Treatment

Hero’s Journey




Ordinary World- Grandpa  and grandson on christmas eve.
or for the Grandpa's journey...
Charlie (the grandpa's first name) getting ready for Christmas

Call to Adventure- the grandson wants to hear a story
or for the Grandpa's journey...
Not enough money to go to the traditional family reunion

Refusal of the Call- Grandpa doesn't know what story to tell.
or for the Grandpa's journey...
Charlie doesn't think he can go.

Meeting with the Mentor- Grandpa is the mentor
or for the Grandpa's journey...
Violin teacher is the mentor and tells charlie about a way he could earn money so that he could go to the Family reunion.

Crossing the Threshold- Grandpa and grandson cross the threshold into the world of the past.
or  for the Grandpa's journey...
when charlie desides to work hard and earn the money to go to the reunion.



Tests, Allies, Enemies- there really isn't one for the kids journey
or for the Grandpa's journey...
Kids make fun of Charlie for playing his violin in the streets to make money. Nice man tells him how great he is doing.
Approach- there really isn't one for the kids journey
or for the Grandpa's journey...
Charlie finally has enough money and buys a train ticket
Ordeal-there really isn't one for the kids journey
or for the Grandpa's journey...
The train breaks down and Charlie has to find his way to the bus but he gets lost and is saved by a nice person who shows him the way to the bus stop
Re ward- the boy spends time with his grandpa
or for the Grandpa's journey...
He finally gets to be with his family. Spends christmas with them

The Road Back- the story comes to an end
or for the Grandpa's journey...
The boy is on his way home and looses the present that his grandparents gave him to give to his family.
Resurrection- there really isn't one for the kid's journey
or for the Grandpa's journey...
 He thought he would never find it and then discovers it in his suitcase

Return with Elixir- The grandson learned that you can do anything you set your mind to.
or for the Grandpa's journey...
Charlie came back with the present.

Archetype Analysis


Hero- Charlie


Mentor- Grandpa, violin teacher


Threshold Guardian- Grandpa, kids at school


Herald- ticket master


Shapeshifter- conductor
Shadow- the train

Trickster- the kids at scool

Hero's Journey

Kung Fu Panda

     Po is chilling in his Ordinary World  living in day dreams of kicking kung fu butt and pretending to love the family business of noodle making when his Call to Adventure  sounds, in the form of a gong that announces the choosing of the Dragon Warrior. It could also be argued that Po's call to adventure is when he is chosen as the Dragon Warrior. Po was eager and willing to accept the call to the Jade Palace but before he left he did Refuse the Call to be completely open and honest with his father. (Later in the movie Po refuses the call to fight Tai Lung because the scroll was blank) Once Po gets to the Jade Palace he Meets his Mentor, Shifu. Shifu is his Kung Fu Master that is to make him into the Dragon Warrior. Po then is left alone to explore a part of the Jade Palace which I consider to be his Crossing the Threshold. Soon there after he is then Tested to see what skills he has or, more accuratly, what kung fu skills he lacks. Within that first day he finds Friends like Master Oogway and learns of Enemies that include Tai Lung and the enemy of his own struggles with Kung Fu.
     After Po learns that Tai Lung has escaped prison he rededicates himself to learning the martial arts. I see this training as his Approach. Shifu announces after many days of hard wark that Po is ready to obtain the scroll. It is quite the Ordeal when Po finally unreels the scroll and it is completely blank having only a mirror-like gold sheen and no words or magic spells attached. Po then feels that because he doesn't have the special dragon warrior power he thought he would that he cannot beat Tai Lung so Po returns to the city to help the people evacuate so they won't be hurt by Tai Lung's rage. Shifu is left to hold Tai Lung off for as long as he can. In the midst of all this Po realizes that it isn't some secret that gives you power it is believing in something that makes it special. This is his Reward. Po's Road Back could be thought of as either his trip back to the Palace the first time to fight Tai Lung or his second trip to help Shifu. After Po kicks Tai Lung's sorry butt he remembers that Shifu is still back at the Palace and when he finally reaches Shifu's side he finds Shifu apearing to be dead. The Ressurection  is when Shifu bolts upright and yells at Po "I'm not dead!..." The Elixir in this story is the lesson that Po learns about self-esteem.