I believe this has been a great class in my learning process. It has taughtme many things such as identifying and interpreting archetypes, symbols, and how to organize my ideas when I write. Since English is my second language, this class has helped me to improve not only my writing but also my way of thinking and interpreting movies, stories, books, and poems.
One of the things i didn't know before coming to this class was the many archetypes there are in our personalities. Some of them can be stronger than others but they all are present in our daily lives. It also helped me to understand the many symbols an author includes in a poem, a book, or a director in a movie. Symbolism is a very powerful language that makes us understand not only with our minds but with our hearts too. Thanks to this class, now, every time I read a book, a poem or watch a movie I always look for the symbols, archetypes, and themes. With these features kept in mind, it's easier for me to understand what the author or the director is trying to tell us. Another thing I learned form this class was how to create a blog entry which is something I had no idea about, how to comment on others' posts, and how to place a video or an image in a blog entry. I also liked the way my professor reinforced and extended my abilities to write and to organized my essays by commenting and telling me what to do or what was wrong with my work on my posts.
The blog entry that I liked the most in this class is 3.1 Macbeth, interpreted by Christa Itzel. She does such a wonderful job describing and interpreting the image of Macbeth and his wife. In this blog, Christa is able to see some expressions and symbols I couldn't identify such as Macbeth having one foot in and one out of the door showing Macbeth debating his actions of killing the king and the way lady Macbeth uses her feminine side to manipulate her husband. By seeing this blog entry, I strongly believe that Christa and many other classmates as well as me, have learned the meaning of poetry and other literary genres from fiction, drama such as Macbeth, and nonfiction,
Finally, I have always been fascinated by the supernatural and spiritual world, mythology and religion, and the greater forces that are beyond our human understanding. The subjects that called my attention in this class were witches, dragons, fairies, vampires, angels, demons, and many others. I like reading books about these subjects because I try to find an explanation or an answer on wether they once existed, still exist or never did. I think they exist but they are forces interpreted on images so they can make more sense to us. This is why when this class was introduced to me I knew right alway how fascinating it would be and how much I would learn from the course, the professor and my classmates. I hope some day in the near feature I will have another class like this or maybe teach it, but for now I have to move on and keep walking throught my learning path.
This amazing animation movie named "Brother Bear" was directed by Aaron Blaise (left) and Robert Walker (right). Aaron Blaisehas had an exquisite talent for drawing animals and nature scenes since he was five years old. Born in Hurlington, Vermont, he moved to Naples, Florida, with his Mother and Stepfather at the age of eight. He always dreamed of one day working with Disney Studios or Hallmark cards. In 1998, he graduated and moved to California after winning an internship at Disney. Following the internship, he moved back to Florida then graduated to being a character animator for Disney's successful animation movies such as: "The Beauty And The Beast", then he served as supervising animator on the mega-hits "Aladdin", "The Lion King", and "Mulan". Blaise has always been fascinated by the Native Americans myths and legends about bears so he decided to talked to then-division head Tom Schumacher about making a an animation movie featuring a bear. Schumacher liked the idea and based on Blaise's quality work as supervisor, he decided Blaise would make a good director. This film would be his first home grown product. Once the film started developing, he and his story department visited the Kodiak Islands, Alaska's valley of Ten Thousands Smokes then Yellow Stone Park, the Grand Tetons and California's Sequoia National Park as part of their research. Blaise is also a painter and enjoys painting outdoor nature scenes. He and his wife have two children.
