As I Lay Dying and The Odyssey -- Homer vs Faulkner

 “As I lay dying, the woman with the dog’s eyes would not close my eyes as I descended into Hades.”

Faulkner takes inspiration from this quote from Homer’s The Odyssey for the title of his novel As I Lay Dying. Trojan-war commander Agamemnon proclaims this after his wife’s lover murders him. “The woman with the dog’s eyes” refers to Agamemnon’s wife (Clytemnestra), with the phrase “the dog’s eyes” calling out Clytemnestra for cheating. The latter half of the quote conveys Agamemnon’s inability to find peace in his death because of Clytemnestra. His wife “would not close his eyes,” as in letting him rest, as he “descended into Hades,” or died -- she refused to give him peace as he not only found that she was cheating on him but also died at Clytemnestra’s lover’s hand.

The fact that Faulkner uses this quote directly in the title of his book shows that he created a connection between As I Lay Dying and The Odyssey. In searching for parallels between the stories told by Faulkner and Homer, I found two separate ways to explain the similarities between the two plots. I want to interpret Faulkner’s choice of title in two ways: with Anse as Agamemnon and Addie as Clytemnestra, and then with Addie as Agamemnon and Anse as Clytemnestra.

One way in which Anse is connected to Agamemnon is through the behavior of their wives. Just as Clytemnestra cheated on Agamemnon despite their marriage, Addie also cheated on Anse, though it’s not known whether Anse knew about Addie’s infidelity. In Agamemnon’s quote, his main complaint is that his wife Clytemnestra haunts him even in death, not allowing him to find peace. Anse, in the same way, is affected by Addie long after her death -- her last wish pushes him on a dangerous journey to bury her in town, and she also leaves him a fake “son,” Jewel, who is a result of her disloyalty to Anse. One could even say that although Anse is very obviously alive, he is “dying” in his own way, rotting from the inside out (considering his horrible personality, this isn’t too far-fetched). Or perhaps Anse is “dying”/descending into Hades because he is a sinner; if God is real, then Anse is going to hell, not heaven, which means that Anse (in the long run) is dying. Though not as important, I think it’s notable that Addie calls Anse dead as well. Anse is dead to Addie, though he may not be dead in real life.

However, there are a couple of problems with this interpretation. Whether Addie was trying to haunt Anse or not, she ultimately fails at being a constant pressure and guilt in Anse’s life. Anse moves on quite quickly from Addie’s death, finding a new wife in town and looking none the worse after burying his wife and finally getting his new teeth. Also, it’s revealed at the end of the novel that Anse’s true reason for going to town is not for Addie, but for himself. He’s searching for a replacement for Addie as well as looking to finally get new teeth. Anse’s actions throughout the novel aren’t because of any kind of guilt or remorse for Addie, but for his own selfish reasons.

 The other way to view the relationship between Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying and Homer’s The Odyssey relies on understanding Addie as Agamemnon and Anse as Clytemnestra. Although this changes the gender narrative and Anse doesn’t physically cheat on Addie, in this interpretation, both Addie and Agamemnon die, in part due to their respective spouses, while Anse and Clytemnestra live. Here, just as Agamemnon is unable to find solace, dying an unfair death at the hands of his wife’s lover, Addie also is unable to find solace not only in her death but in her life as well. Anse doesn’t cheat on her, but Addie feels cheated by Anse in that she feels he tricked her into marrying him and into a life she doesn’t want. Even in death, Anse doesn’t call the doctor until the last moment, essentially killing Addie, and even disrespects her dying wish by using her death as a cover to go to town for his new teeth and a new wife. Anse refuses to show consideration toward Addie even after she dies.

Viewing The Odyssey and As I Lay Dying from both directions paints the whole picture of Faulkner’s intent as he titled his novel. I don’t think that there’s a “right way” to understand the association that Faulkner creates between his work and Homer’s work. Perhaps there is a specific way in which Faulkner wanted his reader to understand his novel, but in my opinion, both interpretations are important. Addie as Agamemnon, or Anse as Agamemnon -- what do you guys think?

The Lego Movie, its Popularity, and the Monomyth

 The Lego Movie was (and is) a popular 2014 movie taking place in the world of Legos. Emmett, the main character, is a generic Lego construction worker who accidentally finds the Piece of Resistance and ends up embarking on a journey to save the world. Throughout his adventure, he travels across the Lego universe, makes many new friends, becomes a master builder, and finds confidence in himself despite his original painfully ordinary disposition. Emmett’s story seems to be saying that anyone and everyone can be the hero of their own story (“the Chosen One”) if they’d just believe in themselves. As a hero, his adventure can be easily examined through the lens of Campbell’s monomyth. One particular section that I want to explore is Emmett’s experience in the human world.

