
The characters in Star Wars, for example, are just a rehashing of classic archetypes, such as:
- the Reluctant Hero (Luke)
- the Mentor (Obi-Wan)
- the Anti-hero (Han Solo)
- the Damsel in Distress (Leia)
- the Sidekick (Chewbacca)
- the Comic Relief (C-3PO, R2-D2)
- the Villain (Darth Vader)
- the Evil Genius (Tarkin)
Moreover, the entire story structure of A New Hope is once again just a retelling of the classic Hero’s Journey. For example, it contains such elements as:
- The call to adventure (Leia’s holographic message)
- Refusal of the call (Luke saying “It’s such a long way from here” regarding the Empire)
- Supernatural aid (Luke receives the lightsaber, the “magical weapon”)
- Crossing the first threshold (Luke leaving Tatooine)
- The belly of the whale (Being caught in the trash compactor)
- The road of trials (Luke practising his lightsaber skills on the Falcon)
- The ultimate boon (Luke destroying the Death Star)
- Refusal of the return (Luke not wanting to leave the Death Star without Obi-Wan)
- The magic flight (the Falcon fleeing from the Death Star)
- Rescue from without (Han saving Luke at the last minute in the Death Star's trench)
- The crossing of the return threshold (Luke returning to Yavin's moon)
- Master of two worlds (Luke is now a hero in the 'real' world and has begun mastering the Force)
You'll also see the exact same structure in movies such as Willow and the Matrix, which themselves were preceded by such Greek tales as those regarding Perseus and Odysseus.
And, as Sluggo suggested, perhaps this thread should be moved here or here.
Your are pretty much describing the typical epic. Thank Beowulf and some others for this.....
Art is constantly revising itself, that is just how it works in our world. I think the kid was 15 when he wrote the book. I had a chance to buy an original copy from his private pressing for about 60$ years ago, really wish I had bought it now. The movie is different from the book, but how great can a fantasy story with a dragon written by a kid.