Most of the time when we watch movies, we tend to gravitate towards films which we can relate to on either a personal or an emotional level. In other words, we favor certain types of films because the characters are either facing similar circumstances to our own, or they are feeling similar emotions to what we have felt. This can sometimes lead us to experiencing what we call a transcendant moment, or in other words, an experience where we are uplifted emotionally and/or spiritually because what we are viewing causes us to see the world around us in a new light.
While it is pretty obvious that we can have a transcendant experience by watching a strictly religious film, I also think that trasncendance can be found in other types of film genres too. For example, I personally believe that mythic and fantasy films can provide us with a deep and enriching transcendant experience, provided that we know what to look for. In this article I would like explore my personal belief of what it means to have a transcendent experience in film, and how I think mythic/fairy tale films get those messages across. In the process, I will use the film The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe as a case study to illustrate my points.
In order for a film to be transcendent, I believe that it must first be rooted in the truth of religious doctrines and principles. These religious doctrines and principles must be centered on the concepts of improving ourselves, learning to relate better with others, or growing closer to God. The plot must also involve a heavy amount of obstacles and challenges for the characters to go through. This allows me to have a transcendent experience by showing me how the characters are changed through their circumstances. These struggles can come in either the form of good vs. evil or in the general everyday circumstances of life. A transcendent film must also have a clear theme which is either explicitly stated or shown through the use of metaphor and symbolism in the plot and development of the characters. It is only when a film meets some combination of all these criteria that I can consider it to be fully transcendent.
The mythic/fairytale genre is one genre of film that I personally consider to be very transcendent. In fact, next to church related films which teach church doctrines very explicitly, I consider fantasy films to be one of the most transcendent genres of film out there. This is because I believe that many of them are designed for the sole purpose of teaching higher truth by using archetypal patterns in a fiction story. I also feel that the reason these archetypal patterns are able to teach higher truth is because they tend to focus on correct principles and get religious implications across through the use of symbolism and metaphor. This symbolism operates in the form of how the plot and characters progress over time. This creates transcendence by illustrating the theme on a level that allows people to apply their own experiences and beliefs to what they are viewing.
In fantasy films, I feel that there are two main centers of focus which are used to get symbolism and religious implications across. They include bettering ourselves and learning to grow closer to God through our circumstances. However, due to time constraints, I will only examine how one of these focuses operates in fantasy films to create my definition of transcendence. The center of focus I would like to look at is how fantasy films deal with the concept of improving ourselves through symbolism in the plot and development of the characters. The ideas behind this topic are generally based on the theories of Joseph Campbell in his book “The Hero with a Thousand Faces.” However, I have also added some of my own personal interpretation to these ideas.
Based on Campbell’s theories, our discussions in class, and my own personal observations, I have noticed that fantasy films seem to illustrate the importance of bettering ourselves by focusing on a character that is considered “the chosen one,” and through showing the growth that they experience as they go on what is called “a hero’s journey.” This hero’s journey operates in three stages, known as the separation, the initiation, and the return phases. The transcendent message in fairytale films then comes as the character goes through each of these stages and experiences growth along the way. The transcendent experience then comes as I think about what I have viewed, how the story has progressed, and how its ideas apply to my own life.
At the beginning of the hero’s journey, the character starts out in a world or home they are comfortable in and familiar with. After a short time, they experience the separation phase as they go into a new world and receive a call to action to go on some kind of adventure. This call to action comes as the character finds out they are considered a “chosen one,” and that they have a mission to fulfill, the outcome of which could affect many other characters. When this happens, the character becomes separated from everything they are used to as they must leave it all behind so they can begin a new journey and fulfill their destiny. Most of the film revolves around this journey because it is what ultimately leads the character into the other phases so that they can be changed by the end of the story.
In The Chronicles of Narnia, the story is centered on four children who experience a hero’s journey. Their names are Pater, Susan, Edmond, and Lucy Pevensie. This film is set during the time period of World War II, when the Germans were bombing London. At the beginning of the film the four main children are sent by their mother to live in a mansion in the countryside. This mansion represents the normal world the children are familiar with. They are sent here so they can remain safe from the dangers of the war. Shortly after they arrive at the mansion, Lucy accidently discovers a wardrobe that contains a magical world—known as Narnia—which she didn’t know existed. Eventually, Edmond, and then the others discover this world too, and they all end up going there together. This discovery of the Narnian world behind the wardrobe is what allows the children to begin experiencing the separation phase of the hero’s journey because it introduces them to a place they are not familiar with.
