The Hero's Journey |
By examining Joseph Cambell's Hero Journey archetype, students were able to put a framework on the games that they were playing in class. While it was easy to assume that game designers, because of their excellent creativity, develop stories out of thin air, it was even easier for my students to see how game designers start with archetypes such as the Hero's Journey and populate their games with archetypal characters. Going even deeper, my students discussed how games, because of their interactivity, have the ability to go beyond the archetype's structure and add layers that traditional literature just cannot.
Classroom Practice: Consider the PSN downloadable game Journey or the PS3 game Resistance 3 as prime examples of games that follow the archetypal situation of the long journey home. With this game in mind, students could examine how closely the game follows that structure and how the characters reflect the story. (Resistance 3 is an "M" rated game.)
Stay tuned for more literature and game discussion!
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