Robert Walker is the middle of three brother and was born in Scarborough, Toronto. He and his family lived in Kitchener and London before finally settling in Ottawa. He focused on art throughout high school and after graduation he enrolled New York's St Lawrence University where he took more art classes. A friend of the family had worked in animation and directed walker to Sheridan College in Oakville, Ontario. Following three years of studying at Sheridan, walker was hired as an apprentice layout artist at Atkinson Film Arts in Ottawa, where he worked on the series "The Raccoons". He soon realized that he enjoyed more the area of layout than animation. He started selecting the shots, drawing the backgrounds, and staging the characters.He worked with Atkinson Film Arts for five years then was hired by Disney in April 1989. He met his co-director Aaron Blaise for the first time on April 17, of that same year. Walker moved up to head of layout for the Florida Studio, overseeing scenes for features including "The Rescuers Down Under", "The beauty and the Beast", "Aladdin", and "The Lion King". After supervising the layout department on Florida's first feature "Mulan", he took a brief break from production to do visual development for "Brother Bear" as director for six months along with Blaise.
PLOT
This film begins with Denahi as an old man, telling a story about the wonderful experience he lived with his brother Kenai and Sitka. This film is set in an almost over ice age in North America where Native Americans believed that the spirits had the power to create all creatures and change the seasons of the year. These Spirits were said to manifest in the form of an aurora that touched the pick of the mountains. Kenai is the youngest brother who would always do stupid things that appeared to be brave for him so he could prove to his older brothers that he was ready to become a man. Sitka is the oldest brother who gained the eagle of guidance as his totem. Denahi is the middle brother who received the wolf of wisdom as his totem. So, the three brothers returned from fishing to the tribe where a ceremony is being held in order for Kenai to received his sacred totem which is going to be given by Tanana, the shaman of the tribe. She gives Kenai the bear of love as his totem, much to his objection, stating that bears are thieves. His point being a fact when a bear steals their fish while the ceremony was being held. Denahi blames Kenai for it. Keani felt guilty and responsible so he pursues the bear to kill it. Once he found the bear, a battle unfolds on a glacier where Sitka cracks the ice with his hunting pike in order to prevent the bear from killing his two brothers. Sitka and the bear fall down along with the piece of glacier into the water where he loses his life and the bear survives. They go back to Tanana and a funeral-like is held to honor Sitka. Angry and vengeful, Kenai heads out to avenge his brother. He chases the bear all the way to the top of the mountain where another fight is unfold until Kenai kills the bear. Unaware that that mountain is where the Spirits make contact with the Earth, Kenai is transformed into a bear after the dead Bear's body disappears, by a bald eagle that represents Sitka's Spirit. When Denahi arrives, he mistakes Kenai for dead, and his bear form responsible for it, so he decides to chase him down some river rapids and avenge Kenai. Kenai survives and is found and healed by Tanana who does not speak the bear language but advices him to go back to the mountain and find Sitka and be turned back to a human again. After listening to Tanana, he discovers that the wild life can talk when he finds two brother mooses, Rutt and Tuke. He tries to explain them what happened but nothing made sense to them so he gives up and leaves. Kenais walks a few feet away and gets caught by a trap. While he is hanging on the trap, a little chatty bear cub named Koda tries to help him but Kenai has a big ego that stops Koda from helping. After trying so hard Koda frees him. Koda would never stop talking, he has so many stories to tell that in one of them he talks about the lights that touch the mountains. Kenai get interested so the two bears make a deal. Kenai will go with the cub to a nearby salmon run and then Koda will lead him to the mountain. The two bears become the best friends that Koda even sees Kenai as a brother. When Koda tells Kenai the his mother is missing, they are hunted by Denahi who fails several times to kill Kenai, still unaware that the bear is his brother. Rutt and Tuke, run into the bears several times looking for protection. So, the group of four decides to ride a herd of mammoths to make their trip faster. The two bears fall asleep waking up unaware of where they were. Koda and Kenai get off the mammoths and move on while the mooses get stuck on top of the mammoths and get left behind. After walking for a few minutes, Koda finally realizes where they are. They had to cross a