After all four of the children arrive in Narnia, Lucy (who had been there twice before) suggests that they all go see Mr. Tumnus. When they get to Mr. Tumnus’s place, they discover that it has been torn apart. It is shortly after this that they run into the beavers who tell them about an old prophesy. This prophesy states that 2 sons of Adam and 2 daughters of Eve will help free Narnia from the White Witch. It is through this prophesy that the children find out they are the “chosen ones” and that they have been called on an adventure and a mission to protect the land of Narnia from the evil queen. In this case, the outcome of them choosing not to follow their mission affects all of the characters in Narnia who are under the queen’s evil rule. Through hearing about this prophesy, the children decide to forget about their old world and to begin their journey in the new world of Narnia. This is what completes the separation phase for them.
In my opinion, the progression of the plot and characters in The Chronicles of Narnia illustrate the importance of improving ourselves because each phase of the hero’s journey represents a symbol for various stages in our own progression through life. Thus, the story creates transcendence through symbolically teaching the audience about the religious doctrine of God’s plan for us on this earth.
I think that the first phase of the hero’s journey in The Chronicles of Narnia represents the doctrine that each one of us on this earth has received a call to action. Each of us has been “chosen” as God’s children to fulfill a mission in life. This mission starts at birth when we are separated from everything we knew in the pre-earth life and leave it all behind so that we can fulfill our destiny of proving ourselves and returning to live with God again. Just like entering a new world leads fantasy film characters to experience the other phases of their journey, it is through being born on this earth that we can experience the other stages of God’s plan for us. This creates transcendence for me because it helps me understand my own purpose in life and helps me appreciate both the good and bad experience I have along the way.
After the call to action, the main character in fantasy films eventually begins to experience the initiation phase by going through multiple trials and temptations (a.k.a. obstacles and challenges). This phase is the point where the majority of the story takes place. As the story progresses, the trials and temptations that the character usually faces come in the form of temptations from the darker side. Sometimes these temptations can even lead the character into bondage, if they choose to follow them. This sets up a basic plot of good vs. evil. In order to overcome their trials, the main character must learn how to fight against the darker side by overcoming both their inner weaknesses and their outer temptations. It is only through doing this that the character can begin improving so they can become transformed through the experiences they face and the lesson they learn along the way.
While all the children in The Chronicles of Narnia did experience the initiation phase to some degree, I felt that Edmond’s character experienced it the most. I say this because his experiences with trials and challenges resulted from his own poor decisions—rather than just the circumstances around him like the others. Thus, he has to come farther to become transformed. To me, the transcendence that I get from his character comes from observing the negative example of what happens to him as he is making the wrong choices. Some of the wrong choices he makes include choices of betrayal, selfishness, and dishonesty.
The interesting thing I noticed about Edmond is that he started experiencing the initiation phase sooner than the rest of his siblings did. For Edmond, the initiation phase began almost during the same time his separation phase did. This happened during the first time he followed Lucy into Narnia—before Peter and Susan joined them. Shortly after Edmond discovers the Narnian world, he runs into the White Witch, who finds out he is human. During this scene the White Witch attempts to seduce and trick Edmond into bringing his siblings into Narnia so she can destroy them—and thus keep the prophecy from coming true. She does this first by playing off of Edmond’s weakness and craving for sweets by giving him hot chocolate and Turkish delight. This weakness and craving for sweets acts as a metaphor for Edmond’s greed and selfishness.
Once the White Witch realizes she has gotten hold of Edmond’s heart with the smaller temptations of the treats, she gradually begins to exercise more of her dark influence on him by tempting him to make even bigger mistakes. The second temptation that she gives Edmond is a temptation for power. She does this by telling Edmond that she will make him a king if he brings his siblings to meet her. She also tells Edmond that his siblings can become his servants if he brings them to Narnia. Once he hears this, Edmond agrees to betray his family in order to obey the request of the White Witch so he can satisfy his own selfish desire for power.
In order to betray his siblings, Edmond first begins by showing dishonesty and lying by saying that Narnia doesn’t exist, and that Lucy was making up stories—even though Lucy and Edmond both knew he was there. He then hits a baseball through the window of the mansion so that he can trick his siblings into coming back to Narnia with him. He does this by pretending that breaking the window was an accident and that the wardrobe is just a regular place to hide so they don’t get in trouble. Finally, when they go in the wardrobe, Edmond secretly leads his siblings further into Narnia so that he can deceive them to a point where he can get them to meet the White Witch and he can become a king. It is only once the others become distracted by the Narnian world that he decides to run off so the others feel like they have to chase him to get him back. This completes his betrayal of his family because it leads them to a point to where they are now stuck in Narnia until they find and rescue him.
