“Clowns to the left of me
Jokers to the right
Here I am stuck in the middle with you”

– Stealers Wheel, Stuck in the Middle with You (Stealers Wheel, 1972)

…

The anthropologist Joseph Campbell observed a format that occurs in a great deal of world mythology, regardless of the region or culture that it belongs to.  In these stories, the protagonist of the tale has to undergo a quest or ordeal, such as a visit to the underworld, in order to develop the skills and personality to become the person they need to be.  Campbell uses the term The Hero’s Journey to collectively refer to these folk tales, which he describes at length in his best-selling book The Hero with a Thousand Faces.  This title is probably best known (together with Akira Kurosawa’s film The Hidden Fortress) for forming the basis of the first Star Wars film (which is less than helpfully entitled Episode IV, leaving the way clear for director George Lucas to create three terrible prequels and Jar Jar Binks) in 1977. 

Continue reading →