Ryan Cheng
Ms. Kardish
ENG2D1-04
March 4, 2013
Paikea’s Journey In almost all fictional stories, the protagonist often follows a path called the Hero’s Journey. In many adventures, there are stages in which the character goes through. These stages are the structure of the character’s story and destiny. This whole concept of Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey is what many authors use to write stories for books and movies. This path is what keeps the readers or audiences entertained. Without this intriguing structure, the story may not be successful, especially in movies. However, in the film Whale Rider, the story of the main character, Paikea, goes through three different phases, separation, initiation, and return. When these phases are put together, they form the structure of the Hero’s Journey. Therefore, Paikea’s story follows the structure of Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey. The Hero’s Journey is evident throughout the beginning of this movie as Paikea goes through a separation phase. This separation phase begins with Paikea’s birth. Since she is born into a long line of male chiefs, the death of her twin brother and mother makes her birth exceptional. The birth of a new leader is shown when a Maori woman is smoking and Paikea gets upset and says, “We’ve got to protect our childbearing properties.” The protective instinct and sense of responsibility for others are leadership qualities that she possesses. The call of adventure for Paikea occurs when the whale calls her to return home. She then makes her own choice to go back home to try to become a leader. The mentor early on in the film is her grandfather, Koro. The knowledge and wisdom given to Paikea is by accident. Koro does not provide her with assistance intentionally, but she finds a way to learn from him indirectly. Paikea finally ends the separation phase when she returns home. However when she crosses the threshold, Koro does not accept her return. These early stages in her journey parallels the separation phase as described by Joseph Campbell. Nonetheless, when Paikea crosses the threshold, her physical, emotional, spiritual, and mental abilities are quickly tested in the initiation phase. Throughout this phase, Paikea tries to learn the ways of the chief without Koro knowing. For example, she secretly repeats the chants taught to the other students, she attempts to learn how to fight with the taiaha, and she retrieves the whale tooth when the others could not. To help her with these tests, Paikea receives assistance from Uncle Rawiri, Nana Flowers, and Hemi. All of these helpers provide the confidence that is needed for Paikea to complete her quest. During the final stage of the initiation phase, Paikea faces the most critical challenge yet. After calling the whales earlier on, Paikea tries to fix everything by saving the whales. Her physical, mental, and spiritual endurance are proven when she says, “I wasn’t scared to die.” This quote demonstrates how mentally strong she is and how she would sacrifice her life for the better of the Maori people. These tests are all part of the Journey in which the heroine accomplishes to fulfill her destiny. After completing these tests, she is spiritually reborn in the return phase. The flight of this film happens after she successfully saves the whales. Paikea recovers in the hospital and waits to be accepted as a leader by Koro. Once she returns home, Paikea matures significantly and learns that the strength and belief among the community can help retain their culture. Her wisdom restores pride, hope, strength, and unity to the community when she says, “I’m not a prophet, but I know that our people will keep going forward, all together, with all of our strength.” Although these stages happen quickly in the movie, this crucial phase is what completes Paikea journey towards becoming the next leader. From watching Paikea Apirana’s story in the Whale Rider, it is evident that her tale follows the path of Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey. Starting from her unusual birth, she is separated and prevented from becoming a chief. Trying to prove herself as a worthy leader, she is initiated and put through a series of tests. With the help of others, she is able to reach the final test of her will and commitment. Upon success, she returns home with newfound knowledge and wisdom, which she uses to help the community. This movie is just one example of many stories that follows the Hero’s Journey. This story structure keeps people entertained around the world because these stories symbolizes the life experiences and struggles that many people go through.