Saturday, July 18, 2015

Movie Analysis, Joseph Campbell's Monomyth, and My Life Story by Leader Karen Kay Guanzon

MY LIFE STORY
Karen Kay Guanzon
We are three in the family, I am the youngest and I am 7 years younger to my brother. We have a normal family and a normal life. My parents gave us a convenient life. Our family is inclined with business, from my grandparents down to my cousins and brother. I grew up looking up to my parents, I idolize them when it comes to handling business and financials. Growing up, my father always tells us that we need to strive hard and we cannot depend on him and we will not inherit anything from him. He instill on us that we cannot forever depend on them or to anyone; that we need to have our own ways in able to survive.
Being the youngest and having a big age gap with my sibling is not easy, I never got the chance to be independent even in my college days. My parents were very strict especially with me, there are rare chances that they will leave me alone. They were always there with me to look after me. There are a lot of rules that I need to follow, rules that sometimes I thought was not fair. Those rules and them being strict made me do rebellious acts. I got into a relationships that my parent's doesn't know and relationships that they do not approve. Because of that it came to my mind that the escape from my life back then was to get pregnant; that's how my daughter existed. I was 18 years old when I had my daughter, I haven't finish my studies that time. Because of my fears to my parents, I left our house and go with my daughter's father. I did not get married because I was still thinking of getting a diploma and to have a job. It was a struggle to me leaving without my parents; I realized that I made a wrong decision but I cannot turn back the time instead I need to face the reality and move forward for me and my daughter. Eventually I became a single mom; despite of what I did, my parent accepted me again with open arms and they helped and still helping me in raising up my daughter. Though support from my parents is always there, I know that I still need to strive hard and push myself more to give my daughter the same life that my parents gave us.
My first job was in GMA Network, I was an encoder and had a chance to become an editor. For three years I was able to show what I can do to my bosses, in fact I was in line for promotion but my dad talked to me and asked me to resign in able to help on our business. It was the peak of my career that time, I did not know what to do, and I was in a dilemma on whether to take my promotion or comply with what my father is asking me. In the end I chose to fulfill what my father wants, thinking that I need to regain the trust of my parents. But me working in our company did not went well, I did not see my purpose and worth there. Every expectations I had before I started working in our company did not happened. I thought I will have a future on our family business, I thought I will learn a lot from it and be able to grow on becoming a great leader. That did not happen, instead I felt that I do not make any sense in the company; one of the main reason is because they cannot give me a specific role and responsibility. That was the reason why I became lazy and lost my enthusiasm to learn the business. What made more negative impact to me is when my brother and cousin talked to me and discussed my work ethics, my cousin told me that I am not a good example to the employees, that I am just adding up on the problems of the company and they cannot see my worth. I felt so down and depressed, those words run through my mind for a long time and my life was affected because of it. However, that unfortunate event also gave me the eagerness to stand on my own and look at the possibilities on handling my own business. Fortunately I was given a chance to handle my own business; late last year I was offered by Coca-Cola Philippines to be a delivery partner in one of the town in Pampanga. I was nervous but at the same time eager to show to my brother and cousin that I am not what they think I am. Handling a business is not what dreamt before, but I pushed myself to learn and to let other people see that I can also manage my own business. It was also because of my father why I felt brave to pursue the business. He helped me on every aspects of the business; He financed my business, helped on building the warehouse, helped looking for the routing units and even helped me to get some of the permits I needed. The business also made me realize that I need to learn more especially my course in college is not in line with business, which is why I enrolled in MBA.
When my father died my life turned 180 degrees; that day is a big life changing for me. I've been with him all throughout my life and I admit that I am dependent on him. I entered the world of business and enrolled in MBA because of him; he is my inspiration for both of this. Because of his death, I was stacked, I didn't know where and how to start again. I became compliant to the point that I don't go to my office and I somehow lost care with what is happening on my business. I also stopped studying and did not enrolled, I actually have no plans on going back at school before, but the people I love pushed me to continue my studies because that is what my father wants.
Throughout my life I made a lot of wrong decisions and choices especially when it comes to relationships. Because of my strict parents I was never guided in choosing my partner. But in a much unexpected time, just when I was losing hope and feeling down because of my father's death came the one that I was looking for, for a long time. The one that accepted every ugly past that I had and my situation (having a daughter) and he became one of my strength in this time that I am still coping with the death of my father.  He is patiently helping me to slowly regain and pick up myself.