land full of lava and mini-volcanoes in order to get to the salmon runs. While they are crossing, Denahi tries to kill him again but the two bears escape and reach the salmon runs where a lot of bears live together as a family. After Kenai becomes comfortable around the bears and sees how nice they live, he decides to leave but they didn't let him until they all had to tell a story about the greatest experience they live for the year. During their discussion, Kenai says the the best experience was finding Koda. When Koda's turn to talk arrives, he starts to tell a story about his Mom fighting three human hunters. As Koda goes on, Kenai realizes that he killed his mother and runs away feeling guilty and horrified. When he calms himself, he decides to tell Koda the truth. Koda runs away stricken with grief, anger, and disappointment. Kenai goes after him but he could not find Koda so he leaves to the mountains apologizing for what he has done. Rutt and Took fell apart but reformed their brotherhood in front of Koda, pushing him to go after Kenai. Finally, Denahi confronts Kenai on the mountain where Denahi is about to kill Kenai but Koda steals his hunting pike preventing Kenai from getting killed. Koda aids Kenai out of love in this fight. When the two brothers were about to kill each other, Sitka's Spirit appears and turns Kenai into a human form, much to Denahi and Koda's surprise. After Sitka and his brothers held each other as well as Koda did with his Mother, Kenai asks Sitka to turn him back into a bear because he knows that Koda needs him. Sitka complies and Kenai reunites with Koda. Sitka turns into an eagle and disappears along with Koda's mother into the lights of the Spirits. Kenai had his totem ceremony again held by Tanana but this time he was transformed into a bear in order to become a man.
SYMBOLS
There are many symbols in this film with very deep meanings (images below). Bearis a large, heavy, omnivorous mammal that walks on the sole of its feet, with thick fur and very short tail. This animal symbolizes the awakening of the strong force of consciousness in the Native American people. It also represents determination and love when defending its offspring. It is powerful and dangerous when it is thread by humans or invaders. Kenai's totem is a bear. Mountainsare large natural elevation of the earth's surface rising abruptly from the surrounding level. Mountains represent mystery and coldness since their pick is snowy and very cold. They also represent beauty and history of how rough nature was before becoming what it is now. They mean obstacles to overcome in order to progress. It also means that our spirit and mind rises to improve ourselves as we climb up. A mountain can also represent loneliness or difficulty to achieve mental, spiritual, or emotional states.Aurorais a natural electrical phenomenon characterized by the appearance of streamers of reddish or greenish light in the sky, usually near the northern or southern magnetic pole. The aurora represents a beauty and confusion too since it changes colors and shapes every second. It also symbolizes a magnificent and an indestructible force where powerful energies meet and battle everyday. In the Native American beliefs the aurora represents the place where all our ancestors still go on after death. They have the power to change the seasons and all life and things in nature. Riveris a large natural stream of water flowing in a channel to the sea, a lake, or another such stream. Rivers represent fertility and the progressive irrigation of the soil. They also represent the irreversible passage of time, in consequence, the sense of loss and oblivion. A river also symbolizes life and all the powerful forces that happen in our consciousness. They could be deep or stay on the surface. It also represents power, triumph, and love since it would violently sweeps anything in its way in order to become united with the sea. Ice is frozen water, a brittle, transparent crystalline solid. It represents beauty and fragility as well as behavior and emotions. Ice also represents some one with no soul or no love such as a vampire who lives in darkness and cold places. Ice is tricky where the fear of falling in order to learn is present. We can either face or avoid the fall, it is up to us. A wolfis a wild carnivorous that is the largest member of the dog family, living and hunting in packs. It represents loyalty and respect within its family, fury when it comes to territorial terms, being a hunter as its nature, and wised and powerful to hunt its prey in order to survive in the wild and to raise its cubs. Denahi's totem is a wolf in this film. An eagle is a bird of prey with massive hooked bill, long broad wings, a keen sight, and powerful sight. This bird represents guidance for the very good sight it has to watch over its preys and care for its chicks. It also represents independence and strength as well as freedom and beauty. Sitka's totem is an eagle.
