Move Over, Odysseus: Christopher Robin Takes a Classic Hero’s Journey

Last updated on: August 9, 2018 at 10:15 am by Paul Asay

Move Over, Odysseus: Christopher Robin Takes a Classic Hero’s Journey 2018-08-03T10:16:29-06:00 Paul Asay

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Cast from Disney’s Christopher Robin, photo courtesy Disney film clip

9. Claims his reward, in this case the loyalty and affection of his longtime friends, who see him for what he is. And with that, the “quest”—the one laid on him by Pooh, at least—seems complete. He’s reunited Pooh with his pals. He’s reclaimed his own soul, in a sense. And it’s time for him to find …

10. The road back. See, Christopher’s not done questing yet. Not really. He’s got to go back into his real world and experience a …

11. Resurrection. Not, in this case, a physical one, but a spiritual one.

“This is the climax in which the Hero must have his final and most dangerous encounter with death,” writes Dan Bronzite for movieoutline.com. “The final battle also represents something far greater than the Hero’s own existence with its outcome having far-reaching consequences to his Ordinary World and the lives of those he left behind.”

Christopher Robin’s own encounter with death (in this case career death) comes in the midst of a business meeting—the one he was supposed to be preparing for all weekend. He doesn’t realize that, during his adventure in the Hundred-Acre Wood, Tigger replaced his papers with stuff that (in Tigger’s eyes) really matters. Madeline and Christopher’s friends realize the mistake and hurtle headlong into the fray to help, but obviously you don’t want a little girl and a bevy of animate stuffed animals gallivanting around London all alone. And that pushes Christopher into the movie’s big decision: He must choose between pushing on with his important presentation or helping Evelyn find Madeline. He must plant his flag.

And so he dies to his old, stodgy self—committing, he thinks, professional suicide—and runs off to rescue Madeline.

12. It marks the beginning of a new life for Christopher and his family, the final stage in the hero’s journey called “return with the elixir.” “The final reward that he obtains may be literal or metaphoric,” writes Bronzite. “It could be a cause for celebration, self-realization or an end to strife, but whatever it is it represents three things: change, success and proof of his journey.”

Christopher Robin indeed comes home from his Hero’s Journey a changed and better man—a quiet hero without a sword at his side, but a bear in his arms.

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