Abstract
The Protagonist is the story’s central character for several pivotal reasons. The Protagonist embarks on a journey which creates the spine of the plot. Their goal dictates the story’s end point. All other major characters are linked to the Protagonist and their journey. The Protagonist undergoes the most significant metamorphosis. Drawing upon examples including Star Wars: Episode IV—A New Hope, Game of Thrones, The Godfather, and The Shawshank Redemption, this chapter explores the implications of a key assertion by analytical psychologist Carl Jung: The events and interactions in the plot exist not only to serve and support the Protagonist’s arc; they are prompted by the specific psychological needs of the character. The journey they take is the one they need to take. This is their narrative imperative.
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Notes
- 1.
“…it came to me that there really was no modern use of mythology…so that’s when I started doing more strenuous research on fairy tales, folklore and mythology, and I started reading Joe’s books. Before that I hadn’t read any of Joe’s books…. It was very eerie because in reading ‘A Hero with a Thousand Faces,’ I began to realize that my first draft of Star Wars was following classical motifs.” George Lucas interview in Joseph Campbell: A Fire in the Mind, Larsen, Stephen and Larsen, Robin; Inner Traditions; Reprint edition, April, 2002, p. 541.
- 2.
Television episodes are referred to as follows: S for season followed by the number signifying which season, comma, space, Ep for episode followed by the number signifying which episode during that season. Example: S3, Ep4 signifies the fourth episode of the third season.
- 3.
With each conquest, her official title keeps growing to the point where she is formally known as Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen, the First of Her Name, Queen of the Andals and the First Men, Protector of the Seven Kingdoms, the Mother of Dragons, the Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, the Unburnt, the Breaker of Chains. Even her name reflects her metamorphosis.
- 4.
While the execution of Season Eight has been the center of much debate and criticism for Game of Thrones fans, tracking the arc of Daenerys’ character all the way through the series strongly suggests her lust for power would override her instincts to make the world a better place.
- 5.
C. G. Jung, “Aion,” Collected Works 9ii (Princeton University Press, 1970), p. 126.
- 6.
Joseph Campbell was significantly influenced by the work of Jung to the point he edited The Portable Jung (Penguin Books, 1971).
- 7.
The Shawshank Redemption is an example of a Dual Protagonist narrative.
Further Study
The Hero with a Thousand Faces, Joseph Campbell, Bollingen Foundation, Pantheon Books, 1949.
The Power of Myth, Joseph Campbell (author), Bill Moyers (collaborator), Anchor Books, 1991.
Joseph Campbell: A Fire in the Mind—The Authorized Biography, Stephen Larsen and Robin Larsen, Doubleday, 1991.
The Portable Jung, Carl Jung (author) Joseph Campbell (editor), Penguin Books, 1971.
Jung: A Brief Insight, Anthony Stevens, Sterling Publishing, 2011.
The Writers Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers, Christopher Vogler, Michael Wiese Productions; 3rd edition, 2007.
A New Hope: The Illustrated Screenplay (Star Wars, Episode IV), George Lucas, Del Ray Books, 1998.
Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon: Game of Thrones and the Official Untold Story of the Epic Series, James Hibberd, Dutton Books, 2020.
Annotated Godfather: The Complete Screenplay with Commentary on Every Scene, Interviews, and Little-Known Facts, Jenny M. Jones (author), Francis Ford Coppola (screenwriter), Mario Puzo (screenwriter/author), Black Dog & Leventhal, 2009.
“The Godfather”: A Historical Curiosity That Proved Instrumental for Our Filmmaking Education and Appreciation, Sven Mikulec, Cinephilia & Beyond, June 15, 2015, https://cinephiliabeyond.org/the-godfather/.
Shawshank Redemption: The Shooting Script, Frank Darabont (screenwriter), Stephen King (author), Newmarket Press, 2004.
References
Darabont, F. (screenplay), King, S. (novel) (1994), The Shawshank Redemption; Castle Rock Entertainment/Columbia Pictures.
Jung, C. G. (1970). “Aion,” Collected Works 9ii; Princeton University Press.
Jung, C. G., Campbell, J. (editor), Hull, R. F. C. (translator) (1971). The Portable Jung, Penguin Books.
Larsen, S. and Larsen, R. (2002). Joseph Campbell: A Fire in the Mind; Inner Traditions; Reprint edition.
Moyers, B. and Campbell, J. (1988). The Power of Myth; Mystic Fire Video/Wellspring.
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Myers, S. (2022). The Protagonist’s Journey. In: The Protagonist's Journey. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-79682-2_1
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