MM Movie Synopsis, Analysis of JCampbelll Monomyth and My Life Story by Leader Maye Gutierrez

Sent from my iPhone

Begin forwarded message:

                               Synopsis of Movie Gladiator                                 

 The movie that I chose is Gladiator, a 2000 epic historical drama directed by Ridley Scott.   Gladiator was a box office success and won multiple awards at the Academy for Best Picture and Best Actor.  The hero in the movie travels through 12 stages, much like Joseph Palmer's book  "The Hero with a Thousand faces."

·         The Hero is introduced in his ordinary world

       "All for the glory of Rome."

The Hero in the movie, Gladiator, is the Hispano-Roman General Maximus Decimus Meridius.  His ORDINARY WORLD is the battlefield where he led the Roman army to its decisive victory from the Germanic tribes. He is loved and admired for his virtues of morality, fortitude, courage, loyalty and most of all, for his devotion to his wife and son.  He earned the favor of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius and was appointed as his successor instead of the usual tradition of passing the crown to his son, Commodus, who was considered a failure in leading Rome.

·         The Call to Adventure

The corrupted, twisted and immoral son of Marcus Aurelius, murders his father when he learns that Maximus will hold the emperor's powers in trust until a new republic can be formed.

 "Don't die.  They'll feed you to the lions.  They're worth more that we are."

Under the new Emperor Commodus, a new ADVENTURE opens for our hero.   Maximus was arrested for rejecting Commodus' call for loyalty.  He was able to escape execution but not his family who was burnt alive upon orders from Commodus.  Weary from hunger and despair, he wandered the desert and was captured by North African slaves.  He was later sold as a slave to a man named Proximo, who trained him as a gladiator. From then on, life was never the same again.

·         The Hero is reluctant at first

"I paid for you so I can profit from your death."

RELUCTANT at first, our hero, Maximus, was forced to fight in local tournaments.  He won every match because of his superior military skills and traumatized indifference to death.

·         The Hero is encouraged by a wise man.

"Unfortunately, we're all dead men.  We can't choose how we die but we can choose how we can be remembered after our death."

His new found fame and recognition was brought to Proximo's attention. Proximo is an old, gruff gladiator trainer who was freed by Maximus Aurelius because of his winning skills in the arena.  He becomes a Mentor to Maxiumus.    At that time, Commodus organized the 150 days of games to commemorate his late father.  Proximo  ADVISES  him to "win the crowd" and so earn their respect and eventually his freedom. He can use this leverage to possibly overthrow or kill Emperor Commodus as part for his plan for revenge.

·         The hero passes the first threshold.

I wasn't the best because I killed the best.  It was because the crowd loved me and it's the crowd who can give you freedom."

Maximus' first taste of gladiatorial combat in the Colosseum is depicted as a reenactment of the Battle of Zama.  His team defied all expectations are able to DEFEAT the enemies who were supposed to obliterate them.  A surprised and delighted Commodus comes into the arena to personally congratulate them.  He then reveals himself to the startled Commodus and vows to have his vengeance.  On the other hand, the crowd loved him. They kept on chanting "live!" repeatedly, earning their favor and showing their support.

·         The hero encounters tests and helpers

As a gladiator, he befriended two of Proximo's gladiators: a Numidian named Juba and a German named Hagen and they gave one another support in and out of the arena.

He renewed his ties with his loyal aid Cicero who said that he still has the loyalty of his army, encamped near Rome. 

Even Commodus' sister Lucilla and the chief senator Gracchus secure a meeting with Maximus and they assured him that they will help him escape to his freedom.

The test happened when Commodus learned of the plot of his escape and threatened Lucilla with her son, who is the next heir to the throne.  In turn, the escape failed and some of his friends/helpers were arrested—Gracchus was apprehended, Proximo sacrificed himself and his men (including Hagen) and Cicero were killed.

·         Hero reaches his innermost cave.

"People always love victories.  The idea of greatness is a vision.  Fear and wonder are a powerful combination."

The most surprising and biggest event came.  Maximus was pitted against the formidable Commodus to a duel in the Colosseum. 

Commodus was desperate and jealous of Maximus' growing popularity, challenges him to a duel in the Colosseum by putting him in a disadvantage.

·         The hero endures the supreme ordeal

Before the fight and unknown to the crowd, Commodus fatally stabbed Maximus at his side.

Maximus was on the verge of collapse from blood loss and weariness but had to fight back.  He had to fulfill his vow of vengeance.

·         The hero seizes the sword

Maximus manages to evade Commodus' blows and disarms him.  Maximus kills Commodus.

·         The Road Back

Maximus succumbs to the stab wound, asking with his last words to his old friend, General Quintus, that reforms be made, his gladiator allies freed and that Senator Gracchus be reinstated. He said he was fulfilling former Emperor Marcus Aurellius' vision for Rome.

·         Resurrection

Maximus was honored by Lucilla, all the soldiers and the crowd on his death.  He is then carried away for an honorable funeral as the "Great Soldier of Rome."

·         He returns with the Elixir

The hero comes back to his ordinary world.  He was able to vindicate himself and died a soldier not a slave.  He said his last commands for order for Rome. And the best elixir ever was seeing his wife and son in his afterlife.

                                                                                REFLECTION PAPER

                                                                   The Hero with a thousand Faces

·         The Hero is introduced in his ordinary world.

My ordinary world was La Consolacion School, Caloocan City.  I spent 8 years in my old school.  And since the community was not big, everybody knew almost everybody.  I was kind of popular in our school as I, together, with my 2 siblings were consistent honor students.  l belonged in the model section where I was always elected class officer.  I was always the recipient of the "Best in Deportment" medal, meaning to say that I was the one who exemplified the characteristics of a "Role Model" in our batch.  I was in every contest—win or lose.  I had a handful of friends who bring good memories to this day.

