The aim of this paper is to answer the question if the protagonist in "City of Bones" can be called a hero according to the concept of the Hero’s Journey. In order to do that the paper is first going to give a definition of the word hero and introduce the concepts that are significant for the analysis. Then it will focus on Vogler’s theory, which consists of twelve Stages, that can be organized in three acts, starting with giving an overview of the three acts.
The main part will focus on the twelve stages introduces by Vogler. After deconstructing the stages, it will refer to and analyse Clary Fairchild’s journey in the City of Bones. Lastly it will answer the question, if and to what extent Clary can be considered a hero.
Heroes always fascinated humankind. They are part of myths, of fairy tales, of historical studies and of course of fiction. For most people heroes always seemed to be a part of their lives regardless of whether they were or are fictional heroes or real-life heroes. This term paper will focus on Clarissa Fairchild, also called Clary Fray.
Clary is a fictional character and the protagonist of the book series "The Mortal Instruments" (2007 – 2014). "The Mortal Instruments" is written by the American author Judith Rumelt, better known by her pen name Cassandra Clare. Clary Fairchild lives the life of an ordinary teenager, until she discovers that she is the descendant of a line of Shadowhunters; warriors, who are humans with angelic blood. Shadowhunters exist to protect humans from demons and other evil forces that are beyond the mundane word. This term paper will only deal with the first book of "The Mortal Instruments", called "City of Bones" (2007).
Joseph Campbell introduced in his book "The Hero with a Thousand Faces", the Hero’s Journey, which describes a classical plot structure that appears for example in a lot of books and films. Christoph Vogler presents a theory that is based on Campbell’s work. Vogler’s book "The Writer’s Journey" describes his version of the Hero’s Journey. This paper will only focus on Christoph Vogler’s version of the Hero’s Journey.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Who is called a hero?
3 The Hero’s Journey by Vogler
3.1 Act One: Separation
3.2 Act Two: Descent and Initiation
3.3 Act Three: Return
5 Analysing Vogler’s Twelve Stages in the City of Bones
5.1. Stage One: Ordinary World
5.2 Stage Two: Call to Adventure
5.3 Stage Three: Refusal of the Call
5.4 Stage Four: Meeting with the Mentor
5.5 Stage Five: Crossing the First Threshold
5.6 Stage Six: Test, Allies, Enemies
5.7 Stage Seven: Approach to the Inmost Cave
5.8 Stage Eight: The Ordeal
5.9 Stage Nine: Reward
5.10 Stage Ten: The Road Back
5.11 Stage Eleven: The Resurrection
5.12 Stage Twelve: Return with the Elixir
6. Is Clary Fray a hero?
7. Criticism of the Hero’s Journey
8. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Core Themes
This paper examines whether Clary Fray, the protagonist of Cassandra Clare's "City of Bones," qualifies as a hero by applying Christopher Vogler’s twelve-stage model of the Hero’s Journey. The analysis aims to bridge the gap between theoretical literary structures and modern fantasy fiction, while also addressing the representation of female characters within the traditional monomyth framework.
- Application of the Hero's Journey model to modern young adult fantasy literature.
- Deconstruction and analysis of the twelve stages of the journey as defined by Vogler.
- Evaluation of character development and heroic traits in Clary Fray.
- Critical comparison of the Hero's Journey versus the Heroine's Journey.
- Analysis of the protagonist's growth, identity formation, and self-sacrifice.
Excerpt from the Book
5.4 Stage Four: Meeting with the Mentor
The Mentor functions as a source of knowledge, “teaching or training is a key function of the mentor” (Vogler 40). The hero can learn everything needed, “overcome fear and commence the adventure” (117). Meeting with the Mentor and being prepared for the adventure, plays an important role for the protagonist to feel ready to be a part of the Special World.
Hodge Starkweather functions as the Mentor. Hodge is introduced as a tutor (cf. Clare 42). He was once member of a dark organisation of Shadowhunters, called the Circle, that wanted to start a war between the Ordinary and the Special World (cf. 145f). After the Circle failed, Hodge was punished by the Clave. His punishment included being bond to the Institute and not having the opportunity to ever leave again (cf. 150f). Since then, he taught the kids “by [his] bad example” (Vogler 44) in the institute and trained them.
Clary is accepting the Call. After Jace saves her life by bringing Clary to the Institute, Clary meets Hodge. He answers all her questions concerning the Special World (Clare 76ff). After meeting the Mentor Clary accepts the Call. Sometimes heroes refuse the call until they have some time to prepare (cf. Vogler 117), like Clary who believed in the Special World after she went to the Institute and met Hodge.
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: Provides an overview of the work, defining the scope as an analysis of Clary Fray’s journey in "City of Bones" through the lens of Vogler’s hero theory.
2 Who is called a hero?: Distinguishes between real-life and fictional heroism, exploring standard traits like courage and selflessness.
3 The Hero’s Journey by Vogler: Introduces Joseph Campbell's foundational theory and Christopher Vogler’s streamlined twelve-stage modification used for this analysis.
5 Analysing Vogler’s Twelve Stages in the City of Bones: Systematically maps the plot events of the novel to the twelve stages of the hero’s journey.
6. Is Clary Fray a hero?: Discusses whether Clary truly embodies heroism, weighing her successes and failures against typical heroic expectations.
7. Criticism of the Hero’s Journey: Reviews alternative perspectives, specifically referencing Maureen Murdock’s critique regarding gender-specific journey structures.
8. Conclusion: Summarizes findings, confirming that Clary Fray demonstrates sufficient heroic qualities and evolution to be considered a hero within the novel's context.
Keywords
Hero’s Journey, Christopher Vogler, City of Bones, Clary Fray, Shadowhunters, Fantasy Literature, Joseph Campbell, Protagonist, Heroism, Character Development, Archetypes, Modern Fiction, Narrative Structure, Self-Sacrifice, Identity.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this academic paper?
The paper focuses on determining if Clary Fray, the main character of "City of Bones," can be classified as a hero based on the narrative theory of the Hero's Journey.
What theoretical framework is used to analyze the novel?
The analysis utilizes Christopher Vogler’s twelve-stage model of the Hero’s Journey, which is an adaptation of Joseph Campbell’s original seventeen-stage monomyth.
What is the primary research question?
The primary research question is whether the protagonist of "City of Bones" can be defined as a hero according to the specific criteria of the Hero's Journey concept.
What scientific methodology is applied here?
The work employs a literary analysis method, systematically mapping the novel's plot structure against Vogler's twelve stages and evaluating character traits against standard definitions of heroism.
Which key elements are covered in the main body?
The main body covers the sequential application of Vogler's twelve stages—from the Ordinary World to the Return with the Elixir—to the specific events in the novel.
Which keywords best characterize this research?
The research is best characterized by terms such as Hero’s Journey, Vogler, City of Bones, Clary Fray, and literary analysis.
Does the paper consider the limitations of the Hero's Journey model?
Yes, the paper includes a section on the criticism of the Hero's Journey, particularly highlighting Maureen Murdock's perspective on the differences between masculine and feminine journey narratives.
How does the author view the finality of Clary's journey in the first book?
The author argues that Clary's journey is not fully complete at the end of the first book, noting that her transformation is ongoing and that the narrative leaves several open-ended questions.
- Citar trabajo
- Elli Elsan (Autor), 2019, Is Clary Fray a hero within the novel "City of Bones"? The hero's journey according to Christoph Vogler, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1030358
