{"id":4507,"date":"2015-12-25T17:28:52","date_gmt":"2015-12-25T17:28:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/?p=4507"},"modified":"2016-01-08T17:31:41","modified_gmt":"2016-01-08T17:31:41","slug":"a-force-awakened-why-so-many-find-meaning-in-star-wars","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/a-force-awakened-why-so-many-find-meaning-in-star-wars\/","title":{"rendered":"A force awakened: why so many find meaning in Star Wars"},"content":{"rendered":"

Patti McCarthy<\/a>, University of the Pacific<\/a><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

After witnessing the overwhelming popularity of Star Wars, director Francis Ford Coppola told George Lucas<\/a> he should start his own religion.<\/p>\n

Lucas laughed him off, but Coppola may have been onto something<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Indeed, the Star Wars saga taps into the very storytelling devices that have structured myths and religious tales for centuries. And with every new film, fans are able to reinforce their unique communities in a world that has grown, in many ways, increasingly isolated.<\/p>\n

A universal hero<\/h2>\n

Lucas freely admits<\/a> he based his Star Wars epic on the \u201chero\u2019s quest\u201d that mythologist Joseph Campbell<\/a>, in his 1949 book Hero with a Thousand Faces, argued underscores many myths and religious tales.<\/p>\n

According to Campbell, hero quests have similar trajectories: the hero leaves his ordinary world and ventures to a place of supernatural wonders. He faces a series of trials to prove his mettle, survives a supreme ordeal, is granted some sort of boon or treasure and returns home to share his knowledge or treasure with those he left behind.<\/p>\n

Following this formula, Lucas substituted his own characters for the heroes, villains, and saviors of earlier hero quests.<\/p>\n

Take Star Wars: Episode IV \u2013 A New Hope: the hero (Luke Skywalker) leaves his ordinary world (Tatooine) after receiving \u201ca call to adventure\u201d (Princess Leia\u2019s hologram message) and learns he has the special talents of a Jedi. A supportive mentor (Obi Wan Kenobi) offers supernatural aid (light saber) and guidance. Then Luke faces a series of trials to prove his mettle (storm troopers, Jabba the Hutt), survives a supreme ordeal (Death Star, Darth Vader) and returns home wiser and victorious.<\/p>\n

According to Lucas<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\n

I became fascinated with how culture is transmitted through fairy tales and myth. Fairy tales are about how people learn about good and evil\u2026it\u2019s the most intimate struggle that we cope with \u2013 trying to do the right thing and what\u2019s expected of us by society, by our peers, and in our hearts.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

These stories typically appear during times of doubt and can help viewers reclaim the goodness and innocence in themselves, reminding them they can overcome the evil they see in the world. When Lucas set out to create Star Wars \u2013 against the backdrop of Vietnam, Watergate and the assassinations of the Kennedy brothers and Martin Luther King, Jr \u2013 he had his work cut out for him.<\/p>\n

Lucas acknowledges<\/a> he wrote Star Wars because he believed our society was in dire need of fairy tales, myth and fantasy \u2013 a \u201cnew myth\u201d would provide a \u201cNew Hope\u201d for an audience that had grown cynical and demoralized.<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s anxieties are just as acute. Exhausted by the wars in the Middle East, faced with global terrorism and beset with economic woes, the American people yearn for a mythic narrative that will reaffirm their view of the world, with a traditional American hero who will triumph over evil and ensure \u201ceverything will turn out okay.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking into the mirror<\/h2>\n

Lucas is sometimes accused<\/a> of promoting escapism. But he\u2019s actually tapping into some key facets of the human condition. After all, it\u2019s in the telling of mythic or religious stories that we attempt to answer fundamental questions like \u201cWho am I?\u201d and, ultimately, \u201cWhat does it all mean?\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s no wonder, then, that in an increasingly secularized society<\/a>, many find themselves gazing away from the pulpit, instead finding meaning in the stories playing out on screens in living rooms and movie theaters across the country.<\/p>\n

Film is sometimes described<\/a> as a \u201cdream screen\u201d \u2013 a mirror, when held in front of an audience, reflects both the personal and collective subconscious of our culture. It\u2019s a place where all our hopes, fears and desires find expression.<\/p>\n

Considering Star Wars’ mythic foundation, it\u2019s not surprising that it packs such a powerful, emotional punch, stirring the hearts of passionate fans yearning to see the next chapter of the Star Wars universe.<\/p>\n

Myths are about creating meaning, reinforcing connections between the I and Thou<\/a>, and mending the rift between the sacred and profane. They give us heroes we can identify with, who allow us to eventually realize that divinity is not outside the self, but within. In the beginning, Luke might be the character you wanted to pretend to be. With time \u201cplaying Luke\u201d helps you become the person you always wanted to be.<\/p>\n

Transcending the screen<\/h2>\n

If all roads of the hero\u2019s journey lead inward, then film, as a shared cultural artifact, begs us to take the first step.<\/p>\n