There was this organization in school called the "Solidarity of Mary" where only a selected few are chosen to be members.  And I was one of them.  As a member, I had to make a vow of good conduct, chastity, obedience and simplicity, the same virtues as our Mother Mary.

·         The Call to Adventure

I was 13 years old when my parents decided that we would be moving from Caloocan City to Quezon City.  Our new house was bigger and situated in an exclusive subdivision where they say the 'upper class" live. With the decision to move to a different neighborhood came the package of changing schools as well.  From my alma mater of 8 years, I had to move to an exclusive school for girls run by Catholic nuns known for its high standard of teaching and expensive tuition fees.

·         The Hero is Reluctant at first

I was pretty reluctant to leave my old neighbors and classmates.  We were given despedida parties here and there where I got an assortment of souvenirs from well-meaning friends.  At the end of the day, I realized that the hesitation was not merely based on leaving.  It was the FEAR of moving to a new school where I would be meeting girls who are "sosyal" and who go to school chauffeur-driven.  As you see, during that time, Sharon Cuneta was the most famous teen star and most girls who wanted to be "in" talked, dressed, and behaved like she did.  "Burgis!

 ( from the French word Bourgeois—characteristic of the middle class typically with reference to its perceived materialistic values or conventional attitudes.)  I thought my classmates would somewhat be like Sharon Cuneta….of course, no offense meant.

·         The Hero is encouraged by a wise man

My first day of school was terrifying.   I was the only one accompanied by my mother while most of them were with uniformed yayas in tow.  The girls that I met with were different from what I imagined them to be.  They were simple, accommodating, no boyfriends and most of all, prayerful.   I was glad to see an old friend in that class who briefed me on what to expect in high school.  There was also a certain English teacher, Miss Castillo, who talked to me telling me to choose the friends that I would have.  I also had our guidance counsellor who lived up to her position.

·         The hero passes the first threshold

There were nice girls and there were some indifferent ones.  I made a good impression on everybody. I joined the group who first welcomed me in school. They were the ones who asked me if I would like to join them for recess.   They were not the popular ones.  In fact, they were not the performers when it came to academics and extra-curricular.  Some of them were shy, some with inferiority complex.   Exactly the opposite of the crowd that I was with in my elementary days in my other school.

Since some girl groups saw my friendliness and potential, they invited me to join them instead. I was so tempted but had to decide on staying with my group just for the sake of what you call 'puede na rin." I passed my first major threshold, choosing my friends…

·          The hero encounters tests and helpers

I experienced bullying in high school.  During that time, having an "on" was the name of the game in an exclusive school for girls.  ('on"--  colloquial word for having a girl to girl relationship for the sake of companionship.  For others, this friendship can blossom into a same sex relationship).

There was this tomboy in school who asked me if we can be girlfriend-"boy" girlfriend.  I remember that in my old school, I was a member of the "Solidarity of Mary" where the virtue of chastity was greatly favored. And having an "on' was not allowed.  As expected, I rejected her.  I later learned from my friends that she already had a partner before she "courted" me.   The girlfriend was so mad because of her partner's two timing.  And she was angry at me, too even if I did no one harm.  She started bullying me.  My barkada helped me throughout this ordeal by assuring me that they will not leave me.

·         Hero reaches his innermost cave

One day, as I arrived in school, I saw her and her girlfriend waiting for me.  As I alighted in the car, the girlfriend shouted harsh words at me while her tomboy -girlfriend was trying to pacify her.  I was crying because of fear that she would pull my hair or do me any physical harm.

·         The hero endures the supreme ordeal

On my way inside the school, there came my trusted friends to pick me up. They saw what happened and they defended me.  I couldn't believe that the shy friends who I was supposed to leave for the more popular ones were the ones who helped me in this scary moment.  The girl who was so quiet even in class recitations gave the loudest shout-out in my defense.  The girl who had failing grades in academics was the one who gave me the soundest advice, ever. And the girl who had the inferiority complex seemed to be the bravest of them all.  I survived that phase with the help of my friends.

·         The Hero seizes the sword

The following days, my friends always come to pick me up at the carpark.  One day, my "enemy'  came to my class and asked  for forgiveness for what she did.  She explained that she thought that I was in a love triangle with them.  I clearly pointed out to her that I would never be a part of that.

In spite of the pain that I experienced, forgiveness from me came easy.  I seized the sword.

·         The Road back

On the road back, I have become more mature.  I face life differently now. I have reconciled with the people who hurt me in the past based on their false accusations.

·         Resurrection

I was able to redeem myself after that event.  Until now, my High School friends and I are still close as ever.  None of us maybe perfect but I am proud that we compensate one another for our strengths and weaknesses.  As for the tomboy one?  Well, she is already married and have kids of her own.  She resides abroad now.  And what is funny is that every time she flies back to the Philippines for our school reunion, we hold it in the restaurant which I own.  Unbeknownst to her, the girl that she used to bully have gone places….farther than she has travelled.   (smile)

·         Return of Elixir

30 years have passed and I learned a lesson from this experience.  I always tell my kids to stay away from bullies.  In case they encounter one, they should report it to their teachers.  They shouldn't keep a secret to their parents.  Not everyone is as strong as I was back then.  Not everyone is fortunate to have friends who will stand by them.  Choose your friends carefully based on their virtues and not on anything else.

Now, I am back to my ordinary world. In school—here in  AGSB carrying with me an elixir of being an advocate against bullying, be it personal or through cyber. My maturity has assured me that nothing like that can happen anymore..not with me…not with my kids…not with anyone.