RELATING MY STORY TO TANGLED
            I chose the movie Tangled because I saw myself to its main character, Rapunzel. Rapunzel got lock down for years on a tower, wherein she does not have the freedom to decide and do what she wants to do. She was left in the tower asking herself, "When will my life begin?". I also once asked myself that same question; my parents were very strict with me that I do not have the free will to go out and mingle. Like Rapunzel I often do the same routine almost my entire school years until I rebelled. Rapunzel's rebellious act is escaping the tower to fulfill her dream that is to see the lanterns, while I got myself pregnant thinking that that will be my escape and my entry on having a life that I want. From Rapunzel's journey towards her dream she encountered a lot of obstacles that made her stronger and more persistent. After getting pregnant and became a single mom I started to realize that I made a very wrong decision. I have dreams and goals for me and my daughter, on the way to that dreams/goals I also faced a lot of obstacles, but like Rapunzel I never gave up. Although we both have Gothel on our lives who discourages us and making us believe that we are less that did not affect us, instead we pushed ourselves to show them that they are wrong. Rapunzel's parent's light up lanterns every year for her birthday, those lights which she sees from the tower gave her hope. My parents are also the ones who give light whenever I feel down, they never stop believing in me despite of the disappointments I gave to them. Rapunzel met the love of her life, Eugene/Flynn in a much unexpected situation; Eugene/Flynn helped her to achieve her dreams and when the time came that she was again locked by Gothel and again losses hope, he did everything to save her, regain her confidence and bring her back to her parents and her real life. Similar with Rapunzel, I met a guy in a much unexpected place and time, I never had expected that he will be a great help to me. When my father died I lost faith and confidence, I never wanted to go back to my normal life. Like Eugene/Flynn to Rapunzel, he helped me regain both my faith and confidence and now he is supporting me and helping me to reach my goals. That despite of the negative past and traits I and Rapunzel have those guys never left us. I'm just hoping to have the same happily ever after story like Rapunzel.
CAMPBELL ON THE MOVIE TANGLED
1.    The Hero is introduced in his ordinary world
Ø  In the beginning of the story it shows how Rapunzel was born with a beautiful golden hair that glows with the magic of the flower. Before the queen gave birth to Rapunzel, she became very sick, and the king sent out his people to search for the legendary golden flower, which was rumored to possess powerful powers that had the ability to heal. The said golden flower is found by an old woman named Mother Gothel, who sings the song "Healing Incantation" to it, causing it to restore her youth and beauty. In this way she lives for hundreds of years, keeping the flower hidden and never sharing it with anyone. However, the king's guards uproot the flower and bring it back to the palace, where it is fed to the queen, who survives and gives birth to a daughter, princess Rapunzel. In honor of her birth, the king and queen release a floating lantern into the sky. One night, an already-aging Gothel sneaks into the palace and cuts a piece of Rapunzel's hair to use instead of the flower. Though when she cuts it, the lock of hair turns dark brown. Gothel realizes that cutting Rapunzel's hair causes it to lose its power, and so she kidnaps the princess, escaping out the window with her. She locked her away in a hidden tower and raised her as her own child, having Rapunzel sing the healing song to restore Gothel's youth.
2.    The call to adventure
Ø  The day before Rapunzel's Eighteenth birthday she told Gothel what she wants for her birthday; she expressed her eagerness to go out of the tower, for her to see the lights in the sky, because she believes that they're connected to her somehow.
3.    The hero is reluctant at first
Ø  Rapunzel became reluctant when Gothel told her discouraging thing about the outside world. Gothel said that the world is a horrible and dangerous place and how she only wants to protect Rapunzel, who is too gullible and helpless to defend herself.
4.    The hero is encouraged by the wise old man or woman
Ø  Flynn the bandit stole the crown from the palace and he was chase by the king's guard and the guard's horse Maximus. In his way escaping he finds what appears to be a rock wall, but turns out to just be a very thick curtain of vines covering the mouth of a small cave. He uses the cave to hide while Maximus searches outside, and then escapes through the tunnel, ending up in a small clearing...with Rapunzel's tower standing in the center. Deciding that it looks like a perfect place to hide, he scales the side using arrows, and ends up right in Rapunzel's bedroom.  Rapunzel has never seen anyone other than Gothel before, and at first she's convinced he's one of the monsters her mother said lived outside the tower. She plans on showing Flynn to Gothel as proof that she's not helpless and should be allowed outside, but she starts out by mentioning their conversation from earlier and Gothel flips out and screams at her that she is never leaving the tower, ever. Rapunzel realizes there's no way Gothel will ever let her leave. Realizing that, Rapunzel set Gothel up by asking a gift wherein Gothel needs to travel for three days to get it. When Gothel left the house he asked Flynn to take him to the lantern. But Flynn doesn't want to and discourages Rapunzel. But Rapunzel's pet Pascal pushed her to do ways to encourage Flynn to take her out and bring her to the lanterns, because Flynn knows that that is Rapunzel's ultimate dream.
5.    The hero passes the first threshold
Ø  Rapunzel, taking her frying pan for protection, uses her hooks and pulleys to lower herself down on her hair. She was so excited on her first encounter to the outside world. Rapunzel is very determined to fulfill her dream.
6.    The hero encounters tests and helpers
Ø  Flynn has taken Rapunzel to a pub with a sign outside that says "The Snuggly Duckling". Rapunzel is excited, but when they actually enter, she sees that the pub is full of angry tough-looking men. before they can leave Flynn is recognized from his wanted posters. One of the thugs is sent to fetch the guards while the rest of them leap on Flynn and fight over who should get the reward money. They look like they're going to tear him apart when Rapunzel hits the hook-handed one in the face and demands that they let him go because she needs him to fulfill her dream of seeing the lanterns. She implores them to find their humanity and asks if they've ever had a dream. While Rapunzel got the sympathy of the thugs, the king's guard arrived. Instead of the thugs show the guard's where Rapunzel and Flynn is, they became their allies and helped them escaped the pub and told them to go live their dream.