Unlike a simple, standalone artifact (such as a piece of pottery), film is a shared experience. For the audience, the story, its characters and unique props (like the lightsaber) become stored in an emotional and psychological cache. Filed into memory, they become part of the viewer\u2019s personal history and identity.<\/p>\n

Rather than Star Wars existing as something outside of viewers, it takes root within. Many were exposed to the Star Wars films as children. Some acted out scenes at home and at school, investing time and creative energy into a fictional universe and characters who became like an extended family. For them, their \u201cbest birthday ever\u201d became indistinguishable from the experience of playing with friends, the cutting of the cake \u2013 and their new Star Wars action figures.<\/p>\n

In this way, Star Wars no longer remains just a film; it becomes much more.<\/p>\n

Even subtle challenges to a narrative we\u2019ve created about the world and ourselves can be stressful. In response, we\u2019re prone to cling even more tightly to our beliefs<\/a>.<\/p>\n

For this reason, minor changes in the Star Wars narrative can unnerve fans. Denying that Han Solo shot first<\/a> is like finding out you\u2019re adopted; it\u2019s akin to changing your fundamental understanding of the truth.<\/p>\n

Forging connections to the past<\/h2>\n

Star Wars has further transcended the screen in the form of t-shirts, action figures, theme parks, and in cosplay and fan fiction.<\/p>\n

As powerful as any holy relic (which, among believers, can provide affirmation and emotional support<\/a>), buying and collecting Star Wars merchandise can trigger memories of the past. Accessing positive memories and tapping into nostalgia have been shown<\/a> to be a critical component of forming a meaningful personal narrative, and the simple act of picking up a toy light saber can return fans to childhood, to a time when they felt happy and secure.<\/p>\n

\n \"\"<\/a>
\n A boy wields a toy light saber.<\/span>
\n Benoit Tessier\/Reuters<\/a><\/span>
\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n

Even if someone didn\u2019t have the rosiest childhood, he or she can still escape to the Star Wars universe, creating an alternate reality where cherished friends, caring mentors and happily-ever-afters await.<\/p>\n

Situated in an advertising and media landscape that often overpromises and underdelivers (\u201cBuy this and you will be happy\u201d), the world of Star Wars helps fans create meaning when they might otherwise be unfulfilled.<\/p>\n

Cosplaying for community<\/h2>\n

Watching a Star Wars film or buying Star Wars memorabilia doesn\u2019t only remind us of the \u201cgood old days.\u201d It serves a more meaningful purpose: it builds community in a world that has grown increasingly isolated, that has traded the physical for the virtual.<\/p>\n

If the decline of social capital<\/a> in public life (which includes religion) is partially responsible for this phenomenon, the rise of technology is equally at fault.<\/p>\n

Even when surrounded by people, our attention is diverted<\/a> \u2013 we are distracted, disembodied, absent \u2013 existing everywhere but in the present<\/a>. The connections made through social media are often frayed, and can even lead to heightened feelings of isolation or loneliness<\/a>.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, Star Wars, via play \u2013 whether it\u2019s cosplay or swinging a light saber with a friend \u2013 demands social interaction, communication and engagement. (Some theorists have even argued<\/a> that play served as the seed from which all human culture, including religion, evolved.)<\/p>\n

\n \"\"<\/a>
\n Star Wars: a saga that spans generations.<\/span>
\n Mike Blake\/Reuters<\/a><\/span>
\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n

Waiting in line for days to buy tickets, wearing your favorite Star Wars t-shirt to school and dressing up as your favorite character at a convention are all social touchstones \u2013 icebreakers that facilitate a sense of community and belonging.<\/p>\n

It is in this shared storytelling space where history lives and meaning dwells. As cultural critic Lewis Hyde writes<\/a>, meaningful stories can induce a \u201cmoment of grace, a communion, a period during which we too know the hidden coherence of our being and feel the fullness of our lives.\u201d<\/p>\n

Once upon a time, we gathered around fires to tell stories. Today we assemble in movie theaters to watch with wonder and awe the flicker of our stories on the screen.<\/p>\n

Star Wars is, of course, different from religion in a number of ways. But it still allows us to transcend the everyday and enter a sacred realm \u2013 a place where we can glimpse the Holy Land of our better selves and become the heroes we want to be.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

Patti McCarthy<\/a>, Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of English\/Film Studies, University of the Pacific<\/a><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

This article was originally published on The Conversation<\/a>. Read the original article<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Patti McCarthy, University of the Pacific After witnessing the overwhelming popularity of Star Wars, director Francis Ford Coppola told George Lucas he should start his own religion. Lucas laughed him off, but Coppola may have been onto something. Indeed, the Star Wars saga taps into the very storytelling devices that have structured myths and religious […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":40,"featured_media":4508,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[7,39,36,38],"tags":[178,335,429,427,428,364,403,406],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4507"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/40"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4507"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4507\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4509,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4507\/revisions\/4509"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4508"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4507"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4507"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4507"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}