Personally, I’d characterize this moment as “the Magic Flight.” Wikipedia describes the Magic Flight as a stage in the plot where the hero must “escape with the boon if it is something that the gods have been jealously guarding,” and that “it can be just as adventurous and dangerous returning from the journey as it was to go on it.” I’d argue that the ultimate boon is the Piece of Resistance since the Piece is what will end Lord Business’s tirade by preventing him from using the Kragle. The Piece is “jealously guarded” by Lord Business, who throws the Piece down the tower, and Emmett ends up going down the tower himself after it (though his fall wasn’t necessarily in pursuit of the Piece). Though Emmett doesn’t necessarily escape with the boon, he ends up flying (or falling, actually) into the human world where he finds the Piece of Resistance. From there, he has to struggle to get back to the Lego world with the Piece in hand to save his friends from Lord Business. 

I also would like to connect Emmett’s experiences in the human world with the “Master of the Two Worlds” moment in the hero’s journey. While it can be argued that Emmett’s “Master of the Two Worlds” moment was more of an inner awakening (for example, when he finally realizes his ability and becomes a master builder), I think it’s interesting to look at this particular step in the monomyth alongside or in connection with Emmett literally traveling between worlds. I think it’s important to note the parallels between the two worlds as well, with the little boy building an entire world out of his Legos just like a master builder while his father tries to tear his creativity apart and Kragle things together like Lord Business. Near the end of the movie, not only does Emmett find confidence in both mind and body, but he also helps resolve conflicts in not just his Lego world, but the human world as well (his story seems to inspire the father to be a good guy, not a bad guy) -- Emmett has become a master (and hero) of two worlds. 

I feel that the popularity of The Lego Movie can at least be partially attributed to its observance of the monomyth. Following the progression of the monomyth makes the plot exciting, yet it combats the tiresomeness that can be caused by a cliche narrative by poking fun at certain tropes through over-exaggeration as well as humor derived from metanarrative. It also plays into the viewer’s childhood nostalgia surrounding Legos and makes the story and the story’s feel-good message (anyone can be a hero if they just believe in themselves!) feel more personal by adding in a human aspect (letting Emmett become a master of two worlds -- the human world and the Lego world). The Lego Movie masterfully combines humor and childhood nostalgia with the hero’s journey, making it into the megahit that it was and nowadays, the answer to the question of “favorite childhood movie” for many people today.

Matilda and Murdock's Heroine's Journey

One of the most recognizable heroines in juvenile/young adult fiction is Matilda Wormwood. Created by the famous British author Roald Dahl, Matilda is a child genius who is abused by the adults around her, ignored, and unrecognized despite her amazing intellectual prowess. Despite her age, Matilda’s story can still be related to the heroine’s journey.

Unlike other heroine’s journeys, Matilda’s doesn’t really start with the illusion of the perfect world. Matilda’s world, from the beginning, is extremely imperfect. Her genius is ignored, and she’s constantly emotionally abused by her parents. Instead, at first, Matilda doesn’t really try to change her current situation. She’s depressed but doesn’t really try to escape her family situation (though she is literally an elementary school kid at this point) and chooses to cope with it instead. Her coping mechanisms include reading, math, and playing pranks on her parents to vent her frustrations. In a way, betrayal/realization happens from the very beginning. Another betrayal/realization moment for Matilda is when she meets the headmistress of her school, Miss Trunchbull, who is mean, tyrannical, hates Matilda at first sight, and demonstrates to Matilda that her school life will be nothing like it's supposed to be (at least as long as Miss Trunchbull is there).

Matilda awakens her power after inadvertently using telekinesis to tip over a water jug containing a newt onto Miss Trunchbull. This is where her journey begins. At her school, Matilda also meets Miss Honey, whom she forms a close connection with. Though Matilda tries to explain to Miss Honey her newfound powers, Miss Honey is unwilling to believe her at first, though this quickly changes after Matilda demonstrates her telekinesis to Miss Honey.

