The Heroic Journey Simba from the Lion King
The Heroic Journey Simba from the Lion King and Brent from Whirligig
Brent’s call to adventure • Brent was the new eleventh grade kid at his new school and has gone to a party with tons of students from his new school. He has gone to the party to fit into his new school and get popular. Brent decided to talk to a girl named Brianna, but instead of talking Brianna yells at Brent to stop talking to her and leave her alone so Brent gets drunk. The entire group hears this. Chaz the party host starts to mock Brent, then Brent decides to drive away and kill himself but instead taking the life of Lea Zamora. Lea’s mother wanted to talk to Brent instead of letting him fall deeper into depression, Lea’s mother gives him Lea’s photo and tell Brent to take a journey to the 4 corners of America and build whirligigs in honor of Lea. He accepts this task he has been given and sets off with the bus pass that was given to him. He cleared his throat then spoke the words “ill do it”
Simba’s call to adventure • Simba is living with Timon and Pumba after he runs away. He feels responsible for Mufasa's death, so he adopts their motto, "Hakuna Matata, " which means no worries. He is living his life without a care in the world, but it is all turned upside down when his old friend, Nala, finds him. She tells him that Scar has let the hyenas take over Pride Rock and that they need him to claim his place as king in order to save them.
Brent’s allies • Brent meets a Canadian man from Prince George who shares his campsite with him Making whirligigs are a grueling task and troubles with his tools bring Brent back to his angry self Only when he is tested by the fact that he doesn't have many supplies left does he recommence working calmly He meets Emil, a German traveler in the hostel They explore the city together and Brent discovers his interest in musical instruments which makes Brent get a harmonica. Mrs. Zamora was one of the main reasons he went on the journey in the first place. If it wasn’t for Mrs. Zamora Brent would be in jail and would’ve never found something he loves doing. Mrs. Zamora made Brent a new person and see life with new eyes. If he never went on this journey to make the whirligigs, he would have never made an impact on all those other people lives and he wouldn’t be where he is. “I bought him a greyhound bus pass. Its good forty-five days. He can go anywhere. ”
Simba’s allies • Simba is given very good advice from an old friend of his father's, Rafiki. "Oh yes, the past can hurt, but the way I see it you can either run from it or learn from it. " Simba also sees his father in the sky. He tells him that he needs to do his duty as king and that he is not living up to his true potential. •
Brent’s road of trails • Brent got frustrated a lot on his journey and he almost stopped building the whirligigs multiple times, but he always finds something to get calm him down, like his harmonica. Throughout his journey he learned a lot of things. He sometimes felt guilty and sometimes felt proud. He started doing things, old Brent would never have done. His allies would also help him with his feelings, and he would be carefree when near his allies. In Maine when he talks to an old painter and she asks who is on the whirligig that he made and Brent started to tell her the real truth about his past, he had not told anyone about the truth until now. ”He almost felt the man was with him, telling him to settle down and conquer the project the calmly step by step. ”
Simba’s road of trials • As Simba stands overlooking Pride Rock, he realizes that he must fight his uncle, Scar, and the hyenas in order to take his rightful spot as king and reclaim his kingdom. Nala, Timon, and Pumba help him in doing so. He is not ready for this fight, but he will try and fight with all his strength to defeat Scar and the hyenas.
The Transformation Brent puts the last whirligig on the painter's property and sets back on the way home. The painter's forgiveness helped Brent to forgive himself and he gains the elixir. Forgiveness gave him the power to move on in life. Brent checks into a motel and at dinner, there is a contra dance, and he joins in, he is engaged into the dance and feels like a part of something, he is interconnected Brent realizes that he may be just like everyone else. Brent has found his balance in the world and has finally been brought out of the darkness into the light. The people at the contra dance made him feel like he fits into his new world. Brent will not fall into darkness again with his newfound strengths. "It was exalting to be part of the twining and turning, and strangely thrilling to touch other hands and to feel them grasping his. He felt like a bee returning to the hive, greeted and accepted by all"
The Transformation • As Simba journeys home, he is joined by Nala who recognizes that Simba is no longer the immature adolescent; but has taken on the mantle of the future king. Once home, Simba enters the battlefield, faces Scar, and tells him to step down. There is no negotiation as the true warrior does what is needed in order to restore balance. Scar refuses to step down and tells Simba to confess his responsibility for Mufassa’s death. Simba confesses.
A New Normal • Brent puts up his last whirligig but decides he does not want to go home yet. His bus pass has not expired yet, and Brent would love to see other states. Brent decides to not go home, and he wants to make more whirligigs. That has given Brent a balance in life, he now has a purpose in his life, he will make other people happy by making more whirligigs in other states. He deeper understands who he is and what he wants to do. Along the journey he has found his interests and what makes him happy. Brent wants make whirligigs for life. He is now a new Brent is the same old world. “He replaced the photo and took out his bus pass. It didn't expire until August seventeenth. He had another three weeks left. He wouldn’t mind seeing New Hampshire and Vermont. Then maybe camping on Lake George, in New York. Someone he'd met at the dance had just come back from a canoeing trip there. He thought he might build some more whirligigs. Maybe he'd start on a lifetime project of putting one up in every state. ”
A new normal • Balance is returned to the kingdom. Over time, the kingdom flourishes. The final scene repeats the first: Simba, his queen Nala, and Rafiki summit pride rock. Simba lifts his newborn cub to the eyes of the community. They bow in honor. The king has returned. Simba has completed the circle of life as well as his hero’s journey.
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