| From our deconstruction of hundreds of Hollywood | | | | Mentor: our job is to process you, to break you |
| blockbusters at Hero's Journey is the template upon | | | | physically, mentally and spiritually.Rules: masturbate as |
| which the vast majority of successful stories and | | | | little as possible etc.Outer Cave:Marker of |
| Hollywood blockbusters are based upon. In fact, ALL | | | | Transformation: counting 5 steps to start.Resisting the |
| of the Hollywood movies we have deconstructed are | | | | Transformation: we eat everything we get; press |
| based on this template.Understanding this template is a | | | | ups.Marker / Foreshadow of the Transformation: how |
| priority for story or screenwriters.The Hero's | | | | do I look?Polarization Decreases / Transformation: |
| Journey:a) Attempts to tap into unconscious | | | | Dega sends a coconut.Time Shift: the old man next |
| expectations the audience has regarding what a story | | | | door is gone.Resisting the Transformation: I'm still here |
| is and how it should be told.b) Gives the writer more | | | | you bastards.Physical Change: the bat bites the |
| structural elements than simply three or four acts, plot | | | | leg.Middle Cave:Forced to Transform: the warden |
| points, mid point and so on.c) Interpreted metaphorically, | | | | wants to know who sent the coconut; half rations and |
| laterally and symbolically, allows an infinite number of | | | | no light.Push to the New Self: I accuse you of a |
| varied stories to be created.and more...EXAMPLE: | | | | wasted life; the penalty is death.MIDPOINT: Developing |
| Papillon (1973) - Hero's Journey [basic | | | | Characters and Relationships / Decreased Polarization: |
| deconstruction][can also be deconstructed with Dega | | | | Dega worried that Papi will tell; I would.Transforming: |
| as the Supernatural Aid]FADE IN: context: penal | | | | laughing in the rain.Inner Cave:Resisting the |
| colony.Goodbye to the Ordinary World and Ordinary | | | | Transformation: I don't get hungry; I was born |
| Self: forget France; France has disowned you.On a | | | | skinny.Transformed: now 13 steps.Transformed: how |
| Journey: picking up their suitcases.Creatures of the | | | | do I look; you look swell.Acceptance: Papillon calls the |
| Ordinary World: the people watching in the | | | | Mentor.Death to the Old Self: you're dead.Trials and |
| streets.Pushed out of the Ordinary World: the police | | | | Transformation 2:Outer Cave: taken to hospital.The |
| force the convicts on.Meeting the Loyal Ally: Louis | | | | gay boy doctor and the turnkey.Transforming: getting |
| Dega.Romantic Challenge: Dega's wife.Meeting the | | | | stringer; Dega sends soup.Developing Characters and |
| Hero: Papillion ["Papi"]No Way Back: no you | | | | Relationships: listen my friend, you owe me |
| won't.Meeting the Mentor: no you won't.World of the | | | | nothing.Developing Characters and Relationships: the |
| Mentor: in the ship.Hero's Capabilities / Danger / | | | | turnkey puts a flower in the boy's mouth.Pushed to the |
| Warning: Papillon has a knife.On a Journey / Pushed | | | | Middle Cave: Clusiot tells Papi that Dega has arranged |
| Forward: the boat sails.Hero's Capabilities: Papi shoves | | | | an escape.Middle Cave:Papi will kill the X-ray doctor if |
| money up his ass.Symbol of Transformation: the | | | | he double-crosses him.Resisting the Inner Cave: you |
| butterfly tattoo.Hero's Backstory: you're papillon; you | | | | think I'm a whore, well I'm not.Overcoming Resistance: |
| killed a pimp; I'm innocent.Mentor's Backstory: he spent | | | | Papillon agrees to him [the boy] coming |
| nine years there.Danger of the Journey and | | | | along.Resistance: Papi wants Dega to come along, but |
| Transformation: 40% in the first year.Ally's Backstory: | | | | he won't.Romantic Challenge: what do you think your |
