A Bug's Life: The Hero's Journey Review

 

A Bug's Life: The Hero's Journey Review

After learning about the hero's journey, I have re-watched a bugs life in an attempt to break it down into the frame work of the hero's journey.

The Ordinary world:

The ordinary world is the ant colony being oppressed by the grass hopper's. The way of life where they are threatened and bullied into collecting food for the grass hoppers while also collecting food for themselves.

The call to adventure:

Flik see's a world where the ants can harvest food fast enough that they can feed the grass hoppers while also collecting enough food for themselves. This is in an attempt to relieve the stress that the ants feel when collecting food. The call to adventure is often linked to the themes of the movie. However the main theme is ridding the ants of the grass hoppers instead of this call to just sate the grass hoppers.

Refusal of the call:

Flik gives up on these ideas and agrees to act like everyone else and collect food in the same way. He agrees to stop wasting time inventing and coming up with tools and instead agrees to be part of the colony.

Mentor/Supernatural aid:

There is a moment where supernatural events/ bad luck creates a situation where Fliks thoughts and ideas become necessary to the ants survival. After all the food slides away into the water the audience sees that Flik (our hero) will need to do something to save the day. Flik sees this as well and decides to go on his journey. even if its just to distract him and get him away from the colony. 

Crossing the threshold:

Flik takes a flight on a leaf across a dried up stream, Visually showing his crossing that point of no return and going into the unknown.

belly of the whale:

Our hero finds himself in the middle of a big city showing him out of his element and surrounded by danger. 

the road of trials:

Flik has to find warrior ants he can hire to protect the colony from the grass hoppers. While trying to find his way through the city.

meeting the goddess:

The Goddess in a bugs life is Princess Atta, The person in line to be the next queen and someone who is at the centre of the ant colony.

woman as temptress:

I couldn't really find a answer to this point except for the idea that Flik couldn't fail his mission and so the idea that he is part of the colony tempted him into lying about the bug's being warriors even though they are just circus bugs.

ultimate boon:

This is when the ants come together and work together to make the fake bird. This is the part of the movie when the ants start to go against the grass hoppers and start thinking for themselves and a way to rid themselves of them.

refusal of return:

I think this is when Flik goes to leave with the circus. even though he managed to convince them to work together to build the bird. without the idea of warrior bugs helping them they refuse to work as a group against the grass hoppers. He gives up and requires a helping hand from Dot to be confident in going back.

magic flight:

a small group of bugs try to use the fake bird to scare off the grass hoppers and ridding them of the oppressors. Showing the ants starting to stand up for themselves.

rescue from without:

After the fake bird fails Flik gets beaten up by Hopper. When Princess Atta stands up for him against Hopper.

crossing the return threshold:

The Ants coming together to stand against the grass hoppers, is the return threshold. The ants seeing there strength in numbers and realising there ability to work together is there greatest weapon against the Grass Hopper threat.

Apotheosis:

I was torn when looking at this within a bugs life. One opinion I had was the rain., when everything was going well for the ants the rain causes chaos and gives Hopper an opportunity to cause more troubled. But after some thought I think the Apotheosis if the bird. The real bird that Flik uses to get rid of hopper right at the end of the movie. It shows how Flik uses his resourcefulness and intelligence to outsmart Hopper and winning the day. 

Master of two worlds:

Flik finds himself a great friend to the circus bugs while also finding himself as a part of his colony. A colony that now uses his ideas and his inventions to live better.

freedom to live:

The ants have fought the grass hoppers and won, this means the ants can live free without being oppressed and used by the grass hoppers.