I wanted to title this post, “The Crap We Write in Undergrad,” but I thought that was a bit harsh. True, but harsh. I created this epic research paper (thing) on John Sheridan from Babylon 5 and how he fits into the monomyth, Jung’s archetypal journey, and the alchemical process as heroic archetype. It would make a badass graduate-level thesis. But, because I was a worthless peon with no idea how to write such a research paper, I just started throwing ideas on the page, telling the story that I thought was uber-important. I turned it in, smiling, to my teacher who probably hated my guts forever after having to read the whole thing.
Here’s the deal, it wasn’t that bad. It was unorganized and in no real MLA or APA format. Someday, I’d like to brush it off and turn it into something beautiful, but until now, it is my suckfest attempt at monomything across the universe with ole Starkiller.
A PDF of the terrible paper is HERE if you really want to see it. There are pictures!
Where am I going with this? Well, I have a few things to say:
1. Don’t throw anything out. Ever. Ever ever ever. Even if it sucks more than anything has ever sucked in the history of suckiness. You might use it someday. I could take this crap-paper and turn it into something. Not now. I’m enjoying my winter break too much, but someday.
2. The seeds of your creative awesomeness may produce stinkweed, but, when you do a quick search to see what else is out there, you come up with awesome stuff. For example, this guy’s article that makes yours look like something Chaka from Land of the Lost horked up on some cave wall in France.
My goal now is to find more awesome article’s like Iaccino’s that look at the monomyth played out in popular culture. Reading for tonight?
- The Monomyth in James Cameron’s The Terminator: Sarah as Monomyth Heroine by Donald Palumbo
- The Antichrist as Anti-Monomyth: The Omen Films as Social Critique by Neil Gerlach
Will take suggestions if you’ve read anything particularly awesome lately.