I would argue that the Eye of the Storm moment is around the time when Matilda begins to work together with Miss Honey to understand and use her power, as Matilda is finally able to receive some of the love and support she’s never been privy to from an adult. The moment of death (where all is lost) definitely has to do with Miss Trunchbull. I’d argue that it’s the scene where Miss Trunchbull comes into Matilda’s classroom and begins bullying the children both mentally and physically. Afterward, Matilda follows Miss Honey to her home and learns that Miss Trunchbull is actually Miss Honey’s aunt and is currently living in Miss Honey’s house after claiming it as her own (illegally, of course). This gives Matilda the resolve to concoct and follow through with a plan to chase Miss Trunchbull out of town. With the support (support moment!) of Miss Honey and her classmates, Matilda uses her powers to lift a piece of chalk and write a message from Miss Honey’s dead father (whom Miss Trunchbull allegedly murdered) on the board, terrifying Miss Trunchbull to the point where she leaves town and never comes back. Matilda ends up leaving her family and moving in with Miss Honey into her rightful home. She also moves up many grades in school and loses her telekinetic powers after finally being given the opportunity to use her brain to its fullest capacity -- a return to the ordinary world.

Although some of these scenes don’t line up quite chronologically with the timeline of Murdock’s heroine’s journey, Matilda’s story does generally fit in with the heroine’s journey more than the hero’s journey. This may just be because Matilda’s “adventure” has less to do with action and more to do with mental struggles and overcoming hardships she must face in her daily life, which, in general, is probably one of the things that separates (or used to separate) the journey of men and women in fiction. Matilda also doesn’t deal that much with issues surrounding femininity or masculine approval, though it can be argued that these issues are replaced with issues of parental love and approval.

The Death of Luke's Aunt and Uncle in the Context of the Hero's Journey

In Episode 1 of Star Wars (“A New Hope”), Luke Skywalker goes through the stages of the hero’s journey as he rescues Princess Leia, destroys the Death Star, and sets out on his adventure (which spans multiple episodes). There’s a scene near the beginning of the episode where Luke is faced with the death of his stand-in guardians Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru. Luke follows R2D2, meets Obi-Wan Kenobi, and receives his call to adventure in the form of a holographic message from Princess Leia (which he refuses a couple times, as expected of the hero). When he returns home, however, he returns to ruins -- the Empire has destroyed the farm Luke has called home his entire life. This moment inspires Luke to begin his hero’s journey, finally convincing him to leave behind the life he knew for the “unknown.”

Specifically within the hero’s journey, I’d argue that this is the beginning of Luke crossing of the threshold, where Luke “crosses into the field of adventure” and “[ventures] into an unknown and dangerous realm where the rules and limits are unknown” (Wikipedia). The realization that the Empire murdered his aunt and uncle pushes Luke to the conclusion that he must leave and rescue Princess Leia, not only for the Rebellion and peace within the galaxy but for revenge. This is the threshold between the known and the unknown, where the known is Luke’s life on the farm before its destruction and the unknown is everything afterward as Luke can no longer return to the same comfortable life he had before.

I think several interpretations can be made in terms of the identity of the threshold guardian. In my opinion, however, Obi-Wan Kenobi is the threshold guardian. Obi-Wan Kenobi fits into Luke’s hero’s journey as the mentor figure. Not only did he provide Luke with teachings, but Obi-Wan was also the person to show Luke Princess Leia’s message and open his eyes to the fact that the galaxy needed help against the Empire. He’s the first one to urge Luke to embark on the hero’s journey and continues to repeatedly urge Luke to leave his home and come with him to Alderaan. Importantly, Obi-Wan is with Luke when Luke is staring in shock at the ruins of his family’s farm and helps Luke to realize that it was the Empire who caused this destruction, which becomes a major reason Luke decides to leave. 

I guess it could also be argued that Luke’s dead aunt and uncle are the guardians of the threshold, as their deaths are the catalyst for Luke’s departure, and therefore stand at the edge of the threshold, but I like the idea of Obi-Wan Kenobi being the threshold guardian better.

From a different perspective, the death of Luke’s stepparents could be seen as a “belly of the whale” moment because this is the moment where Luke commits to leaving his known world. It’s the beginning of his transformation from a simple farmer boy to the savior of the galaxy. The Wikipedia page on the hero’s journey states that the belly of the whale moment is a “final separation from the hero’s known world and self” and is characterized by a “willingness to undergo metamorphosis.” Not only that, but the hero may also go through a minor setback. The moment of the belly of the whale is described as “a form of self-annihilation…instead of passing outward, beyond the confines of the visible world, the hero goes inward, to be born again.” Luke, seeing the destruction of his home, decides that he no longer wants to live the simple life he did before -- he decides he wants to change, to “undergo metamorphosis,” and throws away his former self (“self-annihilation,” “goes inward, to be born again”). In fact, the change in Luke can literally be seen in his face. Observe:

But anyway, in conclusion, there are many ways to interpret the scene of the death of Luke’s aunt and uncle in terms of the hero’s journey; this is just my interpretation.