Crossing the First Threshold in Star Wars: A New Hope
2. Examine George Lucas’ Star Wars: A New Hope as a hero’s journey narrative. Try to focus on one scene in the film/step in the hero’s journey, and reflect on how Joseph Campbell’s monomyth encourages us to understand that moment in the narrative. It’s well known that George Lucas’ Star Wars: A New Hope was written with Joseph Campbell’s monomyth in mind. The plotline of the movie clearly reflects this, with most steps of the monomyth, particularly the separation and initiation sections, distinguishably identifiable. In particular, a distinctive moment is the switch from “Refusal of the Call” to “Crossing the First Threshold,” when Luke makes the personal decision to leave Tatooine and join Obi-wan in his journey. As the pivotal transition between the Separation and Initiation stages, it represents a transformation in Luke’s character, from a civilian to a member of the rebellion. Campbell’s monomyth initially involves the refusal of the call to adventure, which is expli...