Once Edmond reaches the White Witch’s palace, his journey of following his own selfish desires and giving into to his own weaknesses and temptations becomes complete. This happens when he is thrown in prison by the White Witch for not bringing his siblings all the way to her place. In this way, Edmond’s poor decisions lead him to become consumed by evil, and he is brought into captivity for his wrong choices. This means that he must rely on the forces of good to eventually rescue him because he cannot rescue himself by escaping.
The beginnings of change in Edmond happen both as a result of the consequences he receives from making the wrong choices, and the talk he eventually has with Aslan when he is rescued. These events change him because they help him to realize that giving in to the choices of greed, selfishness, and betrayal can only harm him. This allows him to strengthen himself against evil by giving him the desire and the courage to fight against it.
The evidence of Edmond beginning to change is shown in the scene just after he is freed from the White Witch and brought to Aslan’s camp. In this scene Peter is trying to encourage Edmond and the others to go back to their own world so that they will be safe from the war against the White Witch. When Edmond hears this, the evidence of his change is shown as he suggests that they all stay in order to fight against the evil forces of the Witch and protect Narnia. This is evidence of his improvement and start of transformation because it shows his desire to do what is right for the good of others, as opposed to doing the wrong thing for the good of himself.
The second phase of the hero’s journey in The Chronicles of Narnia serves as a symbol for what our personal call to action and mission in life is. In many ways, Edmund’s character could represent us. Like Edmund, we too have our own share of temptations and struggles to overcome. These temptations come from the darker influence of Satin, who is symbolized by the White Witch in the film. If we choose to become prideful and greedy, we will become weak—as Edmund did—and give into temptation. This allows Satin to get more control of our hearts until he gradually drags us down into bondage, just like the White Witch did to Edmund. Thus, in order to avoid Satin’s bondage, our mission in life is to learn how to fight against the darker side by overcoming both their inner weaknesses and their outer temptations. As we work to do this, we gradually become transformed into better followers of Christ and we receive more strength to do what is right. This creates transcendence for me because it teaches about the principle of making the right choices so that we can become better.
Once the character has begun the transformation process, they must eventually face an ultimate test in order prove that they have overcome their inner weaknesses and outer struggles. This test usually requires the character to make a very serious decision, where the outcome could affect more than just them. It also requires the main character to become the forefront leader in the battle to destroy evil. This happens as the main character provides some degree of sacrifice for the benefit of others. Only after the character proves their willingness to sacrifice themselves for the good of others does the change within them become complete. Once this change becomes complete, the character can then move on to the third and final stage of the hero’s journey.
In the case of Edmond in The Chronicles of Narnia, the transformation is revealed through the contrast between what happens to him after he starts making the right choices, as opposed to what happened to him when was making the wrong ones. As I mentioned before, when Edmond was looking after his own selfish desires, he was slowed lulled away until he became captivated by the powers of evil. This led him to regret the mistakes he had made and created a transformation in him by causing him to become less concerned with himself, and more concerned with the welfare of others. The proof of the change then came as he made the decision to defend Narnia against the evil forces of the White Witch. This is what leads into his ultimate test.
The ultimate test for Edmond comes when all the Narnians on the good side are fighting all the evil forces on the side of the White Witch. During this battle, both Edmond and Peter lead the Narnian army as the forefront commanders in the battle to destroy evil. In the case of this battle, the outcome not only determines whether or not Edmond and his siblings can return home to their world, but it also impacts the freedom of all those who live in Narnia. This puts Edmond and his siblings in the position to where they have to make a serious decision to either fight against the evil, or run away from it. They, of course, decide to fight against it.
During this battle, there is a part where Edmond makes the ultimate sacrifice for his brother, Peter. In this part of the scene, Pater tells Edmond to get their sisters and leave Narnia because the forces of evil are too great, and he doesn’t want Edmond, Susan, and Lucy to be destroyed. However, right as Edmond is about to leave, he sees the White Witch advancing toward Peter. In order to protect his brother, Edmond charges after the White Witch, and breaks her magic wand with his sword. After this, she stabs Edmond in the stomach with what’s left of her wand and he falls to the ground wounded—and at risk of dying. However, just at the last moment, Lucy and Susan finally come back with Aslan, and Lucy is able to cure Edmond’s pain with some of her healing potion.