Eagle
Mountains and Aurora
River
Ice
ARCHETYPES
The archetypes that I was able to find are the wisdom, magician, innocent, warrior, wanderer, orphan, and altruist archetype (images below). Sitka is a wise guy. Every time his two younger brothers get into arguments and fights he always controls them and gives them advice. A wise person has a very deep understanding and realization of people, things, events, or situations, resulting in having the ability to choose without wasting time and energy. Sitka is a person who applies his perception and knowledge to guide his two brothers. Even after his death, his spirit still went on to help them find their path. He can also be magician because after his death, he becomes a spirit with powers to transform Kenai into a bear. Tanana, the shaman of the tribe, represents the magician archetype. A shaman in the Native American culture, is a person who posses supernatural powers to cure and to communicate with God and spirits. Tanana assigns the totem to a person according to whatever the spirits manifest in a totem to her. She also makes the rituals and translates the spiritual language to her people. She can also be the wisdom archetype because she is old and understands how nature and the universe work. Denahi is a warrior.He is supposed to be wise but he is young so he has only a little wisdom. He chases the bear to avenge his two brothers. He fights Kenai a few times but never kills him. He would fight anything in order to avenge Kenai and Sitka and that is what makes him a warrior; he is a person with great vigor, courage, and aggressiveness caused by the death of his brothers. Koda which is a bear cub, represents the innocent archetype. He is a very chatty bear who only cares about the great stories he listens from the others, protection, and someone to play with. He got separated form his mom but he meets Kenai right after. Unaware of what Kenai has done to his mom, he begins to love him. Koda is a very smart bear who knows about the dangers of wild life. However, he is innocent enough that he still keeps the hope of finding his mom until Kenai tells him what has happened. He is unable to understand because in Koda's mind there is no guilt, sin, or wrongdoing. All he knows about is nature and the respect and appreciation to kill in order to survive. This archetype represents me as well because i am an innocent person in so many ways. I understand Koda because I was born in a farm where nature, family, and survival was all that matter. I grew up away from crime and bad influences that happen everyday in big cities such as New York or many others. Every time we killed an animal, we respected and appreciated it for the meat it provided us. Also, I would always play with my brothers on the trees, cornfields, in the forest, or on the mountains. Being innocent is good because it is a very healthy state of mind but it can either destroy our souls when innocence is broken or make it stronger to love even more. This is what happened to Koda, his innocence made his love for Kenai even stronger that at the end, he saved his life and stayed with Kenai to play with him, tell him stories, feel protected and feel saved next to Kenai. Koda could also be the orphan archetype because he loses his mom and stays on his own until he finds Kenai. Kenai represents the altruist archetype. After he is turned into a bear, he goes trough very hard times that make him understand and value what he is and what he has. When he finally realizes what he did to Koda's mother and his two older brothers, he becomes altruist. He decides to stay as a bear to protect and help Koda in the wild. An altruist person is anyone who would do anything for love and ask for nothing in return. I am an altruist person and this is why I will become a veterinarian. I want to help and protect animals and make them happy along with their owners. If they are happy then that is just enough for me to be happy too. Sitka is also an altruist person in this film because he gives his life to protect his brothers. His love for them is so great that even after his death he comes down as a spirit to protect them and save them from killing each other. Koda could be also altruist because he almost gives his life to protect Kenai from Denahi. Being an altruist is good because it fills our hearts with joy knowing that we did good to others but it could also be bad because at some point we could feel empty for giving too much.
Tanana (Wisdom/Magician)
Kenai (Altruist/Warrior)
Denahi (Warrior)
Koda (Innocent/Altruist/Wanderer)
Sitka (Wisdom/Magician/Altruist)
To conclude, I believe that this movie is great because it has so many symbols and many archetypes that could teach us very much in our daily and busy lives, no matter how busy and complicated our lives could be, what matters at the end is how happy we are and how in touch we keep with our selves to achieve anything we want.