7.    The hero reaches the innermost cove
Ø  The tunnel where Rapunzel and Flynn went through to escape leads over a dam, where Rapunzel and Flynn appear to be cornered. They were chased by the king's guard and Gothel. To escape the guards Rapunzel uses her hair to swing across to a ledge. She leaves Flynn her frying pan, and he uses it to fend off the guards and swordfight with Maximus, while declaring that this is the strangest thing he has ever done. She never thought that she can take care of herself and that she can fight for her dreams.
8.    The hero endures the supreme ordeal
Ø  Rapunzel and Flynn try to outrun the wave and hide in a small cave, which a falling rock blocks the entrance to. The water slowly fills up the cave as they realize it's a dead end and there's no escape. They try to pull at the rocks to no avail, and Flynn only manages to cut his hand. They both try to look for an escape under the rapidly-rising water, but there's no light in the cave and they can barely see each other above it.
9.    The hero seizes the sword
Ø  As they think they're about to die, Rapunzel cries and apologizes to Flynn for dragging him into that mess, and Flynn admits that his real name is Eugene Fitzherbert, because he thought someone should know before he died. Rapunzel tries to make him feel better by admitting that she has magic hair that glows, only to realize that they can use her hair to search for escape in the dark water. She sings the magic song just as their air pocket disappears, and they end up underwater, where Rapunzel's hair illuminates the cave. Flynn/Eugene freaks out about her hair, but sees it drifting towards a small opening in the rocks, indicating an air current. They quickly dig their way through and are just about to run out of air when they break through to the outside, the landing in a river. They drag themselves up onto the bank, where Flynn proceeds to really flip out about Rapunzel's hair being magic. Gothel is waiting at the tunnel exit for them, but instead of Rapunzel and Eugene, she gets the Stabbington twins. She gives them the princess' crown but tells them that she could give them something worth one thousand crowns, and that they can take revenge on Eugene while they're at it.
10.  On the road back
Ø  While Rapunzel is curing Flynn/Eugene's wounds, Mother Gothel appears behind Rapunzel and tells her to come back to the tower. Rapunzel tells her she wants to stay with Eugene, because she likes him and thinks he likes her too. Gothel gets angry and tells her that she's invented the whole romance and that there's no way Eugene could possibly like her. She gives her the satchel with the crown in it and tells her that's the only thing he wants, and that the minute he gets a chance to take it he'll leave her behind. Rapunzel says she's going to give back to him right then to prove that he won't, and Gothel leaves just as Eugene returns with firewood. Rapunzel starts to give him the satchel, but begins to doubt herself at the last minute, and hides it from him.
11.  Resurrection
Ø  Rapunzel and Eugene/Flynn head out to the island city the palace is in, where Rapunzel gets her first taste of being in a crowd; she keeps bumping into people. They go around the city, waiting for night to fall. Rapunzel has the time of her life, dancing around and drawing on the street in chalk. As a momento, Eugene buys her a little purple flag with the royal crest on it. As dark begins to fall, Eugene takes her out on the water in a boat so she can get the "best view" of the lanterns. The king and queen, still heartbroken over their lost daughter after all these years, set out the first lantern, and then everyone in the city does the same. The lanterns float out over the water, and Rapunzel and Eugene are soon surrounded by hundreds and hundreds of beautiful glowing lights. Gothel got Rapunzel again and brought her back to the tower. Eugene/Flynn trying to save Rapunzel got stab by Gothel. Rapunzel starts to wrap her hair around his wound in preperation to heal him. He leans in like he's going to give her a last kiss, but just before he does, he cuts off her hair off with a shard of the broken mirror from earlier. Her hair instantly "dies" and turns brown, and Gothel screams and tries to gather up the rest of the hair, but it's all lost its power. She begins to age rapidly, and pulls her hood down over her face so no one will see her without her youthful beauty. She can't see where she's going, though, and stumbles blindly around the room; Pascal uses Rapunzel's cut-off hair to trip her and send her tumbling out the window, where she dissolves into dust on the way down. Rapunzel is trying to heal Eugene anyway, although with her hair cut the magic won't work. He stops her and tells her that she was his new dream, and she tells him that he was hers. As Eugene dies, Rapunzel sings a longer version of the healing song, "The Tear Heals". As she sings, she weeps onto Eugene's face; her tear is absorbed into his skin, and begins to glow. Light shoots out from where she cried onto him, and he wakes up again, healed.
12.  Return with the Elixir
Ø  At the palace, a guard runs into the room where the king and queen are to tell them that the lost princess has finally been found. They run out to the balcony, where a short-haired Rapunzel and Eugene are waiting. Rapunzel and her parents share a tearful hug, and as Eugene watches, they drag him into it, too. Rapunzel ruled the kingdom as wisely and benevolently as her parents had. Rapunzel and Eugene/Flynn got married. The movie ends on a shot of floating lanterns surrounding the palace, and everyone living happily ever after.

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