In this scene, Edmond faces the ultimate test by putting his own life at risk and choosing to sacrifice his own safety in order to protect Peter from certain death. This then becomes the ultimate sacrifice when he is stabbed by the queen because it almost leads to his own death. This willingness to sacrifice himself for his brother symbolizes how much Edmond has changed over the course of the film. This act completes his transformation because it reveals that he has fully overcome his own weaknesses and struggles against behaviors such as greed, selfishness, and dishonesty. It does so because it shows that he is now more willing to be selfless in the giving of his life for the protection of someone else, than to be selfish in saving his own life for the protection of himself.
Like Edmund in The Chronicles of Narnia, we to must learn to make a consistent and serious effort to choose the right. This means that we must be willing to sacrifice our own selfish sins and desires, as Edmund sacrificed his alliance with the White Witch—and almost his life—when he protected Peter. We do this as we go through the process of repentance. Once we have repented, our ultimate test comes in the form of continuing forward in faith and remaining true to what we know is right. This process—known as enduring to the end—is what allows us to move forward in God’s plan, just like it allows the characters in fantasy films to move forward in their hero’s journey. This creates transcendence for me because it teaches the principle of how sacrificing our own will to do what is right and enduring to the end can make us stronger.
Once the main character in a fairytale film has proven themselves and the change within them has become complete, they are finally able to move on to the third phase of the hero’s journey. This is the phase known as the return. From what I have observed, this is usually the shortest phase in the story. In this phase, the journey comes to an end, as the character becomes forever changed by the lessons they learn through their experiences. As a result, the hero can no longer go back to how things used to be in either their world or the new world. This allows them to move forward because it provides them with the ability to apply what they learned from their journey into their regular everyday lives. Often, there is even a reward ceremony involved in the transition to the third phase, which acts as an outward symbol of the inward transformation of the character.
In The Chronicles of Narnia, the transition into the return phase happens right as the war against the White Witch ends. In my opinion, the scene that marks this transition is the one where Peter, Susan, and Lucy are hovered around Edmond who is wounded (and almost dead) on the ground. In this part, Lucy uses a healing potion she was given earlier to administer to Edmond’s wounds. Once Edmond is healed, all four of the children hug to show that they have each changed by growing closer to each other through their experiences and challenges in Narnia. The reason this part shows that they have grown closer to each other is because it stands as a contrast to their relationship at the start of the film, when all they did was argue.
After the battle ends, there is one final scene which marks the completion of all four children’s transition into the third phase. This scene is a reward ceremony where Peter, Susan, Edmond, and Lucy all become kings and queens of Narnia. In this scene the children reach a point where they become forever changed because they are made eternal rulers of the land of Narnia. Thus, they can no longer go back to how things used to be because they are now considered royalty. The magnitude of this change is even further emphasized by Aslan’s last line in the film, which happens just after they are crowned and he says, “Once a king or queen of Narnia, always a king or queen of Narnia.” It is this reward ceremony that allows the children to finally move forward so they can return to their own world and apply the lessons which they learned from Narnia into their regular everyday lives. This is the point where the story and film finally conclude.
To me the return phase of the hero’s journey in The Chronicles of Narnia represents a symbol for our own eternal progression. In God’s plan for us, I believe that our journey comes to an end and our return phase begins when we die. Then, if we endured and remained faithful to our mission in this life, we too will have the opportunity to become forever changed in the next life from what we have learned. This will happen as we are made eternal rulers as kings and queens in God’s kingdom. Once this happens, we will no longer be able to go back to how things used to be because we will inherit all the same blessings which God enjoys. As I watch The Chronicles of Narnia, I am able to have a transcendent experience because I am reminded of the religious principle that all human beings have great self-worth because they are all children of God.
In summary, I believe that mythic/fantasy films can provide a very transcendent experience for the viewer because of the way in which they use archetypal narrative patterns in order to symbolically teach religious doctrine and principles. One of the ways in which they do this is by focusing on the importance of improving ourselves through the process of the hero’s journey. This journey operates in three phases, known as the separation, the initiation, and the return. The transcendent message then comes as the character goes through each of these phases and experiences growth along the way. This creates transcendence because it allows the audience to apply their own experiences and beliefs to what they are viewing.
Works Cited
Campbell, Joseph. The Hero with a Thousand Faces. Novato, CA: New World Library, 2008. Print.
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion the Witch and The Wardrobe. Dir. Andrew Adamson. Perf. Tilda Swinton, Georgie Henley and William Moseley. Walt Disney, 2005. DVD.