| Dega was the best counterfeiter.Call to Adventure / | | | | wife is doing with the lawyer and all that money.Inner |
| Hero and Ally Polarization: you need protection.Refusal: | | | | Cave: escaping from the turnkey and over the |
| Dega doesn't think much of Papi.This World: the hose | | | | wall.Forced to the Inner Cave: Dega saves Papi's |
| down.Foreshadow of the Transformation: I won't go to | | | | life.Physical Change: Dega breaks his leg; setting his |
| solitary; nothing personal.Unbearable Antagonism: the | | | | leg.No Reward: The boat is a dud.Trials and |
| dead man is killed and robbed.Overcoming the Refusal: | | | | Transformation 3:Outer Cave: the tattoo man |
| ok, I need protection.Conscious Decision: Papi saves | | | | appears.Push to the Middle Cave: taken to the leper |
| Degas' life.Warning: Papi tied up like a dog.First | | | | colony; hesitating at the door.Inner Cave: with the lead |
| Threshold from Afar: looking at the islands.Warning: | | | | leper; smoking his cigar.Reward: the boat and |
| you can't get away, the sharks, the current.Threshold | | | | money.Meeting the Oracle: only a few weeks to |
| Guardians: the convicts turned guards.First Threshold | | | | Honduras.Journey to the Sword: on the boat to |
| Marker: crossing the bridge.Physical Change: he cuts | | | | Honduras.Trial to the Sword: getting gangrene and |
| himself to go to hospital.Creatures of the First | | | | operating.Seizing the Sword: arriving in |
| Threshold: the prostitutes; the integrated convicts; the | | | | Honduras.Separation: Dega left behind.Forced to the |
| people of the island.Outer Cave:Authority Figure: the | | | | Night Sea Journey: running with the other convict.Near |
| warden.Rules: the guillotine figure.Meeting Allies: the old | | | | Death Experience: poison darts from the |
| man wants 2000 to escape work.Death: the | | | | Indians.Baptism: falling in the water.Reward: waking up |
| beheading.Resisting the Middle Cave: hoping the bribe | | | | with the idyllic tribe.Sexual Union: getting a girl.New Self |
| will mean avoiding work.Pushed to the Middle Cave: | | | | Physical Change: the chief gets a tattoo.Forced to the |
| my family lost everything.Middle Cave:In Kilo 40.Having | | | | Atonement with the Father: the tribe leaves and Papi |
| to catch the croc.Guards make money from the | | | | seeks refuge with the nuns.Apotheosis: leaving the five |
| croc.Inner Cave:Clusiot shares antimalaria.The dead | | | | years of solitary confinement; the sharks take the |
| convict. Sharing his food.Polarization: Papi hisses at the | | | | dead.Convergence: Dega sees Papi on the |
| converted convicts.Push to the Belly of the Whale: I | | | | island.Magic Flight: taken to the island.Denial: Dega runs |
| can get a boat.World of the Belly of the Whale: | | | | from Papi.Magic Flight: Papi pursues Dega.Rescue from |
| catching butterflies.Allies Nature: Dego catches the | | | | Without: the coconut drifts out to sea.Crossing the |
| butterfly with his hands.Warning: the butterfly man | | | | Return Threshold: testing the bag of coconuts.Final |
| threatens to turn them in.Pushed to the Transformation | | | | Antagonism: the coconuts bash the rocks.Master of |
| and Trials: if I don't go I'll die.Pursued to the | | | | the Two Worlds: it happens every seventh |
| Transformation and Trials: Papi saves Dega's life and | | | | wave.Goodbye: hugging.Freedom to Live: Papillon floats |
| runs.Polarization Decreases / Transformation: that man | | | | to freedom.Fade out: Papi outlives the colony.You are |
| risked his life to save mine; for me that's a new | | | | free to reproduce this article as long as no changes |
| experience.Forced to the Road of Trials: Papi is double | | | | are made and the author's name and site URL are |
| crossed and captured.Trials and Transformation 1:New | | | | retained. |
| World of the Transformation: Reclusion.Transformation | | | | |