Abstract
A precipitating incident happens which propels the Protagonist out of the ordinary world. At first, they are a stranger in a strange land, confronting new faces, places, customs, and rules. They try using tactics they learned in their old life, but those practices come up short in this unknown environment. These experiences cause the Protagonist to reassess their prior beliefs and behaviors. This is the deconstruction stage of the metamorphosis process and although they may perceive these challenges as negative, the net effect is to enable the Protagonist to break through old psychological defenses and connect with their innermost self. This chapter notes several examples, then continues to explore the journeys of the Protagonists from The Silence of the Lambs, Breaking Bad, Shakespeare in Love, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
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Notes
- 1.
C. G. Jung, “The Psychology of the Child Archetype,” Collected Works 9i (Princeton University Press, 1980), para. 278.
- 2.
In their origin stories, many superheroes experience this type of deconstruction after they obtain their superpowers including Ant-Man, Spider-Man, and The Hulk. It is also a feature in more grounded superpower stories such as Unbreakable (2000) and Chronicle (2012).
- 3.
C. G. Jung, “The Development of Personality,” Collected Works XVII (Princeton University Press, 1981), para. 331, p. 193.
- 4.
Diane K. Osbon, Reflections on the Art of Living: A Joseph Campbell Companion (Harper Collins, 1991), p. 21.
- 5.
Mark Nepo, The Book of Awakening: Having the Life You Want by Being Present to the Life You Have (Conari Press, 2011), p. 257.
- 6.
Ibid., p. 26.
- 7.
Lecter’s use of the word “too” is notable as he appears to be implying that there is another person who “wants to change”—none other than Clarice.
- 8.
Werner Heisenberg, Zeitschrift für Physik, “Über den anschaulichen Inhalt der quantentheoretischen Kinematik und Mechanik,” (1927), p. 257 43 (3–4): 172–198.
- 9.
C. G. Jung, “Development of Personality,” Collected Works XVII (Princeton University Press, 1981), p. 193.
Further Study
Screenwriters’ Masterclass: Screenwriters Talk About Their Greatest Movies, Kevin Conroy Scott (editor), Newmarket Press, 2005, Ted Tally interview, pp. 1–25.
Script Tease: Today’s Hottest Screenwriters Bare All, Dylan Callaghan (editor), Adams Media, 2012, Vince Gilligan interview, pp. 81–91.
Backstory 5: Interviews with Screenwriters of the 1990s, Patrick McGilligan (editor), University of California Press, 2009, Tom Stoppard interview, pp. 189–204.
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Showrunner, Aline Brosh McKenna On Creating a Hit TV Show, Creative Screenwriting, June 20, 2018, https://creativescreenwriting.com/crazy-ex-girlfriend-showrunner-aline-brosh-mckenna-creating-hit-tv-show/.
Chris Miller & Phil Lord Interview: Into the Spider-Verse, ScreenRant, December 13, 2018, https://screenrant.com/spiderman-spider-verse-chris-miller-phil-lord-interview/.
What Happens Next: A History of American Screenwriting, Marc Norman, Crown Archetype, 2007.
References
Bloom, R. and Brosh McKenna, A. (creator) (2015–2019). Crazy Ex-Girlfriend; The CW Network.
Gilligan, V. (creator) (2008–2013). Breaking Bad; American Movie Classics (AMC).
Jung, C. G. (1980). “The Psychology of the Child Archetype,” Collected Works 9i; Princeton University Press.
Jung, C. G. (1981). “The Development of Personality,” Collected Works XVII; Princeton University Press.
Lord, P. and Rothman, R. (screenplay), Lord P. (story) (2018). Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse; Marvel Entertainment/Sony Pictures Entertainment.
Norman, M. and Stoppard, T. (written by) (1998). Shakespeare in Love; Miramax Films.
Tally, T. (screenplay), Harris, T. (novel) (1991). The Silence of the Lambs; Orion Pictures.
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Myers, S. (2022). Deconstruction. In: The Protagonist's Journey. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-79682-2_4
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